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11. Living in New York

New York at a Glance

Living in New York

New York's yellow cabs were introduced in the early 1900s.

Roughly 8.3 million people are currently living in New York City. NYC’s metropolitan area that stretches across three states, i.e. New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, is home to a staggering total of 18.9 million people.

New York City itself consists of five boroughs – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island – and includes some of the most ethnically diverse communities in the USA. In fact, around 37% of New York residents are foreign-born.

This does not only make New York an exciting city to live in. It also makes the expat experience a lot easier for foreigners living in New York who might be concerned about losing touch with their home culture. No matter where you come from, you can be almost certain to meet someone from your native country.

The City That Never Sleeps

In the eyes of many, a sense of glamour and excitement is associated with New York. The reality is quite different for many immigrant or US families living in NYC on a subsistence level below the poverty line, in homeless shelters or on the streets.

However, the city´s neon lights, illuminated skyscrapers, and dazzling reputation often outshine such statistics. For people who enjoy the buzz of living in a city with a vibrant nightlife and a cutting-edge arts and cultural scene, New York is indeed a dream come true.

In 2009, New York was voted the most attractive city for business and innovation in the world. It has the lowest crime rate among the 25 largest US cities, a good mass transit system, and over 2000 arts and cultural organizations. New York also impresses with more than 500 art galleries, and roughly 133 km² of public green spaces and beaches.

International employees working in high-end jobs may never have to confront the grimmer sides of life in New York. Despite high property prices, long commutes, and constant exposure to loud noise and throngs of people, there is indeed much to be said for living in the Big Apple.

Culture

The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (including the Metropolitan Opera) and Broadway with its many theater and musical stages attract thousands every year. Fans of slightly wittier, less lavish and commercial productions will probably find what they´re looking for in one of the countless off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway theaters. Traditionally, these terms merely referred to the geographic locations of said stages in relation to the official theater district. These days, the different stages cater to different tastes of the theater-going public.

Leisure

Whether it´s exotic restaurants or traditional American diners, bars, night clubs, live music concerts – there is an abundant selection of all of the above available to people living in New York. Various festivals take place in different parts of the city throughout the year, and during the summer months. Lovers of outdoor performances can visit the Central Park Summer Stage for free plays and music.

To find out what´s going on in the city, you can check out the events section on the New York City government website. Alternatively, simply purchase a weekly listings magazine, such as Time Out New York, to find out about current events.