Pelham

Pelham is Westchester’s smallest town and conveys every bit of a small-town feel. It is a tightly-knit place with a strong sense of community. With a population of 12,000 (which has not changed in number since 1940), most of Pelham was built pre-WWII in a variety of historic architectural styles, including Victorian, Colonial and Tudor Revival, which are assembled into distinct, pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods within the town’s two villages, Pelham and Pelham Manor.

Pelham is the first town in Westchester along the Long Island Sound. Located just 18 miles from Grand Central Station, it offers a faster and easier commute than nearly any other place in the New York metropolitan suburbs. The historic Pelham Train Station is situated in the center of town, not more than two miles from any Pelham home. MetroNorth commuter rail trains depart as frequently as every 10 minutes during rush hour. Pelham is also just 20 minutes by train or driving to Greenwich, Connecticut or 30 minutes to Stamford, Connecticut, which makes it a perfect mid-way point between these areas and Manhattan.

Pelham's award-winning schools provide education in a small and nurturing environment. As a small community, Pelham students walk to school, including to four neighborhood elementary schools: Colonial School, Hutchinson School, Prospect Hill School and Siwanoy School. Pelham Memorial High School is located in the center of town and has graduating classes of about 200. Immediately adjoining it is the Pelham Middle School, built in 2006, for grades six through eight.

Pelham’s downtown, like many in lower Westchester, struggles against the competition of Manhattan, where, because of its close proximity, many residents shop and dine. Big improvements have been made in the last decade and the community boasts the recently-restored “Pelham Picture House,” the last single-screen movie theater in Westchester. The community saved the historic building through a not-for-profit that has transformed the building into a fine arts film center that features classic, independent and foreign films and offers a film education program. There are also a range of excellent restaurants, a neighborhood hardware store, a family-run grocer, a connoisseur wine shop, child-friendly ice cream store, a full-service appliance store and other tidy shops and establishments.
The Town of Pelham offers an endless array of recreation programs, ranging from chess and piano to virtually every sport. Over 1000 Pelham children participated in the soccer recreation program last fall. Many sports are run by community volunteer organizations, such as the Pelham Hockey Association, Pelham Little League and the Pelham Community Rowing Association. The town has no community pool of its own, but there are two private clubs, the New York Athletic Club and the Pelham Country Club, both with swimming pools

The taxes in Pelham have a reputation of being high, but home prices are lower than some other comparable communities in lower Westchester, making taxes appear high as a percentage of home sale prices. With the taxes, comes a high level of municipal services provided by the Villages of Pelham and Pelham Manor, including 24/7 paid professional firefighters, more than 50 police officers for two square miles and back-yard garbage collection.

Folks in Pelham seem to like it there. Many have lived there for multiple generations, and most stay well beyond the point of kids graduating from the schools. All share in common a commitment to the town and appreciation for living in a small town nestled up against the greatest city in the world.

The Town of Pelham consists of Pelham Manor and the village of Pelham. The population of both villages adds up to approximately 12,400. The town, initially purchased in 1654 and incorporated in 1788, is the oldest in Westchester County.

The town’s function is primarily administrative, collecting taxes for the two villages, and overseeing government functions such as the recreation department and library.

There is little parkland in the town. However, the recreation department does organize programs for residents, and scouting, Little League and theater programs are available for children. There is a private country club, and Westchester has an excellent county park system. In addition, Pelham Bay Park, located just over the border in the Bronx, is New York City’s largest park with golf courses, walking and horse trails, and picnic areas.

There are 2,900 students attending public school in the town of Pelham. The school district has four elementary schools: Siwanoy, Anne Hutchinson, Prospect Hill and Colonial. There is one school for students in sixth through eighth grade, Pelham Middle School, and one high school, Pelham Memorial. On the most recent state exams, pass rates were above 97% on almost all tests for elementary and middle school students. Results on Regents exams, which are required for high school students, were similarly strong. House hunters who have or are planning families are drawn to the school district and its excellent reputation.

