STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Ask Staten Islanders how they feel about living in the borough, and you’re likely to get everything from an enthusiastic “I love it” to stories about traffic, development and how much the Island has changed.
That range of opinions was on full display recently in the Staten Island Neighbors community after resident posed a simple question: “Do any of you actually like living in Staten Island?”
The question sparked a massive community conversation, with longtime residents, newcomers and former Islanders sharing their experiences.
For Many, Staten Island Is Still Home
Despite plenty of criticism, many residents said they remain proud to call Staten Island home.
Some pointed to the borough’s parks, waterfronts, neighborhoods, restaurants and proximity to both Manhattan and New Jersey. Others said their connection is much more personal: family, friends and generations of memories are here.
One lifelong resident said she still loves Staten Island after more than six decades. Another described the Island as having a “hometown feel” despite its large population, pointing to neighbors who continue to help one another during difficult times.
Other residents highlighted Staten Island’s natural side — its parks, wooded areas, hiking trails and waterfront — as qualities they believe are sometimes overlooked.
Several people who moved from Brooklyn or other boroughs said Staten Island offered them something they were looking for: quieter neighborhoods, easier parking, more space and a more suburban atmosphere while remaining within New York City.
Traffic and Overdevelopment Dominate the Complaints
Among residents who said their feelings about Staten Island have changed, one issue appeared repeatedly: congestion.
Longtime Islanders described remembering a borough with fewer homes, fewer cars and considerably less traffic.
Many said they aren’t necessarily opposed to development itself, but believe housing construction has outpaced improvements to Staten Island’s infrastructure.
Residents raised concerns about roads, schools, hospitals and transportation keeping pace with continued growth.
“The over building with no infrastructure improvements” is the real issue, one resident argued, saying additional housing should be accompanied by additional roads, schools and other services.
Another lifelong Staten Islander said she still enjoys living here, but the continued construction of new homes is the one thing that particularly bothers her.
The Verrazzano Still Sparks Debate Six Decades Later
Even more than 60 years after its opening, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge remains part of the conversation about how Staten Island changed.
Some longtime residents blamed the bridge for accelerating population growth and development after Staten Island became directly connected to Brooklyn.
Others pushed back on that argument, noting that communities inevitably change and that connecting Staten Island more closely with the rest of New York City also brought opportunities and growth.
The debate reflects a larger divide in the conversation: whether Staten Island’s transformation should be viewed primarily as a loss of its past or simply the natural evolution of a New York City borough.
Newcomers See a Different Staten Island
Interestingly, some of the strongest praise came from residents who arrived more recently.
One resident who moved from Brooklyn said he had lived on Staten Island for more than two years and loved it. Others who relocated from Brooklyn, the Bronx and elsewhere expressed similar views.
That stood in contrast to some lifelong residents who remembered a quieter Staten Island and said they were disappointed by what the borough had become.
For newcomers, today’s Staten Island may represent more space and tranquility compared with other parts of New York City. For residents who remember the Island decades ago, today’s version can feel crowded by comparison.
Parks, Food and Community Remain Major Strengths
Even some residents who criticized Staten Island acknowledged there is plenty they still appreciate.
The borough’s restaurants received repeated praise, along with its parks, beaches, boardwalk, hiking trails and access to nature.
One resident summed up the positive side by pointing to “the people, the food, the waterfronts” and Staten Island’s location between Manhattan and the Jersey Shore.
Another longtime resident said Staten Island has changed in both good and bad ways, citing more parks, greater diversity and community-minded volunteers among the positives, while identifying increased traffic and poor driving as negatives.
A Borough Caught Between Nostalgia and Change
Perhaps the clearest takeaway from the conversation wasn’t that Staten Islanders love or hate where they live.
It’s that many have complicated feelings about it.
Residents who grew up here often remember a Staten Island with more open land, less development and fewer cars. Newer residents may see the same borough very differently — as a quieter alternative to Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan or the Bronx.
And plenty of people seem to fall somewhere in the middle: frustrated by traffic and development but still deeply attached to their neighborhoods, families and community.
As one longtime resident put it, change is inevitable.
For better or worse, Staten Island continues to change — but judging by the passionate response to one simple question, Islanders still care deeply about the place they call home.
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