Rye

Welcome to Rye

Rye sits on Long Island Sound in southeastern Westchester County, between Mamaroneck and the Connecticut line. Before you look at a single listing, it helps to know which Rye you mean. The name covers a city, a town, and parts of two villages, and the difference shows up in your tax bill, your permits, and sometimes your school district. On this page, The Garay Team sets out what the public record says and what it means for a buyer or a seller.

Rye is a city, not a village or a town

The City of Rye is a city. Westchester County's hazard mitigation plan (City of Rye annex, December 2015) records that Rye was incorporated as a village on September 12, 1904, that the State Legislature approved the Rye City Charter in 1940, that residents adopted it, and that on January 1, 1942 Rye left the Town of Rye and became a city. The State Comptroller's 2013 fiscal profile of the City says the same: a village in 1904, chartered as a city in 1942. Sources: Westchester County, City of Rye annex (PDF) and NYS Comptroller, City of Rye fiscal profile (PDF).

How the City is run. The County annex describes a City Manager who is the chief administrative officer and answers to a City Council made up of the Mayor and six council members. City Hall is at 1051 Boston Post Road, Rye, NY 10580. Zoning, building permits, assessment, and City taxes for a parcel inside the City line go through City Hall.

The County lists Rye with the cities. Westchester County's July 2025 list of comprehensive plans places Rye under CITIES, next to New Rochelle, White Plains, and Yonkers, and places Rye Brook and Port Chester under VILLAGES: County comprehensive plan status list (PDF).

City of Rye, Town of Rye, Rye Brook, and Port Chester: keep them apart

The Town of Rye still exists, and it is a separate government. The Town's own history page explains that because New York puts cities and towns on equal footing, the City of Rye became independent of the Town in 1942. That left the Town of Rye made up of Port Chester, Rye Brook, and the Rye Neck section of the Village of Mamaroneck, which the Town calls one of the only noncontiguous towns in the state. The Town also notes that Rye Brook was the last area to incorporate, as a village, in 1982. Source: Town of Rye, Facts and History.

• City of Rye: its own city government at 1051 Boston Post Road. It is not part of the Town of Rye.
• Town of Rye: a town government with offices at 222 Grace Church Street in Port Chester. It covers Port Chester, Rye Brook, and Rye Neck, not the City.
• Village of Rye Brook: a village inside the Town of Rye, incorporated in 1982. Village Hall is at 938 King Street, Rye Brook, NY 10573. Source: Village of Rye Brook.
• Village of Port Chester: a village inside the Town of Rye. The County annex lists Rye Brook and Port Chester as the City's neighbors to the northeast.
• Rye Neck: the part of the Village of Mamaroneck that sits in the Town of Rye. It is not part of the City. See our Mamaroneck guide.

What this means for you. A listing that says "Rye" could be in the City, in Rye Brook, or near the Port Chester line, and mailing names do not always follow municipal lines. Ask for the tax map number and confirm which assessor and which building department hold the file. The answer decides the zoning code, the tax bills you will receive, and which parks and clubs treat you as a resident.

History you can still see on the map

The County annex calls Rye the oldest permanent settlement in Westchester County. It records that settlers led by Peter Disbrow, John Coe, and Thomas Studwell came from Greenwich in 1660 and bought land along the Sound between the Mamaroneck and Byram Rivers. The first settlement was on Manursing Island; Poningo Neck became today's business district, and the Saw Pit became Port Chester. Homes along Mill Town Road, now Milton, led to grist mills on Blind Brook. Rail service on the New Haven line in the mid 1800s made Rye a summer destination, and the 1920s brought the largest wave of growth.

The Boston Post Road Historic District. The Jay Heritage Center reports that this district was raised to National Historic Landmark status by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1993. It covers about 286 acres and five properties: the Jay Estate, Whitby Castle and Rye Golf Club, the Jay Cemetery, the privately owned Lounsbury property, and Marshlands Conservancy. Source: Jay Heritage Center, Boston Post Road Historic District.

Playland. The National Register nomination for Playland describes a county owned site on Long Island Sound in the City of Rye, opened in 1928, planned by the Westchester County Park Commission with architects Walker and Gillette, and largely Art Deco in style. The County annex notes it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. Source: National Park Service, Playland nomination.

