One Of New York's Friendliest Towns Has Stunning Water Views With A Lower Cost Of Living

New York does not necessarily have a reputation for being a kind place to live, or for being budget-friendly. However if you look across the state, you'll find a number of small towns in New York that are great for retiring or living frugally at any age, including Narrowsburg, which is situated next to the Catskills Mountains. The Narrowsburg Chamber of Commerce highlighted the spectacular views of the Delaware River from the foothills surrounding the town, particularly when hiking on the Tusten Mountain Trail. This section of the Upper Delaware River corridor offers not just picturesque scenery, but an array of outdoor activities like rafting, kayaking, and canoeing for residents and tourists to enjoy.

Those who live in and visit Narrowsburg have rated the friendliness of the town at a 70 on Nextdoor, adding that there is a strong sense of community and welcoming vibe created by the locals. The neighborhood within the town called Narrowsburg even got a 100 score for friendliness on Nextdoor, while the other neighborhoods of Tusten and Skinners Falls came in second and third for friendliness.

You will also find that the cost of living is significantly lower than not just the rest of the United States, but the entire Empire State as well. Much like Chittenango, another friendly city in upstate New York, Narrowsburg is a place to live affordably without sacrificing a comfortable lifestyle or feeling like you are struggling to make ends meet.

A family of four could live comfortably in Narrowsburg for roughly $3,420 as of July, 2025, adding up to only $41,040 annually in cost of living expenses, which is 36.7% less than the national average. Same goes for single people, too, who can live on $2,800 a month to meet their expenses in Narrowsburg, coming in under 41.3% the average cost of living across America. When it comes to total cost of living, Narrowsburg is 20.2% less than the rest of New York State.

If you are moving to Narrowsburg from New York City, you are already leaving behind the most expensive city to rent in the United States. While everyone has different needs for their living arrangements, the good news is that rents are much cheaper than the Big Apple, not to mention other places in the United States. Zumper highlighted that the median rent for all bedroom counts and property types in Narrowsburg is $1,600, averaging $1.72 per square foot, as of July 2025, which makes the rental prices in Narrowsburg 14% lower than the national average.

The numbers went on to show that the average rent of a 1-bedroom was $1,250 per month, while a 4-bedroom stayed at a reasonable $3,700 a month. In terms of buying a home in Narrowsburg, Zillow showed that the average housing price was $356,194 in July, 2025, up nearly 2% since 2024. Redfin also noted that the median sale price per square foot in Narrowsburg is up 214.1% since last year to now $311.