6.2 out of 10

Fleetwood

40.9242376077453 -73.8333172459457
Great for
  • Gym & Fitness
  • Internet Access
  • Medical Facilities
  • Neighborly Spirit
  • Parks & Recreation
Not great for
  • Schools
  • Nightlife
  •  
  •  
  •  
Who lives here?
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
  •  

Reviews

3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 2/5
  • Childcare 3/5
2yrs+
Editors Choice

"The nicer side of Mount Vernon"

Fleetwood is essentially a small approxiimately 1.7 square mile area of Mount Vernon, NY. It is on the North side of the town, closer to upscale Bronxville, and is considered more desirable, and safer, than the Southern more impoverished side of Mount Vernon. The affordability of the area makes it a huge draw for first time home buyers and it does have a nice selection of modest to large sized Tudors and Colonials as well as a mix of older apartment buildings and co-ops. This fact definitely helps bring newcomers to Mount Vernon, which unfurtunately, has earned a bad reputation for its higher than average crime and poverty rates. Fleetwood itself has a small town tight-knit feel and a better reputation.

Shopping is mostly designated to the bustling Gramatan Avenue area which also includes Broad Street and Grand Street. There is an A & P supermarket, a bagel shop, a dry cleaner, a florist, a bakery, several eateries and a bunch of smaller businesses and services. Fleetwood is also in close proximity to the newly renovated outdoor shopping center, Cross County Shopping Center which has a ton of great retail stores including H&M, Applebees, Adidas, Bath & Body Works, Burger King, Charlotte Russe,Chipotle, Claires, GameStop, Gap, GNC, Guess and Macy's, to name but a small slice.

One of the most beloved food institutions in the Mount Vernon area is The Bayou, a restaurant on Gramatan Ave. which offers authentic Cajun comfort food at its best, with such favorites as crawfish, catfish Po’ boys, fried chicken and alligator sausage. It is also a great place to catch stellar live music including great blues and Zydeco acts.

Many Fleetwood folks also head on over to the amazing and historic Pelham Picture House in nearby Pelham to catch a high quality flick and maybe even a talk-back or Q & A session with a famous actor, director or playwright.

For families and outdoor enthusiasts, Fleetwood does have access to two great Mount Vernon Parks: Wilson’s Woods is a very old county park that actually has a fun wave pool and water slides, picnic areas and even fishing. Hunt’s Woods, which borders Fleetwood, is a Westchester County Preserve that has woods with nice hiking trails.

The Mount Vernon Public Library is the actually the largest in Westchester County.

Mount Vernon’s motto is “A city that believes” and it has innumerable places of worship.

Unfortunately, the school system is not that good. The median SAT score is 1225 and 79% of Mount Vernon High School students do go on to attend college.

Greater Mount Vernon is 61% African American, 18.5% White, 14% Hispanic and 2% Asian.

The population of Fleetwood is 21,568 which is roughly a third of the population of Mount Vernon and has a median age of 41. .
Pros
  • Small community feel
  • Nice parks
  • The Bayou Restaurant with great food and live music
Cons
  • Pockets of high crime in Mount Vernon
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 1/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"A great sense of community"

Fleetwood is the neighborhood in the northern section of the city of Mount Vernon. Approximately one-third of the city’s 67,000 residents live in this neighborhood of 1920s homes and post-war apartment buildings. Fleetwood has its own Metro-North station, which is in walking distance for residents of the one-square-mile village. The trip to Grand Central takes about a half hour.

In the mid-1800s, the area was a large farm, which was broken into 50x100 lots for single-family homes, creating one of the country’s first subdivisions. Later, the neighborhood was folded into the city of Mount Vernon.

People who settle in Fleetwood are drawn to the homes, which are similar in style to those in neighboring Bronxville and Tuckahoe, but are priced much lower. However, the quality of the school district is a concern, and many parents gravitate to area parochial and private schools, especially on the secondary level. Fleetwood is part of the Mount Vernon School District, which has struggled in recent years with both academic and financial problems. Forty-six percent of its 9,000 students live in poverty.

This year, the district was cited by the state for inadequate progress in elementary and secondary English Language Arts; the high school graduation rate also needs improvement. According to the district’s web site, they are making “personnel and policy changes to address low levels of learning.” Discipline at the middle and high school level has also been an issue, but is being addressed. The elementary schools serving Fleetwood, including Pennington, Traphagan, Columbus and Lincoln, tend to get good results on state assessments, which is the main barometer used to determine school quality.

The Fleetwood Neighborhood Association is a vibrant organization seeking to promote tolerance and embrace the city’s wide variety of cultures. The group has collaborated with the mayor and local government officials to address important topics, including crime and neighborhood beautification. They have worked on renovating the local playground and baseball field, and they organize an annual street festival as well as a Halloween parade and festival.

Willson’s Woods is a county-run park located in the area. It is the oldest park in Westchester, created in 1924. A water park with a wave pool set it apart from the other town and county park properties.

Setting aside concerns about the schools, Fleetwood has a great deal to offer: well-priced housing, a great commuter location, accessible shopping, and a diverse close-knit community.
Pros
  • Great commuting location
  • Charming older homes
  • Nice parks
  • Small community feel
Cons
  • Mount Vernon schools need improvement
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
2yrs+

"Neighborly and Nice!"

Fleetwood is a well-maintained part of Mount Vernon that continues to draw new residents because it offers affordable housing in close proximity to the city. An express train from Fleetwood can put you in Grand Central in 27 minutes and for that the pricing is really significantly attractive – especially when you consider what homes in other towns around here cost. So, why’s Fleetwood more affordable? It is because it is part of Mount Vernon which is still dealing with a tough reputation.

Residents of Fleetwood mention that it is a safe and fun suburb which is a great place for kids and they even recommend the elementary public school while acknowledging that middle school and high school are not in good shape.

Fleetwood offers the typical Westchester layout of a village built around a charming stretch of commercial shops. It makes for a nice neighborhood to stroll through in the warmer months and helps build a sense of community pride…..Community is a big word in Fleetwood and you can sense this in multi-pronged efforts such as the Quality of Life Committee (which sees to the beautification of the neighborhood) and the Jammin on Gramatan Street Festival held in June.

Fleetwood has apartments and condos along with single family homes and attracts singles and young couples looking for alternatives to Manhattan living also. Mount Vernon Hospital is located in this part of town and is a big employer in this city. There area also senior assisted living options in Fleetwood.
Pros
  • Nice parks
  • Small community feel
Cons
  • Some uncertainty about safe neighborhoods in Mount Vernon

Best Neighborhoods to Live In

Best Cities to Live In

Tell everyone what you love about your neighborhood!

Leave a Review

Have a question?

How are schools? Is the area safe? What about public transit options?" Why not ask our community of locals!

Ask Now

Selling or Renting Your Home?

Maximize the selling price of your home by sharing what you love about your suburb to increase its appeal...

Leave a Review

Corporate Relocation Manager?

Enable your employees to share local knowledge in a private, trusted environment with those relocating... while building community.

Learn More