After an interesting response from my, “Top 10 Reasons not to live in California” list, we now turn our attention to other spots around the nation that one might not want to call home. Moving all the way across the country to the east coast, we find one of the original states of the great union of ours; New York. Unfortunately, unlike some of the other former British colonies that would become the first states, New York would not retain the quaint and humble characteristics that are the hallmark of a place for planting family roots. For that, you’re probably going to have to go to Maine (nobody complains about Maine). Here are the top ten reasons you probably don’t want to call the Empire State home.
10. It’s A One City State
This is a point that can be made about a lot of states in the city union. In fact, there are a few states that don’t even have places that can rightfully be called cities (just large towns – hello North and South Dakota). The state of New York, for its part, is pretty much defined, judged and misaligned by the comings and goings of New York City. One would think, in fact, that there is no actual state and that New York City (much like Washington DC) is an independent entity free the reigns of statehood. Unfortunately, what this means is that nobody pays much attention to any other part of the state (and this includes people who actually live in New York). Even the folks in the state’s capital – no, it’s not New York folks, its Albany – spend more time legislating around the affairs of the state’s (the worlds?) most cosmopolitan city. And let’s be honest – just how many cities in the state of New York can the average person on the streets name? The result of this metropolitan bias? The rest of the state and its residents get the short end of the stick – from its legislatures needed attention to public funding – it’s the Big Apple or bust.
9. You Might Get Whacked
Truth is stranger than fiction and organized crime is a reality that has plagued New York and law enforcement since the early 1900s. The five major organized crime families (Gambino, Genovese, Luccese, Colombo, and Bonanno) call New York home and control a good deal of its commerce. This includes many of the unions that employ workers in various service industries like trash collections. You want to get a job – you might have to deal with the mob. You want to live in a particular area- you might have to deal with the mob. Maybe not in a direct sense, these folks have a large collection of associates – estimated well over 250,000 people in various sources, law enforcement place their membership numbers in the 10s of thousands. Suffice to say, these are not people you want to run afoul of. With an annual revenue that are estimated to be over $100 million, these guys are serious and there is a trail of dead and missing bodies of those unfortunate enough to get in their way.
8. If Not the Mob, Then the Street Gangs Will Get You
“Warriors, come out and playyyyy…” Most of us were pretty young when the movie (The Warriors, in case some of you have no idea what I’m talking about) came out and ever since, it’s been a cult favorite. Unfortunately, gang activity is much more violent and deadly that what was portrayed in the movie. Gone are the days that gang members took the time to put on colorful jackets when their names emblazoned on them. No – now it’s drug dealing, drive-by-shootings, and outright murder. And don’t think that these are just a bunch of hoods that are confined to just one ethnicity or neighborhood. Every New York locale and ethnic group has their own brand. There’s the Latino gangs such as Los Vatos Locos and Latin Kings; the black gangs the Bloods and the Crips; the Vietnamese gangs The Green Dragons and Born to Kill; the Dominican gang DNP; white gangs like the Hell’s Angels – and the list goes on and on. You can’t live in New York (unless maybe you’re very rich) and not feel the effects of gang activity. Literally, they are everywhere. Not surprisingly, because of proliferation of gang activity, New York continues to be on the losing end of dealing with crime and protecting its law abiding citizens. This leads us to the next item on our list of why you might not want to call New York home.
7. You Might Become a Victim of the Soaring Crime Rate
A person living in New York is more likely to be the victim of the violent crime than anyone else living in another state. According to the most recent numbers from the federal government, violent crime across the United States is on the decline – about 5% overall. New York, however, has experienced a 4.6% overall increase in violent crime. The numbers are really scary: Murder is up 14% (there were 536 murders in New York in 2010), rape is up 24.5%, robberies increased 5.4% and aggravated assaults jumped 3.2%. Folks, that’s a lot of crime. That’s a lot of crime when criminal activity is on a decline in virtually every other locale around the country. The stereotype of everyone getting mugged in New York may not be as fictionalized as some would have us believe. While the mayors of New York City have touted to the nth degree how Times Square (a mecca of criminal activity in past years) has been cleaned up – the rest of the city and state seems to have been neglected. No wonder there are so many gun advocates in the state.
