Clarkstown Makes ‘Best Places to Live’ List by Money Magazine

A Hudson Valley community is among the best of the best when it comes to places to live in the United States.

Money Magazine compiled its annual top 50 Best Places to Live in America list that features towns that have what every homeowner wants: great schools, top hospitals and jobs aplenty.

According to the list, one of the best places to live is Clarkstown, ranked No. 7.

That's the same ranking it received last year — when it zoomed up the chart. Clarkstown was ranked 35 out of 100 in 2012, 41 in 2010, and 71 in 2008.

Clarkstown is in rarefied company — only three cities in New York State got ranked — and the folks at Money don’t even care that it’s not a city!

Its close proximity to Manhattan and to the Hudson River make it a prime location, and its affordability compared to its lower Hudson Valley neighbor, Westchester, makes it a great place to buy a home, the magazine said.

Here's what the writers said about it:

Truth be told, Clarkstown probably picked the wrong name—it should be Clarkstowns. This community on the Hudson River is actually nine villages knitted together by their bucolic setting and affordable homes, all within a 35-mile drive of New York City. In one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country, Clarkstown’s $360,000 median home price is a bargain— that’s 34% lower than in neighboring Westchester County.

Here are some statistics the magazine released about Clarkstown:

• Population - 84,787
• Median Home Price - $360,000
• Property Tax - $12,803
• Unemployment rate - 3.9 percent
• Commute time - 32 minutes

“I am so proud of this wonderful honor for our Town,” said Supervisor George Hoehmann. “Clarkstown is an amazing place to raise a family and also to settle down in retirement; we have so much to offer all ages from our excellent school system, to parks, senior centers, recreation programs, businesses, shopping, entertainment and more.”

Money analyzed 60 key factors to determine the rankings, including taxes, education and health care. Commuting time, for example, is something the U.S. Census Bureau collects information on.

The list named Columbia, Maryland, the best place to live in 2016. Money magazine describes it as "a planned community that prizes economic and social diversity." Check out the full list here.

Money Magazine has also created a “How Does Your Town Stack Up?” tool where you can plug in your town and a “rival town” to see which is better.

Here's a look at how the magazine makes its choices.

PHOTO: New Hempstead Presbyterian Church is the second-oldest existing church in Rockland County. By Daniel Case, via Wikimedia Commons