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Eleven Long Island communities — up from seven last year — landed in Niche’s 2025 ranking of the 100 Best Places to Raise a Family in America.
Kensington, a tiny community located among the Great Neck communities in northwest Nassau County, is the second best place to raise a family, according to the annual report. Only Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania, ranked higher.
The other 10 communities in the top 100 are also in Nassau. Syosset, Jericho, East Williston and Manhasset, Nos. 11, 21, 30, and 39, respectively, cracked the top 40 on the list.
Muttontown, Plainview, Roslyn Heights, Garden City, Lake Success and Searingtown round out the Long Island communities in the top 100.
Dix Hills at No. 135 is the highest-rated Suffolk County community on Niche’s Raise a Family List.
Niche evaluates and ranks more than 18,000 communities across various categories for its annual Best Places to Live in America report, which includes Best Places to Raise a Family in America, among several other categories. Now in its 11th year, the report combines data from sources like the U.S. Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CDC with millions of resident reviews.
Two LI communities among Top 100 Best Places to Live in America
Great Neck Plaza at No. 46 and its neighbor Kensington at No. 70 are the two Long Island communities among Niche’s top 100 Best Places to Live in America.
Great Neck Plaza dropped a slot from last year’s ranking; the western Nassau community was No. 13 in 2023. Kensington jumped 50 slots from last year’s No. 120 ranking. Dix Hills was 437th on the list — the highest ranking among Suffolk County communities.
As in 2024, Washington, D.C. suburb Colonial Village, Virginia, is the top-rated community on Niche’s Best Places to Live in America.
For its annual report, Niche weighs in such factors as affordability, the local housing market, neighborhood diversity, area public schools and walkability.
“Where you live shapes so many aspects of your life, from career opportunities to the sense of community you feel,” said Luke Skurman, CEO and founder of Niche.
Top photo: Syosset High School varsity cheerleaders at the school’s homecoming football team this fall (Facebook).