6. The Police
With the prevalent soaring crime rate, street gangs, and organized crime problems confronting the residents of New York; one would think that local law enforcement would be near and dear to the hearts of the New Yorkers. Unfortunately, it seems that New Yorkers are just as likely to be a victim of police brutality as they are crime. California had Rodney King. New York has the young West African immigrant who was shot 19 times while standing in front of his apartment by 4 plain clothed police officers. Cases of police misconduct are legendary in New York – so much so, I could write a Top Tenz list simply on that topic alone. Amazingly (or maybe not so amazingly), it’s rare that any of these cops are ever convicted of anything – regardless of the weighty evidence against them in many instances. Consider that since 2001, there have been 287 people that have been killed by New York law enforcement officials. Whether justified and in the line of duty or not, that’s a lot of dead people (and not all of these shootings have been legit). It’s a scary thought that a cop might shoot you before a criminal does. Yet, this is the dilemma that New Yorkers face every day.
5. The Cost of Living is Prohibitively High
The cost of living in New York is out of this world. If you are not rolling in the dough, you are probably going to have a hard time trying to make ends meet in the Empire State. The cost of living in New York is 25% higher than the national average. A New Yorker has to earn about $123,000 a year to have the same standard of living of a person residing in Houston that makes $50,000. And if you don’t plan on living under a bridge or in a park, you can expect inflated housing costs that are 400% above the national average. What many New Yorkers are paying in apartment rent equates to healthy mortgage payments for the rest of the country. Even those folks who try to grab a hold of the entrepreneurial spirit and start a small business run get stuck in New York’s commercial quagmire – the state is ranked 2nd (right behind California, I might add) for having the worst climate for business. I guess that’s why so many folks are turning to crime in the state – they can’t afford to live anywhere or eat holding down a regular day job.
4. There are Too Many People Living There Already
You can attribute a lot of the problems with New York to the fact that there are just too many people living there. With 19+ million souls residing within its borders, New York is the 3rd most populous state in the union. That’s a lot of people that all have needs. These folks have to work, be fed, receive medical attention, be protected, ect. The resources of the state simply are failing to accommodate the needs of the people it already has. You know, China is having this exact same problem – maybe New York should enact similar stringent birth control practices. With so many people living in such close proximity to one another, there are bound to be a host of problems. Can you imagine, for example, living in a two room house with 10 to 15 (representing a couple of generations) family members? If you can’t – that’s New York living for ya!
3. Tourists
There are already 19 million people living in New York. When you add the several million tourists that visit the state each year, the place is just downright crowded. Unlike many other states that actually have an industry of some kind (i.e. manufacturing, agriculture, etc.); New York’s primary ‘industry’ is tourism. Looked at another way, the state is trying to get more people (a whole lot of more people) to visit the state and spend their money there. And spend money they do – something in the order of $30 billion. What this means is that there are always people walking around gawking at you and asking you ridiculous questions (like ‘can you tell me where the Sopranos was filmed at?’) Then, because tourism is the most lucrative industry that New York has to offer, residents tend to find that the state caters and has a preference to the needs of tourists over them. It’s a fact that the police are much more likely to bash a fellow New Yorker in the head than an out of state tourist.
2. You Can’t Understand a New Yorker’s Accent
If you have ever had the privilege of speaking to someone from New York, you probably chalked the experience up to something akin to communicating with an Irish Mongolian. It takes a bit of concentration to actually discern what these folks are saying. Amazingly, in a primarily English speaking country; our eastern seaboard brothers and sisters have developed a dialect that is wholly and uniquely their own. In fact, trying to figure out what New Yorker’s are talking about reminds me of the Brad Pitt character (Mickey O’Neil) in the movie Snatch. He plays a hard fighting chap that hails from a group of folks that is referred to as Pickeys (kind of like Irish gypsies). If you know the movie, then you know what I’m talking about. These folks talk and you’re like, ‘huh?’ and blank looks ensue. Spending any significant time in New York is similar to moving to Texas – you have to learn an entirely new language to be understood. Though, it might be easier learning Spanish than New Yorkese (for lack of a better name).
1. New York Yankees Fans
You either love them or hate them – and many of us fall into the hate them category. The funny thing is, is that a lot of people feel this way and don’t even follow baseball. Yet Yankee fans tend to come across as obnoxious and overbearing – not particularly warm and fuzzy people that you want to be around. This can be especially irritating when you have to listen to these folks ranting in their New Yorker dialect. Nails on the chalkboard. Granted, not every person in New York is a Yankee fan – there are a few who actually know about and root for the Mets. Nevertheless, there are enough of them –with all of their Yankee sports regalia and boisterous noise making that can make life unbearable for those that are not a part of their cult. I mean really, have you seen this people? Their lives turn on how well the Yankees are doing. If the team is suffering a losing streak – God help you. You would rather deal with a woman having a bad case of PMS.
73 Comments
Umm i thought this was about new york as a whole not nyc, nyc is not the same as ny at all. Ive lived in west new york (between finger lakes and rochester) all my life and rochester, buffalo and syracuse r big cities and in pretty sure you can understand us.
