Inwood, NY

179 Apartments for Rent

Inwood is considered the Jewel of the Five Towns of Nassau County. The Five Towns is an informal grouping of villages in Nassau County, located on the South Shore of western Long Island in New York City.

Inwood is just a few miles from New York City, but a world apart in quality of life. Far from the noise and hustle of the Big Apple, life in Inwood moves at a relaxed pace. The homes are plentiful (and affordable!) and there's a superb sense of community -- all the more reason to shift to this wonderful Long Island hamlet!

Why Live in Inwood?

Before we begin, let's get the most obvious confusion out of the way. Inwood, New York is _not _Inwood, Manhattan. Blame it on a lack of imagination on our forefathers' part, but both the hamlet located in Nassau County, and the upper part of Manhattan share the same name. _This _post is about the Nassau County hamlet, _not _the Manhattan neighborhood.

Not that there should be any confusion to begin with, for Inwood, New York and Inwood Manhattan are two worlds apart (even though the actual distance between them is just 25 miles). While the latter is a quieter version of Manhattan (complete with artists and writers who'll grow misty eyed reminiscing about their days in lower Manhattan), the former is quintessential Long Island with ordinary people leading ordinary lives. Although it's right next to Queens, all vestiges of NYC character have long vanished from the town and its people.

What you get, in essence is comfort, quality of life, and most importantly, peaceful living within an hour's drive from Manhattan. Come here to get away from it all, or to escape the Big City. Hop aboard the Far Rockaway train when you want to get back in the thick of the action.

In other words, come here if you want the best of both worlds; simple, affordable living that's within reach of one of the greatest cities on Earth.

Moving to Inwood

Like much of Long Island, Inwood is pretty well connected by road, train and air. The I-495 from Manhattan takes you straight to Inwood. An alternative is to take the I-495 and Nassau Expressway.

If you're coming in from Brooklyn, you can drive along Linden Blvd. until you get to Nassau Expressway (around 14 miles). From Queens, the easiest way to get in is via I-678 S (around 11 miles).

You can also take the Far Rockaway train from Manhattan to get to Inwood. If you're coming in from outside New York, you'll be delighted to find the JFK Airport is barely six miles from the town's center.

What You'll Need

This isn't New York, so relax. While the landlords will still ask for documentary proof of income and good credit, they're nowhere as fastidious about it as Big Apple's landlords. As long as you have a steady income, and can furnish the rent on time, you won't have a hard time landing a place here.

Prices tend to be cheaper than nearby Queens, but don't expect to find a steal either. Set aside at least a couple of grand for a normal 2 bedroom apartment, plus security and brokerage fee (if any). It may not be New York, but it's mighty close to it and house rental prices tend to be a bit on the higher side. Do look for an all bills paid apartment to cut down on monthly costs.

Neighborhoods in Inwood

Inwood has a population that is quite intimate, so there are no large, demarcated neighborhoods. The two major parts of the town are:

Town Center: Town Center is the heart of Inwood. Most businesses and homes are located here. The famous Inwood Country Club (which has hosted multiple PGA Championships) is located on the western edge of this neighborhood. House rental prices around the country club tend to be quite high. Most condos for rent in Inwood can also be found here.

Bayview Ave. / Lawrence Ave: This neighborhood occupies the southern half of the town. Since it is further away from the bay and the country club, home prices tend to be lower, even though it is equally well connected with the rest of Long Island.

Living in Inwood

Inwood's most famous landmark is the Inwood Country Club which was established in 1901 and counts among the oldest golf courses on Long Island. It hosted two major events, the 1921 PGA Championship and the 1923 US Open. While it hasn't occupied the limelight quite the same way since, it's still a pretty remarkable course for golf lovers.

Inwood also has tons of great dining options, thanks to the town's Italian heritage and its history as a major oyster farming hub. Like the typical Long Island town, it also boasts a strong sense of community. Rare is the social event where locals don't turn up in numbers. Don't be surprised if you get multiple neighbors knocking on your doors with muffins and flowers when you first move in!

Inwood has a decent walkability score of 64. You will still need a car, but you can get by locally without a set of wheels.

Altogether, Inwood is a great place to look into if you want to live around New York, but don't want to pay New York prices for a studio apartment / one bedroom apartment.