White Plains
The 411: Situated in the south-central part of the county, White Plains is a suburban city considered the unofficial capital of Westchester. The near 60,000-resident bustling city is the county seat (with federal, state, and county offices) plus home to a 300,000-book public library, major retailers (Target, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Whole Foods Market) and corporations (Heineken USA, Dannon, Starwood Hotels).
Read more..
With two Metro-North stops, a Bee Line Bus Center, and the Westchester County Airport located a short drive away in nearby Harrison, White Plains also is a transportation hub. The weekday work and shopping population can swell to upwards of 250,000.
The downtown, especially Mamaroneck Avenue, is known as a nightlife destination alternative to Manhattan with approximately 70 restaurants and bars/lounges, a performing arts theater, arts exchange building, and a 15-screen movie theater.
An international open-air market takes place next to City Hall every Wednesday May through November and downtown is the site of numerous holiday parades.
In the residential neighborhoods surrounding the city core, there are three country clubs, a public golf course, an ice skating rink, three outdoor swimming pools, and Liberty Park for fishing and rowing/paddle boating.
Population: 57,398
Size: 10.8 square miles
Median Home Sales Price: $651,750 (Westchester County Median: $725,000)
Average Property Taxes: $13,975
Closest Metro-North Stop: White Plains (Harlem Line)
Time to Grand Central: 39 minutes
Famous Residents (Past and Present): Alan Alda, author Joseph Campbell, composer Percy Grainger, NBA players Eddy Curry, Danilo Gallinari, David Lee, and Channing Frye, NFL lineman Bob Hyland, 1st Chief Justice of the U.S. John Jay, writer of Rent Jonathan Larson, Jewish reggae artist Matisyahu, NFL wide receiver Art Monk, concert pianist Garrick Ohlsson, department store magnate J.C. Penney, journalist David Sanger, rapper Tupac Shakur, actors Ralph Waite and James Whitmore.
Median Income
Household: $58,545 (Westchester County Median: $77,856)
Family: $71,891 (Westchester County Median: $105,300)
Ethnic Composition
64.9% Caucasian
15.9% African American
14.7% Other
4.5% Asian
23.5% Hispanic or Latino of any race (i.e., already counted in another category above)
Crime*
*Sperling’s Best Places Crime Index, based on 1 (best) through 10 (worst):
Violent Crime: 2 (Westchester Average: 2 National Average: 3)
Property Crime: 5 (Westchester Average: 3 National Average: 3)
FBI Uniform Crime Index (2006):
Number of violent crimes: 157
Murder: 1
Rape: 6
Robbery: 48
Assault: 102
Burglary: 69
Property Crimes: 1,181
Education
% Adults with at Least a Bachelor’s Degree: 45.3
High School: White Plains
http://www.westchestermagazine.com/Westchester-Magazine/April-2009/High-School-Report-Card/
Elementary Schools: Church Street Elementary, George Washington Elementary, Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary, Newcomer Center, Post Road Elementary, Ridgeway Elementary
Grades/Type of Organization: K-5/Theme/By Choice
Average Class Size: 20
% Special Ed Students: 9
% of 4th-Graders Who Received 4 in English/Math/Science: 10/22/NA