What an amazingly stupid article. I feel really sorry for anyone that relies on crap like this to make an important decision like where you are going to live next. Having been born in New York and being raised in the New York metro area, I will tell you that there are reasons that you don’t want to live there:: the disparity of wealth, all the front running and spoiled douchbags that are ruining NYC. Those reasons are not listed in this incredibly self-serving article (who composed this garbage?). However, the experience of being in New York is indescribable; you have to go there to experience the place. Also, I will remind people of reason number 4 in this amazingly corny article: there are too many people in NYC. Well, why do you think that they are there?
This list should be titled Top 10 Reasons (mostly gleaned from movies and TV) Not To Live in New York CITY.
I live in New York, 400 MILES from New York City. There are more cows in the township I live in than there are people. On clear nights I can see the Milky Way in the sky.
I am not unfamiliar with New York City, having lived less than 20 miles from Times Square (on Long Island) the first 33 years of my life. As a teenager my friends and I thought nothing of going ‘into the City’ for ball games, museums, and to see touristy things like Radio City Music Hall and the Statue of Liberty and we were not accompanied by adults.
It is true that New York City has problems today (and so does the very small town I live in), but they are not problems unique to New York City. The crime rate is dropping and has been for a number of years. There are problems with the NYC Police Department, partly caused by budget cuts that reduced the pay scale, which reduced the quality of new recruits, and also partly caused by lack of proper leadership.
It’s funny that one of you’re problems is that the state is judged by New York City, and then all your other arguments are based off New York City. A little hypocritical i would say.
I’m from the Bronx and this is the most ridiculous article I have ever read. First off for the size of our city, it is actually safer then most other US cities per capita. The only thing somewhat correct about the article is about the police and the tourists. And the tourist part only applies to Manhattan, not the outer boroughs or the rest of NYS. Yes we have the mafia, but they don’t bother normal citizens and they keep the street gangs under control. We don’t have a 10th of the street gang problem that cities like LA and Chicago have. Part of the reason we don’t have that problem is cuz of the mafia, they are soldiers they only hurt other members and keep women and children out. Look at all the ppl killed in LA and Chicago, that would never ever happen here.We do have accents but that makes us unique and it sounds better then most of the accents across the country (stupid southern and boston accents). If you don’t like it here stay the hell out, nyc isn’t meant for the weak hearted. This is the city where dreams are made and the best city in the country hands down. We are the financial capital of the US and there are more opportunities here then anywhere else in the US. As for the rest of NYS it’s beautiful and has great recreational rural areas and other small cities. In the city, everything you need is on your block, you know everyone that lives around you and the food is the best In the country by a long shot. Iv been all over the country and the food isn’t even comparable to what we have over here. To make a long story short, if u hate this city so much don’t come here. Noo Yawk is the best city in world and if yew dawnt like it, get da hell oudda he-ah (nyc accent)!!!!!!!
i still want to live there i see only beutifull things coming from the city
I was visiting ny (with my car) no too long ago. I checked out of my hotel real early at 2:30am and was driving up 12th ave (or westside pkwy i don’t remember) because I knew the gwb is i-95. In morningside heights near the university cops in an unmarked black car pulled me over. I wasn’t rude but I wasn’t friendly either because you’re not supposed to smile at cops. He kept throwing questions at me not really expecting an answer and wouldn’t look at me and gave some bs excuse as to why he pulled me over. He never once asked where I came from or where I was going or why I was out that time of night. He then asked if I had drugs or weapons on my. I was in shock. I don’t really remember what happened after that because I mumbled I didn’t give an answer I was so much in shock. Ironically he just left it at that never recieving and answer from me. It’s not that I didnt want to answer I just COULDN’T because I was in so much shock. He and returned with his partner to his car with his partner and zoomed off very quickly. I went further north and saw that they pulled over an suv questioning him. I felt a little bit better but was still traumatized. I’ve been to ny many times and that was my 2nd time driving there so I’m not naive but damn.
I’m a New Yorker (don’t worry, I’m not offended! If anything, I agree with most of these things…) and I’m just sort of confused – I had no idea that we had accents. I guess we speak fairly fast sometimes, but I didn’t know that we had an entirely separate accent. Huh…I guess you learn new things every day.
K SO,
I live in Long Island…That island that no one knows about east of NYC.
I have been going to NYC all of my life, and since I was a kid, its become a lot safer (Im 23).
I lived in Baltimore for a little while, and damn, I missed being able to walk around past 10pm in NYC and not worry about being robbed or shot. At least in NY, people are always around. At least in NY, there ARE cops on the streets everywhere you go.
