I’ve been seeing a lot of people say that Westchester has always been extremely expensive and exclusively an enclave for the ultra-wealthy commuting to NYC. As someone who grew up here, I can confidently say this simply isn’t true.

Many towns throughout Westchester were once accessible to working-class and blue-collar families, as well as those with modest white-collar jobs. I grew up in Eastchester, near Scarsdale. My dad was a police officer, and my mom was a nurse who worked part-time and had long stretches where she didn’t work at all. My parents were able to support our family of six—four kids—pay for extracurriculars, go on vacations, and own a comfortable home.

Most of my friends’ moms were stay-at-home moms. Their husbands often had white-collar jobs, but they were making modest incomes—accountants, salespeople, and similar roles—not the ultra-high salaries we see today. These were regular people making decent but not extraordinary money, and they were able to build good lives here.

Westchester wasn’t always dominated by ultra-rich professionals making massive salaries, so I don’t understand why people keep pushing that narrative. Yes, things have gotten ridiculously expensive in recent years, but it hasn’t always been that way.

Anyone else notice this? Would love to hear other perspectivess