By Eric Wolf Schoen
Having lived in Yonkers everyday of my 64 years except 1 (I was born at Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville) , I can think of so many things that make my life and your lives stressful. Wether it be pot holes on city streets, long traffic lights poorly timed, our ‘friend’ Mr. Red light Camera at $65 a shot or lining up at one of the few independent bakeries during any holiday, waiting and being told they are out of that luscious dessert everyone enjoys, Yonkers can be a stressful place to live.
I am not even mentioning A + V Pizza in North Yonkers running out of pizza dough as they make a set amount of dough each day and when it’s sold out cause the pizza is so good
there’s no more or the line at Pizza Barn across from Yonkers Raceway and being told no more big slices, the slice that they are famous for which can feed an Army.
So a research firm called Wallet Hub known for researching everything under the sun has studied cities in the United States and New York and found Yonkers really is not such a stressful City. Of 180 cities, Yonkers came in at #144, showing that out of 180 cities we aren’t too stressed out. We are fortunately way down the list with the other big 3 large cities coming in much higher: #36 for New York City, Rochester high up there at #45 with Buffalo at #50.
39 Metrics were used as diverse as high crime rates, weak economies, congestion, divorce and availability of health services at a price people can afford.
This big stressor in New York City was affordable housing. People in financial distress particularly in personal finance and bankruptcies. The high rents in New York City whether it be commercial or residential certainly can cause stress. Rochester came in at #45 with poverty and divorce as stressors, and the Poverty rate in Buffalo made it a high stress city.
So let’s get to our fair city of Yonkers, city of hills where nothing is on level as they use to say. Yonkers shows financial stress. This entails large number of of bankruptcy filings, individuals accounts (bank, credit card, etc.) in distress meaning money is owed. And when we do our Google searches, Yonkers residents are sadly searching the terms debt and loans. Not good but not bad like the other large New York State cities.
One of the categories is work stress. Yonkersites seem to have a sense of job security and are satisfied with their jobs. Traffic congestion doesn’t seem to be a problem for us, unless your riding around town from 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. or 2:45 pm-3:45 p.m. when school buses take over Yonkers streets.
In the one area where Yonkers is cited, financial stress there is nothing under this heading about School Budget stress, something Yonkersites with kids in public schools go through every year. Yonkers households are behind in bill paying, and many property owners are underwater with their mortgages.
Despite the large number of food programs for those in need, Yonkers is home to a lot of food insecurity, where people don’t know where their next meal is coming from. The poverty rate is high in Yonkers, and credit scores of folks are average, not high nor low.
In the family stress area, there aren’t as many single parent households as there once were and the duration of marriages is average meaning a good things for families. Child care workers seem to be available at a cost people can afford.
In terms of health and safety, Yonkers does not have too many binge drinkers, people drinking 4 or more cocktails at a seating. Yonkersites are not obese, and we tend to smoke less than most cities in the study, We are not depressed though we need Psychiatrists, and our mental health in general is particularly good. Suicide levels are low.
We have good insurance to take care of our needs. With the Yonkers Parks system there are plenty of avenues for physical activity. Due to our fine Police Department the crime rate in Yonkers is low with no mass shootings. Thank god.
So we moan about an income tax surcharge that was supposed to temporary. No one likes the Red Light Camera Program which needs to be a line in our family budget. Our schools are highly rated though as we just saw it’s hard to classroom 500 children At the last minute. Cultural offerings are abundant, and being on the Hudson River gives us gorgeous views of the Palisades.
Add to the above great shopping,dining including the best pizza around, and let’s not forget that dining is available at all price ranges. Who know one day maybe the gas stations will pump our gas like in New Jersey. Dream.
Despite some flaws Yonkers is a good place to live, just a 25 minute drive to New York City, Metro North rail lines that make the trip just as close and allow us to enjoy the splendors of New York City and the region.
I’m in it for the long run and hope you are too!
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com, or friend him on Facebook Eric Schoen…just look for him in the picture with Joan Rivers!