The crime here is outta control. Baltimore was scary next to NYC.
The #1 reason not to move to NYC (Manhattan Specif.) is if you CANT MAKE IT THERE! Its way too much money for the average American salary to live comfortably in.
Thats just MY opinion, you know, after practically spending every weekend there since I was 15.
I have to agree with the author about the overcrowded state of NYC. I heard that in order to get the closest to the tree at Rockefeller center when they light it, people have to come at NOON. Which means they have to go 10 hours without going to the bathroom, missing lunch and dinner, not sitting down, being squshed against millions of other people, and etc. Also, New York City is the lifeline for the state. It has the tourism, entertainment, food, cultural diversity, people, business, tall buildings and landmarks, history, transportation and many other industries that run the state. It’s almost like it is saying ” PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!! I HAVE TALL BUILDINGS AND HUGE PARKS AND SUBWAYS AND IM BASICALLY THE ENTIRE STATE BECAUSE I BASICALLY OBSCURE ANY OTHER PLACE WHERE PEOPLE LIVE IN THIS STATE! WHO CARES ABOUT THOSE LOWLIFES LIVING IN SHANTYTOWNS LIKE BUFFALO, SYRACUSE, AND ROCHESTER, WHO CARES ABOUT THEM!”
And also, they don’t seem to care about anything except money, the Yankees, and getting MORE money, cleaning out tourists’ wallets, and how they are the greatest city in the world. They have a selfish and rude demeanor and they look at southerners the way the Pharisees look at Jesus. I am not saying these things are true, but other than FDR, name ONE New York City citizen who contributed to the common good of all. Also, some of them are rude and think that they should tell any random stranger on the unforgiving streets what they think. I was having an ice cream one day and all of a sudden this random lady started yelling at me for how I was disgustingly eating the ice cream which I had not had since I moved from Queens 7 years ago. At least I think that’s what she said. They are also sometimes stuck-up. Like the Yankees bit. There was a Red Sox Fan who was RUN OVER by a crazy Yankees fan and who also injured two of his friends.
And since so much media is basically making the rest of the state seem like it disappeared into an endless void of space along with George Lazenby, Atari, and the Montreal Expos. people who want to live in New York City have to live in apartments because houses have to be super-expensive because since it’s in a big city EVERYTHING has to cost 10x more than it should.
I really love New York City, but I defend this countdown maker because he pointed out baseful facts and he only focused on New York City because that’s where most people want to move to and basically, their is a reason it’s called NEW YORK, NEW YORK.
The quote “The funny thing is, is that a lot of people feel this way and don’t even follow baseball” where the heck did that statistic come from? Stupid.
THIS IS WHY NOT TO LIVE IN NY WHY ARE YOU GUYS HATING? you didnt have to read it did you!! I Find it very interesting and everything ive ever heard about NYC is right here so shutup and stop writing stupid comments.
I really had to laugh at “9. You Might Get Wacked.” What Mafia? It’s done…over…gone. You probably have a better chance at getting hit my lightning or winning Megabucks in Vegas. The writer obviously knows absolutely nothing about NY.
As for street gangs, unless you travel to some of the worst hoods, u’ll never see them. Police can be pricks but they won’t even give you the eye if ur white. That’s just the way it is.
Um I’ve lived in the Capital Region my whole life and I’ve never seen a lot of this…
Yes, NYC takes up all attention but I haven’t seen anyone getting “whacked” anywhere. The cost of living is going up though, can’t argue with that.
And too much population? NYC maybe. But on the road to Vermont you’re lucky to see three houses per mile, and outside of places like Saratoga is just a few farms and small suburbs.
I have never seen tourists ever. A few come up for horse racing and camping and can cause traffic jams, but I certainly don’t see any in Albany or Syracuse.
New York accent? Pffffffffft. Sometimes you’ll hear a Canadian one or even French if you’re near Quebec, and those aren’t particularly common. But that stereotype accent is…a stereotype. Everyone near where I live has a neutral accent you would just call neutral. It’s very boring and unamusing, but very clear and easy to understand.
As for #1, I’ve only seen a few ever. They aren’t as common as everyone likes to think. Hell, we probably have more hippies.
Anyway just my thoughts on this. Maybe it describes the city; I’ve only been there a few times. But for the other 95% of the state it doesn’t really apply.
This list is ridiculous. Clearly the author has never actually spent any time in New York, and goes by media perceptions alone. As someone who has lived in NY my entire life, I can tell you that almost everything written is false.
#10: Granted NYC receives all of the attention in the state, but that’s what happens when half of the population of NYS lives here, and the city probably produces well over half of the state’s revenue. It’s not really a problem that NYC is the most important part of the state.
