Rye Scores Among Best Places to Raise a Family in America, New Ranking Says

Rye has landed in the top 100 of a prestigious list ranking the best destinations in the U.S. to raise a family, a newly released report found.

Finishing No. 84 out of 18,084 places nationwide, the waterfront city placed in the 99.5 percentile for “Best Places to Raise a Family in America 2025,” according to the list compiled by Niche, an online ranking and review site.

A city with a population of roughly 17,000, Rye boasts an attractive downtown full of retail and dining options, quality public schools, access to the Long Island Sound, including public and private beaches, and close proximity to New York City, realtors told The Record.

In Westchester, Rye trailed only Scarsdale (13), Ardsley (14), and Bronxville (61).  Meanwhile, neighboring Mamaroneck finished No. 2,281 and Harrison ran a distant 2,339th.

It’s the second consecutive year that Rye finished fourth locally — its highest position in the past five years.

The top overall spot in the U.S. — the best place to raise a family — went to Chesterburg, a suburb of Philadelphia, followed by Kensington in Long Island’s Nassau County. The top 10 included three Philadelphia suburbs, four communities from Chicago, and two towns in New Jersey.

But how much do rankings really matter? The Record talked to local real estate brokers Kim Arenas from Compass and Daniel Archino from Houlihan Lawrence to find out. 

“Clients mention that they look at rankings,” said Arenas. And when those prospective buyers ask about the schools, she and her team always recommend that they read about them online and check their rankings.

To Arenas, what matters most is that potential homebuyers ultimately immerse themselves in Rye for one day to see how “quaint” and “beautiful” the little city is.

“[Rankings are] a great thing to have and I do think it’s important,” said Archino. He mentioned meeting with “families who knew nothing about Rye,” but still chose the city for its schools and proximity to Manhattan. 

Niche gave Rye an A+ in public schools. The “Good for Families” and “Health & Fitness” categories also each received an A+. 

Conversely, the lowest-scoring factors were housing (C+), cost of living (C), and diversity (B-). (Weather also received a B-, though not much can be done on that front.) 

Rye Ranking in “Best Places to Raise a Family in Westchester” (2020-25)

“Zero diversity,” said one review on the Niche website.

“Very high housing costs,” added another. 

Median household income for Rye in 2025 was $237,727 — more than three times the national median household income of $78,538, according to Niche. And its home value of $1.7 million is nearly six times the national median ($303,400).

In 2024, another ranking found Rye to be one of the two wealthiest suburbs in the U.S., along with Scarsdale.

“We just don’t have enough homes for sale for all the buyers that want to move here,” Arenas told The Record.

The reasons for such a shortage were both financial and sentimental, according to the broker. 

Residents are “locked into very low interest rates,” she said. Lower interest rates translate to lower monthly mortgage payments, but also mean more people can afford to buy homes, leading to a surge in demand. 

The fact that buyers covet the community’s schools, proximity to New York City, and its coastal setting, is exactly why residents also want to stay, the brokers said. 

While increased demand can give sellers an upper hand, Arenas said Rye residents just don’t want to sell. 

“People love living here,” she added — and the Niche 2025 rankings seem to agree.