Pelham has great shopping options in town. The Pelham Manor Shopping Center has a BJ’s Warehouse Club, Michaels, and Sleepy’s as its main retailers. The Post Road Shopping Center is anchored by a 75,000 square foot Fairway, a unique grocery store with a café. Modells, Home Goods and a few clothing stores round out the choices. White Plains and New Rochelle are both a short ride away with more retailers and restaurants.

Real estate taxes and home prices are high in Pelham. The commercial tax base is relatively small, so the burden is passed on to homeowners. House prices are high, and the median price is on the rise despite the downturn in the real estate market.

Pelham is just north of the Bronx, and is known as “the first suburb north of New York City.” It covers a little over two square miles, borders New Rochelle, Mt. Vernon, and Eastchester, and the Long Island sound is in the southeast corner. As it is only 29 minutes away from Grand Central on the Metro-North New Haven line, it is a very desirable commuter town. This is multimillion dollar real estate, some of the big Tudor and Gothic–revival houses here definitely fit that description, and it is known as a very affluent area. However, there is a mix of all types of housing as well as all income levels, so you don’t necessarily have to be an investment banker to live here.

There are two incorporated villages within Pelham, Pelham Village and Pelham Manor. There are two elementary schools in each village, and there is one middle and one high school. There are several private schools here as well, and the public as well as private schools are all considered to be excellent.

The train stops in Pelham Village. You can get off the train and walk up through the village, and explore its shops and restaurants. In the middle of the village is the Pelham Art Center, considered to be the cohesive element of the town. It offers art and writing classes, workshops, exhibitions, theatre programs, and public events. It hosts two benefits each year: the spring event is a seated, formal dinner held elsewhere, while the fall event is casual and takes place in the Art Center itself.

Pelham is a busy place, and offers its residents lots to do. There are not-for-profit groups such as the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, the Children’s Theater, and the Little League. The recreation department offers everything from sports programs, to ballroom dancing, chess, field hockey, karate, lacrosse, PML lessons, rugby, tennis, and theater arts. It hosts seasonal family activities, such as the popular Easter egg hunt. Pelham is part of the Westchester County Park system, so residents can enjoy its golf courses, swimming pools, 5 beaches, and many parks in which to picnic, camp, hike, and fish. There are three sports fields from which to choose, and several tennis courts.

Pelham takes care of its senior citizens. The recreation department offers all kinds of classes, as well as trips to theaters, parks, restaurants, and New York City. There is a Senior Advocate who will help any senior resident who has trouble with apartment rental, Medicare, tax forms, estate planning, etc., and there is a Medical Van for transport to and from doctors appointments.

Pelham is a great place if you’re looking to get close to New York City, but not actually in it.

Pelham is the oldest town in all of Westchester County, bought by physician Thomas Pell from the Sinoway Native Americans in the late 1600’s. Pell is known for buying nearby lands as well, such as the Bronx, where you can find the Pelham Bay Park and the Pell Mansion.

Pelham is a wonderful, community-oriented town with an old-world feel. It has lots of old-looking houses (as well as modern ones too). If you’re looking to buy, you’ll want to visit McClellan Sotheby’s International Real Estate, which is the oldest real estate business in Pelham today. Homes in Pelham range all across the board; some are as low as $500,000, some reach above $1,000,000 or higher (depending on what you’re looking for: how much property you want, and how large your family is). There’s lots of fun activities for a resident to enjoy in Pelham, and NYC is less than thirty minutes away from Pelham’s very own train station.

Adults, teens, children and seniors alike will find great activities to keep themselves busy with, including such exciting group activities like Zumba, Karate or softball. There’s also Shore Park, right on Pelham Bay, with its own lagoon and beautiful beaches. You’ll love this quiet, peaceful space, which can be great for sunbathing or reading a book.

Pelham Union Free School District ranks well on SAT scores (1632 in the year 2010), and there’s plenty of great clubs, like Art, Culture or even American Sign Language. Pelham Memorial High School scores high in math and English and is rated across the board with 5 star reviews.

