The suburbs of Manhattan have long represented a more attractive alternative for professionals working in the Big Apple. The cost of living in the Big Apple has squeezed more and more urbanites into surrounding suburbs like White Plains, where families not only enjoy far more home for their money; they also have the option of choosing from among a diverse inventory of homes priced within a range that encompasses budgets of all sizes.

White Plains sits just 25 miles north of Manhattan, making this city of 10 square miles a relatively easy commute to the Big Apple. An efficient public transportation system tranports commuters into the city each day. Because the city is located within an hour's drive of four major aiports, White Plains is considered not only a gateway to New York City, but also greater Upstate New York, New England and other metropolitan centers in the Northeast.

Perhaps most striking about this city is the strength of its economy -- White Plains ranks among the country's top commercial real estate markets (including retail and office facilities), due in part to the wide cross-section of industries that thrive here, most notably retail, health-care and government (White Plains is the seat of Westchester County). So while plenty of professionals leave White Plains each day to head to Manhattan, just as many are flooding into White Plains to work.

In fact, White Plains' population of approximately 50,000 triples daily with the arrival of its working population -- and city slickers seeking a change of pace for the afternoon. On any given weekday, an average of 150,000 people enter downtown White Plains, contributing to its local ecomomy. White Plains generates more than $1 billion in retail sales each year, indicating that whether for work or play, visitors to White Plains find it hard to resist its retail outlets, which include several malls and a large population of individual retail shops.

It might be just 25 miles away from the energy of midtown Manhattan, but White Plains feels like it's a world away from the city. Nicknamed "Tree City U.S.A." and "The City in the Park," White Plains' membership in exclusive Westchester County means this city is part of a chain of parks, golf courses, trails and beaches that comprises more than 15,000 acres. The recreational opportunities made available through those resources are tremendous, and illustrate one of the chief selling points of suburban versus city life.

The White Plains Recreation and Parks Department has taken full advantage of the city's extensive parkland to establish and encourage participation in a wealth of sporting activities and camps year round. The department's commitment to the surrounding land and the community contributes greatly to the quality of life enjoyed by White Plains residents. Educational quality also ranks high in White Plains; in fact, corporations that have opted to relocate to White Plains consistently name the city's educational quality as one of the chief determinants of their decision to move here. Approximately 90 percent of high-school seniors in White Plains enroll in higher education.

And undoubtedly, those corporations find it hard to resist White Plains' comparatively reasonable home prices and low taxes. The city's neighborhoods are extremely diverse, offering a more urban setting in downtown White Plains or suburban lifestyle amidst its trees and parklands. And while the vitality of its economy seems to indicate that a flood of young professionals are descending upon White Plains, many of the city's residents have spent their lives here. They find little reason to move from a city that a city that offers them close proximity to the cultural opportunities of Manhattan but without sacrificing the well-established, treed neighborhoods and folksy environment of White Plains suburbia.