#9: This just isn’t true, maybe it was several decades ago, but today the mobs have lost most of their power, and are confined to specific neighborhoods. Even then, the amount of organized crime committed is almost nonexistent. Crime exists in NY, but nobody is worried about the mob.
#8: Gangs are present in NY, but they are also in every other major US city. However, you certainly don’t have to be extremely rich to avoid them. It’s simply a matter of not wandering into bad neighborhoods late at night, and not buying drugs from street dealers. Follow those guidelines, and you’ll be fine.
#7: There is no “soaring crime rate,” it has been steadily falling since the early 90’s. When you take those statistics and actually compare them to the total number of people living here, NY doesn’t even make the top 10 most dangerous cities, as another poster mentioned. Even the very worst parts of the Bronx and Brooklyn have crime rates similar to Philly or DC as a whole. Yes, crime is always a threat in a big city, but you might as well make a list called “Top Ten Reasons to Live on a Farm in the Middle of Nowhere.”
#6: Yes, a few policemen are d*cks who abuse their power. Welcome to America.
#5: It is true that the cost of living is very high, and not everyone can make it here. It is also true that NY has many more opportunities than just about anywhere else, and NY salaries are much higher than the national average.
#4: NY, particularly Manhattan, is very crowded. Some like the bustle and energy, others don’t. Not sure where you’re getting this 10-15 people per small apartment idea. That’s simply a lie. Living in NY does not mean living like an illegal immigrant. You may need a roommate or two, or a smaller apartment then you would like, but New Yorkers find a way to make it work.
#3: Most tourists are annoying. But they generally stay confined to certain areas of Manhattan, and can usually be avoided. I won’t deny that the throngs of tourists in Midtown that block entire sidewalks are quite aggravating. But they are a large part of our economy, though not even close to the only part, as you suggest. Financial services, entertainment, and others are also vital NY industries.
#2: You cannot be serious. If you have ever been to NY, you would know that nobody here actually talks like that. Please don’t promote completely untrue stereotypes.
#1: Won’t argue with you on this one.
In conclusion, you should actually visit a place and spend a significant amount of time there before writing something as absurd as this
Whoever wrote this needs to check thier stats, or use of the word “state” vs “city”. 19 million people live in NYS? No… It’s 19 million people who live in the city alone. Also, NYC is the only city? Maybe the most recognized internationally, but there is Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, etc. All much smaller, but so are a majority of cities. Finally… Crime rate, are you kidding me?! if you look at national crime stats put out by the FBI, NYC isn’t even in the top 10!! Read up on your stats there bud… I’m more afraid to visit Flint, MI (btw- that is the city with the highest crime rate in the US) then live in this amazing city!
New York City has 8 million people according to the 2010 census. The biggest city in North America is Mexico City with 13 million people. You are not the greatest city on the planet.
I like to respond on this article. I am from Holland, live in a bigger city there some 100 miles from Amsterdam. We are going to visit USA and i hit this site. I find it rather funny because its the exact same people in some parts of Holland think for instance about our capital Amsterdam. Its dangerous, you have to stand up, overcrowded by tourist (well in some parts), poluted blabla. In fact I think they all are a bit jealous, because everybody knows that culture and life is for a great deal a product from the bigger cities. Youre in a different world where you can create youre own personality. I like Amsterdam and my home city.
Oh yeah well tell the author to get off the Yankees hating bandwagon change the #1 reason and jump off of a cliff.
A lot of these are wrong. If you are poor, it doesn’t mean you’re involved with a gang. Cause everyone around here thinks they are, or knows someone who is, but it’s not true. And it’s not a one city state…what about Albany, the capitol? And not everyone has a New York accent, but if they do, it’s not hard to understand. Also, nothing is wrong with the cops if you don’t give them any lip.
Damn, if your gonna pick a list of where not to live, pick New Jersey or California or something.
We did pick California. https://www.toptenz.net/top-10-reasons-not-to-live-in-california.php
F**k you toptenz master for picking Yankee fans as the #1 reason not to live in New York stop jumping on the Yankee hating bandwagon and jump off a cliff and die
I didn’t pick it, the author did. But thank you for proving her point so well.
actually, i have a list for each of the great states you mentioned. Check them out
So thats what you do sitting in your step mom’s basement eating cheetos??
you need to get out every now and then to visit the cities you are writing about.
whats wrong with cheetos? i like cheetos!
Really dude Yankee fans as the #1 Reasons not to live in NY? Who ever made this is a Red Sox, Mets , Phillies, Padres, or Angel’s fan pick another damn reason for the #1 spot
touche! This is the best comment to date. For certain, new yorkers are passionate about their state and cities. Good thing i didnt target the great state of texas!