There’s lots of adorable cafes in the village of Pelham, like Joey’s Coffee Shop and Lola’s Tea House (enjoy the finger sandwiches, salads and homemmade soup here). Pelham also has Fairway and DeCicco Markets, which are both excellent food stores. There’s a Sleepy’s, a CVS and Michael’s for clothes shopping in Pelham Manor, and the Village of Pelham has an annual street fair. If you’re looking for romantic resteraunts, visit the charming La Fontanella for tuxedo-style service and old Italian atmosphere in Pelham Village. Kids will love Number One Chinese and Rockwell’s American, where they can sit in booths and have a good ol’ American hamburger with all the fixin’s.

Pelham is great for commuters who wish to travel to NYC and the greater Weschester area via Metro-North. It’s close-knit and comfortable, and is near many historical locations and excellent parks. The crime rate is 2.8 out of 5, and is extremely safe, in comparison to the rest of NY. There’s a wonderful collection of shops and restaurants and cost of living is fair. You can find affordable housing in nearby cities like the Bronx or New Rochelle.

Pelham is located on a bay that connects to the Long Island Sound and is only 28 minutes away from Manhattan. If you’re looking for small suburban communities near larger metropolitan areas (like neighboring New Rochelle), with easy commutes and excellent parks, then Pelham, NY is the town for you.

Pelham village is one of two villages incorporated within the greater town of Pelham, NY. Pelham Village is sometimes also called “Pelham Heights.” The village does have its own police department and mayor. Pelham as a whole does have a combination of lovely single-family homes of varying sizes as well as some rental opportunities.

For shopping, head on over to the The Pelham Manor Shopping Center which houses retail big-wigs like BJ’s wholesale warehouse, PetSmart, Michaels, and Sleepy’s. The fifth Avenue shopping district has the beloved Accents on Antiques and the innovative Pelham Pet Shop which sells quality, holistic products for small animals.

Pelham is now a food shoppers dream with the opening of Fairway Food Market in 2010 It has a colorful produce section, super fresh seafood, big brown barrels of coffee beans, a global olive oil tasting station, delectable baked goods and a terrific cafe with a hot buffet and ample seating.

There are some nice restaurants in the general Pelham area including Edo’s Japanese Restaurant, considered by some to be the best hibachi restaurant in the county, Bistro Rollin, Cafe Regatta Oyster Bar & Grill, La Fontenella, Villa Nova E., Rockwell’s American Restaurant and Villagio Ristorante & Pizzeria.

Pelham’s lynchpin is the historical 90-year old Pelham Picture House, a not for profit jewel that shows outstanding artistic and indie flicks and hosts special evenings with world-acclaimed directors, actors and writers. They also offer a heady educational program for adults and young adults alike featuring a movie-making camp in addition to stellar acting and screenwriting classes for adults.

Pelham is a short drive from Mount Vernon's wonderful Wilson’s Woods which is a very old county park that has a large wave pool and water slides sure to delight the kids, nice picnic areas and even fishing. The greater town of Pelham has a well-developed Parks and Rec. Dept, as well. And for some big city fun, the commute to Grand Central Station is only 28 minutes.

Pelham students belong to the Pelham Union Free School District which is considered to be one of the finest school systems in the county with a reported 100% graduation rate and 94% of those Pelham Memorial High School graduates going on to attend college. The median SAT score is 1632.

Pelham is relatively safe and the crime rate is pretty low.

The median household income is about $92,000, the median home value is about $504,000 and the median rental rate is $1,550.00

Pelham is approximately 70% White, 12% Hispanic, 9% Black and 6% Asian.

The population of Pelham Village is approximately 6,000 with the median age being 38 years old.

Pelham is actually the oldest town in Westchester County with its history dating back to 1654. And the town retains that old-world charm and sensibility. Parts of it, like Pelham Manor, have mega million estates and a sense of closed circle snootiness, but much of the rest of Pelham feels like a warm and friendly mixed collar area that is welcoming to people of all walks of life and does have a combination of lovely single-family homes of varying sizes as well as some rental opportunities. And it is only a short 28 minute train ride to the Big Apple.