Local landmarks law. The City Code has a landmarks preservation chapter (Ch. 117) and Landmarks Preservation districts in the zoning code. If a house is old or sits near a landmark, ask early whether any review applies before you price a renovation.

Water, flooding, and what the record says

Rye's shoreline and its brooks are part of what draws buyers, and they are also the main source of risk. The County annex states that flooding and severe coastal storms have caused the most damage in the City, and it names the places that matter.

• Blind Brook presents the greatest flood risk to the City, per the annex. The residential area called Indian Village is typically the most severely flooded part of the City when Blind Brook overflows, and the central business district and downstream areas have also flooded. The annex lists flooding reaches from the City line to Purchase Street, Indian Village, the business district from I-95 to Orchard Avenue, and on toward Rye High School, Oakland Beach Avenue, and Milton Harbor.
• Beaver Swamp Brook flows through the northwest part of Rye; the annex records flooding between Osborn Road and Bradford Avenue.
• Drainage flooding outside mapped flood zones: the annex names Hicks Park, where garages and basements have flooded, and Forest Avenue at Boulder Road.
• Seawalls and stream walls: the annex calls them an important set of vulnerabilities and notes the Kirby Lane seawall was damaged by Hurricane Sandy.
• Upstream dams: the annex lists three regulated dams on Blind Brook upstream of the City, including the Bowman Avenue dam, where the City and Rye Brook added a sluice gate for flood storage.

Flood insurance figures. FEMA data cited in the annex (as of March 31, 2014) show 758 flood insurance policies in the City, 119 repetitive loss properties, and 78 severe repetitive loss properties. These are older figures. Use them to understand why lenders and insurers ask questions here, not as a current count.

Zoning ties into flood areas. The City zoning code sets a half acre minimum lot size in areas of special flood hazard for the R-3 through R-6 districts, where the minimum is otherwise smaller. There is also a Residential Floodplain and Wetland Preservation district.

What to do with this. Pull the FEMA flood map for the exact parcel at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, ask the seller for any elevation certificate and flood claim history, get an insurance quote before you sign a contract, and ask the City about drainage on the street. The County annex also records that the City believed the FIRM base flood elevations along Blind Brook below I-95 were too low, so a map line is not the end of the question. Sellers near the water or a brook should gather elevation, mitigation, and claim records before listing.

Friends of Rye Nature Center lists public workshops in 2026 and 2027 on a Blind Brook riparian restoration project, which is a useful way to follow the floodplain work in the City.

Zoning in plain numbers

Rye zoning is Chapter 197 of the City Code. It was first adopted by the Village of Rye in 1923 and reenacted by the City in 1942. Source: City of Rye Code, Chapter 197 Zoning. The chapter sets residence districts R-1 through R-6, a school and church district, a two dwelling district, garden apartment and apartment districts, business districts B-1 through B-7, landmarks preservation districts, and coastal zone districts for membership clubs, waterfront recreation, and conservation.

From Table A, Residence Districts (Article VIII, Tables of Regulations, Feb 2022 publication):

• R-1: one acre minimum lot, 150 feet minimum width, maximum floor area ratio 0.15, 2½ stories and 32 feet.
• R-2: half acre minimum lot, 115 feet minimum width, maximum floor area ratio 0.20, 2½ stories and 32 feet.
• R-3 through R-6: smaller minimum lots outside flood hazard areas, a half acre minimum inside them, and a 28 foot height limit in Table A.

Floor area ratio is the number that limits additions. Rye caps gross floor area as a share of lot area, with separate rules for oversized lots. A house that already uses its allowed floor area may not support the addition a buyer has in mind. Ask an architect to run the numbers before you assume you can add space.

Nightly rentals. Rye zoning lists the uses permitted in each district, and the residence district uses we reviewed are houses and apartments, not transient lodging. If rental income matters to your plan, ask the City Building Department in writing before you underwrite it.

Other City reviews. The zoning chapter cross references architectural review (Ch. 53), coastal zone consistency review (Ch. 73), freshwater wetlands (Ch. 102), landmarks preservation (Ch. 117), and surface water control (Ch. 173). Any of these can add time to a project, so build that into a schedule.