Some of these points are absolutely ridiculous. Did you do your research watching movies about New York? The mafia and gang points are so exaggerated, it’s like me saying if I went to Texas I would be murdered by a man with a chain saw.
It all ties into your crime statistics. There’s more crime because any larger sample size is going to have more of anything. Look up the FBI’s statics per 100,000 people. It’s impossible to compare numbers because New York City is the most populated city in the country, but if you take crimes per 100,000 people, New York City doesn’t even make the top ten. It’s a densely populated city and in most areas, you wouldn’t have to worry at all about crime. It has it’s bad areas, but that’s the same anywhere.
And the police comment? Are you joking? Out of the 247 people, how many were armed and attacking police officers? You can’t bring up the 10 or so bad police shooting in the past 25 years and disregard the dozens of legit ones, and completely ignore the times police officers have been confronted with a deadly situation and have not shot. The numbers are overwhelmingly in the favor of of police. Saying an average citizen has to be worried about being shot in the face is just preposterous.
As a New Yorker from the Queens Borough, the article appears to be targeting the Manhattan borough of NYC rather than other parts of New York such as Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany and other areas of the state. The majority of the items on the list are over exaggerated. Yes, Manhattan is overcrowded and has a very high cost of living; but violence is not as prevalent as what this article makes it out to be. There are definitely parts of the city that are more dangerous than others, but that applies to every major metropolitan in the world. If everything on this list were true; the population would decrease dramatically and it would not continue to be a major tourist attraction.
As far as advice goes for those worried about being victims of a crime or scam…or the police, read up on the tips for tourists on the NYC government website and other reputable sites before you visit. It’s a city where you have to be cautious but you can still enjoy your time there. For example, if a stranger asks you for money, walk away. Even if a stranger offers you money, walk away. Stay in well-lit areas at night and avoid shady parts of a neighborhood as well as empty areas of a subway station.
I love NY, it’s a great place to visit or live in. Oh, and GO METS!
I’m from NYC and y’know what? Screw you. You don’t want to come here? Great, then stay the F**K home. We don’t really care if you love us or not, we’re NEW YORK CITY, capitol of the world and the city that every other city on the planet aspires to be, so KISS THIS!!!
Okay, obligatory New York attitude aside, it’s really not as bad as this “list” makes it sound, the people are pretty good, and there are some really wonderful things to see and do, that you won’t find anywhere else on earth. It has it’s flaws, but it’s a great city to me and a few million other people that love it and call it home. People love to insult and tear us down because we’re just so big that we seem like an easy target, but really, all places have their good and bad aspects. Maybe you should try seeing the good, instead of ripping down and insulting my home.
Now you make me dont want to stay in New York. Maybe one night in New Year at Time Square wouldn’t be that bad.
Agree with everyone above. Only #10 deals with the entire state. Being an Upstater it tickles me that all the reasons you give really don’t apply to where I live.
Funny in that map of housing cost you can clearly see that almost the entire state is white to green (meaning on the low end), while the red is mostly a very light pink, while tons of Western states have Bright Red regions.
You actually claim that 10 to 15 people living in a two bedroom house is the norm for NY State?!?!
Also the entire state has various accents throughout- Western NY has a Mid-West Drawl, Upstate around the Capital Region has a more neutral American accent, while only Downstate, NYC, and Long Island have that distinctive New Yawk accent.
pop quiz! where is rochester? its a city. in new york. thats not new york city. this list generalizes the entire state because of one city. this is one of the worst lists you have ever posted.
This list is outlandish. I agree with those saying that it contradicted itself and there are many other cities that have the same characteristics. I’ve lived in NYS my whole life (in a city just north of the Bronx). While some of these may be true, they are surely exaggerated. I dont know what your issue is with New York buddy but don’t talk about New York City as an example for the whole state and be reasonable with your critique. Dont hype situations as if they come about in every New Yorkers life every 5 seconds and as if they are exclusive to New York. Tourists are heavy only in certain parts of the city that are tourist attractions (Predominantly in Time Square). Even the strongest NY accent is still understandable (Long Island, Queens, Bronx). Everyone has theyre own brand of slang. If you’re not affiliated with mob members, you will never be directly affected. I’ve never met someone in a mob. Gangs are another story but again, that is not exclusive to NY. You can get killed anywhere bro. I love New York. It has a rich history, strong culture and contrary to popular belief, great people. The people may be a little skeptic to panhandlers, but you can always find someone who will help out a fellow New Yorker. Our pride is strong and I am proud without a doubt to be a New Yorker from Westchester, NY.