The Pelham Manor Shopping Center is a popular shopping destination featuring retail giants like BJ’s wholesale warehouse, PetSmart, Michaels, and Sleepy’s. The fifth Avenue shopping district has the beloved Accents on Antiques, a huge and very cool consignment shop with proceeds going to the Sound Shore Medical Center. There you will also find the awesome and innovative Pelham Pet Shop which champions and sells holistic and quality products for small animals. Fairway Food Market opened a large colorful store there in 2010 much to the delight of Westchesterites who were just waiting for it to come to this area. It has a picture-worthy produce section, outstanding seafood, a glorious coffee bean area, fresh olive oils for the tasting, wonderful baked goods and a terrific cafe with a hot buffet and ample seating.

There are some nice restaurants in the area including the family-and-date-night friendly Edo’s Japanese Restaurant, considered by many to be the best hibachi-style restaurant in the county, Bistro Rollin, Cafe Regatta Oyster Bar & Grill, La Fontenella, Villa Nova E., Rockwells American Restaurant and Villagio Ristorante & Pizzeria.

Pelham's piece de resistance is the historical 90-year old Pelham Picture House, a not for profit jewel that hosts the best of the best artistic and indie flicks as well as special evenings with world-acclaimed directors, actors and writers. They also offer a heady educational program for adults and young adults alike featuring a movie-making camp in addition to stellar acting and screenwriting classes for adults.

Pelham is a short drive from Mount Vernon's wonderful Wilson’s Woods which is a very old county park that has a large wave pool, water slides, picnic areas and even fishing.

Pelham students fall under the Pelham Union Free School District which is considered to be one of the finest school systems in the county with a reported 94% of Pelham Memorial High School graduates going on to attend college.

Pelham is relatively safe and the crime rate is pretty low.

The median household income is about $92,000, the median home value is about $504,000 and the median rental rate is $1,550.00

Pelham is approximately 70% White, 12% Hispanic, 6% Asian and 9% Black,

The population of Pelham is approximately 12,400 with the median age being 38 years.

Pelham, which includes the villages of Pelham and Pelham Manor, is just north of Bronx and is one of the southern-most parts of Westchester County. The proximity to New York City and the great train connection make Pelham a popular choice for many professionals looking for alternatives to city housing prices.
This town has recorded history that goes all the way back to the 17th century when Thomas Pell purchased land from the Siwanoy Indians. The town has retained all of that old world charm and yet become an attractive modern-day suburb. Pelham’s Fifth Avenue has many cute shops and is a fun place to hang-around on weekends.
Pelham schools are reputed to be very good and the students tend to go on to four year degrees in good colleges and universities.
Pelham’s location on the Long Island Sound means it’s great for those who like yachting and other water-related activities. It is a town that is really good for those who like other kinds of outdoor recreation. Glover Field and the Sixth Street Tennis courts provide fields and courts for those who like athletic recreation. Pelham has several sports leagues for children from hockey and soccer to rowing. The running track in Shore Park along the Long Island Sound can tempt many to take up running regularly!
Pelham is like a poster-city for those considering suburban living – here’s a town that offers the kind of walk-able access to shops and restaurants that cities do and yet there is the strong sense of community and good schools that one expects in suburbs. This is the secret of Pelham’s popularity!

Most people tend to confuse Pelham and Pelham Manor. There is a town called Pelham, which is made up of two separate villages called Pelham and Pelham Manor. Pelham is slightly more affordable than Pelham Manor, but in all honesty, most people can't even tell the difference between the two. They share schools, so for most people, there really isn't any difference. Pelham is right next to the Bronx, and offers very convenient access to Manhattan as well. The commute to midtown Manhattan takes less than half an hour via the MetroNorth railroad. Housing options here are very diverse as far as the architectural styles go, but they are also pretty expensive. Pelham is an extremely safe neighborhood. The schools here are excellent and there is a great arts community. There are also a lot of recreational activities and programs that are available. Residents can enjoy more than seventy public recreation programs. There also athletic programs, special programs for kids, and social groups. There are some great restaurants, but the selections are not all that diverse. However, the town does offer easy access to White Plains, where there are more shopping and dining options.