Oyster Bay Makes ‘Best Places to Live’ List by Money Magazine

Two Long Island communities are among the best of the best when it comes to places to live in the United States.

Money Magazine compiled their 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, two of the best places to live are Oyster Bay and Huntington. These communities were ranked No. 34 and No. 39, respectively.

When it comes to Oyster Bay and Huntington, their close proximities to the water and Manhattan make it a prime location to buy a home. What sets them apart from the rest, Money says, is their town histories.

Oyster Bay is home to Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt’s summer White House which now serves as a museum. Oyster Bay also has a top school system and ranks high in terms of job growth and economic opportunity. The job market in the Town of Oyster Bay is only expected to grow by 4.3 percent over the next five years, according to Money.

Here are some statistics the magazine released about Oyster Bay:

• Population: 294,520
• Median home price: $470,000
• Property tax: $12,473
• Unemployment rate: 3.6 percent
• Commute time: 33 minutes

Huntington is another waterfront North Shore community that is known for its history, storybook landscapes and recent burst of economic development, Money says.

The summer months in Huntington bring locals outside for recreational boating, golf courses, parks and beach days. The landscape features historical mansions like Oheka Castle or Walt Whitman’s birthplace, which is now a museum.

The “110 Corridor” in Huntington, which runs along Route 110, has brought an influx of manufacturing units and business jobs to the area. For those who work in Manhattan, the community is an easy train ride away, Money says.

Huntington statistics, according to Money Magazine:

• Population: 203,264 (according to Town of Huntington demographics)
• Median home price: $561,250
• Property tax: $12,171
• Unemployment rate: 3.9 percent
• Commute time: 36 minutes

Money analyzed 60 key factors to determine the rankings, including taxes, education, health care and more.

The list named Columbia, MD, 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.

Image of Sagamore Hill via Wikipedia Commons courtesy of Marsky01