Moving to Staten Island – all you should know

Are you searching for a new place to live? Maybe you want it or need it to be in or near New York? Well, Moving to Staten Island might be the perfect option if you want to move to a more suburban part of New York, where you can find a shelter from an urban sprawl while still enjoying being very close to the “capital of the World”.

This is especially fine options for those of you not really thrilled about actually moving to New York. We know that all those skyscrapers, fast and busy lifestyle and loud culture can seem intimidating. Here, Staten Island is the right choice. And as for prices – NY is expensive, but moving to Staten Island might offer the most reasonable option for living and having a family or a business.

Interested? Let’s look into it more!

Some facts about Staten Island

So let’s get to know the place we are talking about. What and where is Staten Island?

Staten Island is south of Manhattan (or “the city” as the residents of Staten Island call it – more on this latter) and is connected to the mainland with four bridges: the Outerbridge Crossing, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Goethals Bridge, and finally the Bayonne Bridge.

verrazano bridge
Verrazano-Narrows bridge in all of its glory.

Biggest of this is the Verrazzano bridge with its 4,260 ft at its longest span. This double-decked suspension bridge is named for  Giovanni da Verrazzano, who was actually the first European explorer to sail into what is today New York Harbor.

Staten Island has a pretty big space per citizen. On their 479,458 people (smallest population of all the boroughs of the city of New York) goes wast 58 square miles of land! This makes it so that Staten Island has the lowest population density of all the NYC boroughs. This is a welcome relief for all those not into the density of the urban sprawl.

This means the place is largely suburban. If you are kind of person to seek a house with a yard, a place to have a family and a little bit of personal serenity, Staten Island will oblige. So, maybe its time to hire a professional mover and move to Staten Island!

Cost of living – is it affordable?

We are not going to lie, things aren’t rosy. New York as a whole is very expensive. In this, Staten Island is not much of an exception. While it is more affordable downtown Manhatten, you will still find that Staten Island offers pretty high taxes and tough prices for everyday expenses such as food. While Staten Island famous ferry is free, and its many parks offer some free recreation, for many, this is where affordability ends.

Taxes for moving into staten island
High New York taxes will get you here too, but all in all, life is cheaper than “in the city”. Still, cheaper doesn’t equal affordable.

For those moving to Staten Island with a family, you might want too also look out for pretty sharp prices on child activities. There will be no quarter given here on Staten Island.

Prices of homes have gone up in recent year (around 500 000$ average price) and there is not much hope for home prices to go down.

All in all, yes, Staten Island is expensive… But, a more important question is, is it worth it? We would say it is worth every penny! So go, select a reliable moving company and check out what Staten Island has to offer!

A culture that makes it worth it to be moving to Staten Island

What kind of culture does Staten Island has and would you fit in? Find out!

 Musicians and artists

It is not easy to live off your music. Here, Staten Island offers a refuge for those willing. Many artists got moving to Staten Island in search of a place that is near Manhattan, but still more affordable. Local authorities jumped on this opportunity to promote artist an there are many encouragements for this new art to develop right here on Staten Island!

Dragons book
Did you know that a famous writer, G.R.R. Martin based the city of King’s Landing from his novel series A Song of Ice and fire on the view of Staten Island from his childhood home in Bayonne, New Jersey?

Local Attractions

Looking for some attractions to visit when you finish moving to Staten Island? Well, there is:

  • Staten Island Zoo – This zoo, firstly focused on reptiles but know home to a wide variety of animal species, is an educational zoo in the hearth, open almost all days of a year. On its 8 acres it houses the official groundhog of New York who determined will we be in for more days of winter. Maybe choice what to wear on your moving day according to the predictions?
  • Staten Island Children’s Museum – With a mantis called Francis, this children museum founded in the 70s offers a hands-on approach to education. For anyone moving to Staten Island with children, this is a must go! It offers 10 indoor and 2 outdoor exhibits, a dedicated art workshop, and a performance space and various useful games for children to experience.
  • Historic Richmond Town – this 25 acres big museum complex is truly a wonderful thing for history buffs. Historic Richmond Town features authentic experiences from all of US history, from the war of Independence to present
  • National Lighthouse Museum – This is a new museum to Staten Island, founded in 2015. It is dedicated to those who send light into the darkness to guide the ships, lighthouse workers, and their lighthouses. It is a remarkable place to visit.

Is it a place for me?

All in all, Staten Island is a vibrant place. And, even though it sees itself as separate from NYC proper (that’s why they call it “the city”, not “downtown”) and it even tried to secede and became its own city on a few occasions, it is still New York. It has a thriving culture and a strong sense of community, but with a more suburban twist. So, are you ready to take that ferry and get on Staten Island?

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I can't say enough wonderful things about our experience with this company! The 3 men that moves us were so careful, neat ,fast, polite, caring. Not one nick on my walls! I was so impressed and highly recommend this company. Amazing people to deal with!

Elizabeth Majoris