I was shooting for spectacular but I will settle for outlandish.
I have lived most of my life in Queens (though i now live in Nassau) I thought the list was funny, and i think that’s what it was supposed to be, so try not to get all upset and pissed besides everyone knows there are three sections of New York State The City, Long Island, and the rest is just Upstate
I saw this list title and already assumed it would be about NYC, and I was right. NYC may have a huge population, but the majority of New York State is quite rural outside of a few major cities (ie: Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany are the first that come to mind).
I live and grew up in Rochester and I can tell you overcrowding isn’t an issue, tourists? What tourists?, we don’t have a “New Yorker” accent, the cost of living isn’t too bad (aside from taxes–which is NYC’s fault), and our crime is overall in a decline… Granted, we’re not as well-known as Buffalo, but we’re still a nice city to live in within New York State.
Next time you make a list about a state don’t generalize its whole population like that of its major city.
i live in rochester! i agree with you, when i tell people iom from new yark, they say “oh, your so lucky! you live near everything!
I would think an identical list could be written for about 20 other cities around the world
Yup, have to agree with the other posters here…thi list is Top 10 reasons to not live in New York CITY!! I grew up in upstate New York, there are no gangs, definitely not overcrowded, low crime rate, cost of living and apartments are lower on average, and we don’t even get stuck with that annoying accent. This article is way off, sorry.
This is silly, im from brooklyn, and have lived there my entire life, and I never once have had to deal with “the mob” or “street gangs.” Oh, and if you really want to write an article about new york, how about you go somewhere other than times square you tool. Also, 524 homicides a year is one of the lowest rates in the country. But the nypd are dicks, you got that right. Everything else is wrong though.
I too have grown up in brooklyn my entire life, and this list is completely retarded. this guy must have watched goodfellas one too many times instead of wtinessing the complete gentrification that is happening. if you believe this list, then you should be aware that you are completely ignorant.
firstly, crime in the city has skyrocketed over the past 2 years, homicides is just one type of crime- i’m sure you’ve heard allll about women being raped all over the city.
And just because you’ve never had to “deal” with the mob or a gang doesn’t mean they don’t exist- and you probably have interacted with them unknowingly, because their activities are generally on a need to know basis- you should consider yourself lucky
This list is ridiculous. You might as well have ended the first item on the list with “since NYC is the only city in NY the ‘average person on the street can name’ (also not true in my opinion) I’m only going to talk about Manhattan for the rest of the list.”
I grew up in Buffalo. I’ll give you that we have some crime problems, mostly gang related. Though the crime rate is actually dropping. But as far as tourists, costs of living, too many people living there… those things don’t even remotely apply to Buffalo.
Oh, and you can understand all of us. And we’re Sabres and Bills fans.
You know what, I completely forgot that Buffalo was in NY. Good point!
Another native Buffalonian here. I live in Canada now, but I agree that NYC should be a separate city-state. Obviously they have much different needs than smaller cities or the farmers in WNY.
This list commits the very sin that #10 details. After claiming that NYC takes the spotlight for my home state it then goes on to generalize about the rest of the state. When asked where I’m from, I’ll always end up explaining that New York STATE and New York CITY are VERY different places. I’ve always felt that NYC should become it’s own city state so the rest of us get the legislative and funding attention we deserve. I have never dealt with the mob, ever. I can understand anyone from the city or anywhere else in the country for that matter. The NYC dialect really isn’t that bad, the author of this list just needed something to pad his list. You want dialects that are hard to understand? Head up north to the Champlain Valley and talk to some locals with French last names. THAT is a thick accent! Ugh, quit being such a hater!
And don’t forget those folks from Boston you can’t understand them either.
Hey Lee:
Where are you from?
Mike
I am from the green state of Oregon. Go Ducks!
Hey Lee how’s your Trailblazers doing? Pretty bad getting ditched for OKC.
Sorry forgot Seattle is just a bigger, more populous, more cultural version of Portland in the great state of Washington. Can’t be too long before the Trailblazers leave your small town. And exactly what does Oregon have besides Portland and a lot of forgettable towns next to route 5.
clearly you’ve never spent a day in NYC- so many people from so many different places we can barely understand each other
the same thing i said haters hating on our state…… NYC has their own board of education thats the crazy part about it….. the representatives of our state focus more on NYC then the state as a whole
you forgot Bloomberg
All ten reasons are based on New York City…. NY State is comprised of more than NYC. Adirondacks, high tourist attraction, high taxes, over-populated, we think not. Have to say this toptenz is way of the target….
