seamandrake

There are many "Inwoods" so do your research carefully. There is the majority of the area which lies east of Broadway, very affordable and convenient but has significant noise and litter issues. There is the southern part of western Inwood, from Dyckman to 207th, between the park and Broadway, and this can be a nice area at times though it too has noise, litter and traffic problems whenever the raucous nightclub scene on Dyckman gets busy (read: You Was in La Marina All Summer). The northwestern part of Inwood (north of 207th, west of Broadway) is much more expensive than the rest, for obvious reasons (lush parkscapes, almost no litter, traffic, graffiti or noise - except for Columbia's stadium and the baseball fields in the park). Then there is the part below Dyckman that thinks it is in Inwood, though some sources dispute this (it's a long story). It's a mix of the other three, with parts that are clean and not clean, quiet and not quiet, etc. So check the blocks you are interested in carefully.

That said, if you can figure out all the parameters you may find Mayberry in Manhattan, with terrific neighbors, tons of kids, plenty to do nearby, and all super-convenient by either car or subway or train to wherever else you need to go.