Moving to Pearl River, New York

by btobers · Published June 30, 2019 · Updated November 18, 2024

Pearl River, New York is a village located in the town of Orangetown in Rockland County, New York. It is located approximately 20 miles northwest of New York City and just south of the state border with New Jersey. The village has a population of about 15,000 people and is known for its small-town feel and strong sense of community.

The village was founded in 1847 by William H. Paulding, who named it after the nearby Pearl River. The name was inspired by the river’s natural beauty and abundance of pearl mussels which were harvested there for many years. Today, the river is home to a variety of wildlife such as otters, beavers, muskrats, herons and ospreys.

Pearl River has a vibrant downtown area with many shops and restaurants that offer a variety of cuisines from around the world. The village also has two parks – Memorial Park in the center of town and Veteran’s Park at the north end – as well as several public schools that serve students from kindergarten through high school.

The local economy is largely based on retail businesses such as supermarkets, banks and pharmacies, but there are also several manufacturing companies located in Pearl River that produce items such as furniture components, pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals. There are also several large corporations located nearby that employ many people from Pearl River including PepsiCo, IBM and Pfizer Incorporated.

In addition to its thriving business community, Pearl River offers its residents a number of recreational activities including swimming at Veterans Park Pool or hiking along one of the many trails in Harriman State Park or Bear Mountain State Park which are both nearby. There are also numerous golf courses within easy driving distance as well as bowling alleys and ice skating rinks for those looking to enjoy some winter fun.

Overall, Pearl River is an ideal place to live for those looking to escape city life without sacrificing convenience or amenities; it combines small-town charm with all the benefits that come with living close to a major metropolitan area like New York City while still maintaining its unique personality. With its diverse population, vibrant business community and recreational opportunities galore; Pearl River truly offers something for everyone.

Population: 15,553
Males: 7,518 (48.3%), Females: 8,035 (51.7%)

Rockland County

Zip code: 10965

Demographics

Median resident age: 38.7 years
Median household income: $76,692
Median house value: $252,000

Population by Race

Races in Pearl River:

White Non-Hispanic (92.4%)
Hispanic (3.4%)
Chinese (1.1%)
Asian Indian (0.8%)
Two or more races (0.7%)
Other race (0.6%)
Korean (0.6%)

Ancestries: Irish (46.7%), Italian (22.5%), German (13.7%), English (4.9%), United States (3.8%), Polish (3.0%).

Land area: 6.8 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Pearl River

High school or higher: 92.3%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 38.6%
Graduate or professional degree: 15.0%
Unemployed: 2.2%
Mean travel time to work: 31.8 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Pearl River CDP

Never married: 24.8%
Now married: 61.2%
Separated: 0.7%
Widowed: 9.0%
Divorced: 4.2%

10.7% Foreign born (6.3% Europe, 2.9% Asia, 1.2% Latin America).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Pearl River:

ROCKLAND PSYCH CTR (about 4 miles; ORANGEBURG, NY)
PASCACK VALLEY HOSPITAL (about 5 miles; WESTWOOD, NJ)
NYACK HOSPITAL (about 7 miles; NYACK, NY)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Pearl River:

TETERBORO (about 15 miles; TETERBORO, NJ; Abbreviation: TEB)
WESTCHESTER COUNTY (about 22 miles; WHITE PLAINS, NY; Abbreviation: HPN)
LA GUARDIA (about 23 miles; NEW YORK, NY; Abbreviation: LGA)

Other public-use airports nearest to Pearl River:

HAVERSTRAW (about 10 miles; HAVERSTRAW, NY; Abbreviation: H43)
PEEKSKILL (about 13 miles; PEEKSKILL, NY; Abbreviation: 7N2)
LITTLE FERRY (about 15 miles; LITTLE FERRY, NJ; Abbreviation: 2N7)

Amtrak stations near Pearl River:

12 miles: YONKERS (FOOT OF DOCK ST. & WELLS AVE.). Services: fully wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, snack bar, paid short-term parking, paid long-term parking, call for car rental service, taxi stand, public transit connection.
13 miles: CROTON-HARMON (CROTON-ON-HUDSON, CROTON POINT AVE.). Services: partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, snack bar, paid short-term parking, paid long-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection.
19 miles: NEW ROCHELLE (DEPOT PLAZA NORTH). Services: enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, paid short-term parking, paid long-term parking, call for car rental service, taxi stand, public transit connection.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Pearl River:

BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 10 miles; PARAMUS, NJ; Full-time enrollment: 7,733)
ROCKLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 10 miles; SUFFERN, NY; Full-time enrollment: 4,409)
RAMAPO COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY (about 11 miles; MAHWAH, NJ; Full-time enrollment: 4,076)
MERCY COLLEGE-MAIN CAMPUS (about 11 miles; DOBBS FERRY, NY; Full-time enrollment: 6,643)
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY-ALL CAMPUSES (about 12 miles; TEANECK, NJ; Full-time enrollment: 6,482)
MANHATTAN COLLEGE (about 14 miles; BRONX, NY; Full-time enrollment: 2,769)
PASSAIC COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 16 miles; PATERSON, NJ; Full-time enrollment: 2,452)

Schools

Public high school in Pearl River:

PEARL RIVER HS (Students: 934; Location: 275 E CENTRAL AVE; Grades: 08 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Pearl River:

PEARL RIVER MS (Students: 603; Location: 520 GILBERT AVE; Grades: 05 – 07)
EVANS PARK SCHOOL (Students: 330; Location: 40 MARION PL; Grades: KG – 04)
FRANKLIN AVE SCHOOL (Students: 318; Location: 48 FRANKLIN AVE; Grades: KG – 04)
LINCOLN AVE SCHOOL (Students: 308; Location: 115 LINCOLN AVE; Grades: KG – 04)

Private primary/middle schools in Pearl River:

ST MARGARET SCHOOL (Students: 348; Location: 33 NORTH MAGNOLIA ST; Grades: PK – 8)
PEARL RIVER SEVENTH DAY ADVENT (Students: 48; Location: 210 NORTH MIDDLEETOWN ROAD; Grades: PK – 8)

Libraries

Library in Pearl River:

PEARL RIVER PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $1,552,771; Location: 80 FRANKLIN AVENUE; 86,710 books; 2,500 audio materials; 3,236 video materials; 278 serial subscriptions)