NYC is NY
New york is actually a pretty large state with other things including long island, the hamptons, the mountains and buffalo ny
But thats the thing- no one daydreams about making it big in the mountains of upstate New York. Most people in the city itself never think about the state beyond Westchester….
there is more to our state then mountains there are cities……. and people in nyc are different then the rest of us….. they think their better then the rest of the state….. they say we talk country which is a lie and how would they know none of them know what a southerner sounds like….. they think their big and bad… to everyone on here yes new yorkers( people born and live in nys) are rude we get angry….. upstate we get pissed off if youre in our way and there is road rage everyone in our state is like that…… its when you get down state where its 1,000 times worse….. its dirty in nyc ….. almost everyone from upstsate will get angry if you refer to nyc as ny…. because how stupid of you is it to say that…. ny is new york state so say new york when youre talking about our state in general….and when youre talking about new york city say new york city…. I love the yankees their the best baseball team in the country by fact and i dont even watch them play…. i will cheer for everyone of our teams even if i dont watch the sport because its my state and im not afraid to admit that a out of state team is better than ours… i heard the lakers are the best basketball team….. STOP HATING on us because were New Yorkers no one cares about any of you, you all hate us because were a good state……. for new jersey people stop getting so happy because youre close to nyc who cares doesnt mean your a part of our state….. and any of you think about NYC take into consideration the rest of my state and how were always brushed off……TO PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY, AND OTHER RESIDENTS OF THE STATES PART OF THE NORTHEAST STOP YOUR FAKE ACCENTS YOU have a little imitation accent of what people in our state sound like quit it because then when you go out of state people will think youre from our state and your not
stop whining, ny and nyc is nothing but trash
You sound like a poor person who is a grey that he can’t make enough to live in NYC. So you hate NYC because you can afford that. Millions of visitors a yr can’t be wrong and your right.’ Your funny the hate I can feel from your statement . This is why New Yorkers don’t say hi. No one wants to talk to a person like you. Because lots of visitors in NYC all the time who don’t know ware there going and get in the way. If you earn a good living NYC is great .
NYC is New York? What a lazy, poorly researched article. Go stand at the observation point overlooking the Hudson at West Point, visit Cooperstown, or drive through the Adirondacks. This list could go on and on but your get the point. If upstate New York was a separate state it would have a population of 7 million (making it the 15 largest state in population) and a size of 44,000 sq. miles (larger than Ohio, Virginia, or any New England state). That’s isn’t nothing.
Unfortunately the state is tied to the city, a city that is very different from upstate in so many ways. It is on the ocean and has a different climate, geography, population, culture, economy, and philosophy than the state.
Lee, when you get to Texas do more than write about Dallas or Houston and don’t presume that Miami is Florida.
I am from Alabama and I could never imagine living in New York city. I am sure there are a lot of people who would never want to live in Alabama, everyone has their preferance. I just couldn’t deal with all of the people. Also I don’t know if it true but they say New Yorkers are very rude. I would not like that at all. I am used to saying “hi” to strangers, saying “yes maam and no maam”, basically just being friendly and polite to everyone. I can relate tp one thing on this list though. About the Yankees fan, they can’t be worse that Alabama football fans. Bama fans can be downright horrible shooting people and poisioning trees.
Im also from the great state of Alabama, buddy. I agree 100% with this list. I maybe wouldn’t mind visiting (Becoming and tourist, hah!) but no way am i moving up there. My grandparents are actually Yankee’s fans, if thats hard to believe…and bama fans (Me being an Auburn fan), haha. Imagine having to live in my household.
Yeah I could visit but not live. My daddy was a huge Bama fan and I am a Tennessee fan, so I know about the fighting on game day lol!! Daddy would always joke that he got the wrong baby at the hospital.
Roll tide!
No offense, but it sort of pisses me off when people say that New Yorkers are rude…we’re no ruder than anyone else. Unless you mention that New Yorkers are rude. Then we’re offended, just as I imagine you would be.
Too bad you can only do ten. The smell alone would be enough to keep you away.
I’m actually surprised the smell didn’t make the list.
Actually, it was a very close toss up.
We’ll millions of visitors a year can’t be wrong. You much not make enough to be able to live and Enjoy the upper middle class city life . Restaurants, Night Life, the best in world. Beautifull women a dime a dozen. The top modeling agency in the world are here in NYC. But a single male living alone needs to make a minumum of $160,000 a year. If not NYC is hard smelly and ugly. That’s why if don’t have the money then don’t move here. I can see your statements of smell and dislike.You must not be making much money. So for you it would suck. Nyc never sleeps and has no mercy so not a place for the week or poor. You must of seen that NYC. Thank god I don’t have to:-)