2026: a building moratorium and a new comprehensive plan

The moratorium. The City Code disposition list shows Local Law No. 3 of 2026, a moratorium, adopted June 8, 2026. The Rye Record reported that the Council voted 5 to 2 for a six month moratorium covering certain development in the central business district, construction and teardowns of one and two unit houses in the B-1 and B-2 districts next to downtown, and multi unit buildings of six or more units, and that the Council removed Rye Country Day School from the law before the vote. Sources: City of Rye Code, Disposition List and The Rye Record, June 8, 2026.

What it means. If you are buying or selling land near downtown with a teardown or a new build in mind, confirm with the City whether the moratorium still applies to that parcel, when it ends, and whether a hardship waiver is possible. Outside the affected districts, ordinary house projects were reported as excluded, but confirm for your address.

The comprehensive plan. The County's July 2025 list shows Rye's most recent comprehensive plan as 1985, with an update in progress. Local reporting describes the update as the City's first in about 40 years. Zoning changes can follow a new plan, so a long hold buyer should follow the public sessions.

Getting around

Rail. Rye station is on Metro-North's New Haven Line. MTA describes it as an accessible station with elevators, ramps, tactile warning strips, and audiovisual passenger information, with three ticket machines, no ticket office, and a Bee-Line bus connection. Source: MTA, Rye station. The New Haven Line also stops at Harrison and Port Chester. Check MTA TrainTime for current schedules. We will not quote a commute time, because it depends on the train, the hour, and where you are going.

Roads. I-95 crosses the City, and Playland Parkway leads to the shore. Check traffic and parking at the hours you will actually travel before you decide.

Station parking. Ask about permits, waitlists, and daily options before you count on a space.

Schools, stated plainly

We list districts and schools as facts. We do not rate or rank schools, and you should check any district directly.

• Rye City School District: the district lists Midland School, Milton School, Osborn School, Rye Middle School, and Rye High School. Source: Rye City School District.
• Rye Neck Union Free School District: the district states that it serves students from both the City of Rye and the Village of Mamaroneck. So a City of Rye address is not always in the Rye City School District. Source: Rye Neck UFSD, About.
• Rye Brook: Village records describe a line between the Blind Brook-Rye and Port Chester-Rye districts that runs through some Rye Brook subdivisions.

Confirm the district for the exact parcel with the district office before you make an offer. The school tax line on the bill follows the district, not the mailing name.

Parks, preserves, and public places

• Playland Park: owned by Westchester County, with the amusement park, beach, and pool on the Sound. The County notes that County park passes are not honored at Playland Park, Beach, or Pool. Source: Westchester County Parks, Playland.
• Rye Town Park and Oakland Beach: inside the City of Rye, but the Town of Rye says it still maintains Rye Town Park and Oakland Beach. Beach permits and rules come through the park, not City Hall.
• Marshlands Conservancy: a 147 acre County wildlife sanctuary with forest, meadow, salt marsh, and shore, about three miles of trails, and half a mile of shoreline. Source: Westchester County Parks, Marshlands Conservancy.
• Jay Estate: the 23 acre boyhood home of John Jay at 210 Boston Post Road, managed by the nonprofit Jay Heritage Center. The County calls the Jay Property part of the Boston Post Road Historic District. Source: Jay Heritage Center.
• Rye Nature Center: a 47 acre forest at 873 Boston Post Road, run by the independent nonprofit Friends of Rye Nature Center, with trails open daily from sunrise to sunset. Source: Friends of Rye Nature Center.
• Rye Golf Club: a non equity membership club owned and operated by the City of Rye at 330 Boston Post Road. The club says the City bought the 127 acre property in 1965. Resident and nonresident terms differ, so ask how the club defines residency. Source: Rye Golf Club, About.
• Square House Museum: the Rye Historical Society's museum at 1 Purchase Street. Source: Rye Historical Society.
• Rye Free Reading Room: the library at 1061 Boston Post Road. Source: Rye Free Reading Room.

Private beach, yacht, and golf clubs line parts of the shore. Membership is set by each club and is never part of a home sale, so do not assume a house comes with access.

Housing stock and change on the ground

The County annex observed that the City was not seeing much new development and that redevelopment at similar size and scale was typical, both downtown and in outlying neighborhoods. The 2026 moratorium debate shows that change near downtown is now a live public question. In practice, that means a few things for a buyer and a seller.

• Lot size varies a great deal from one acre R-1 areas to small lots near downtown. Zoning district, floor area ratio, and flood zone together shape what a lot is worth to the next owner.
• Older houses need records. Ask for certificates of occupancy, open permits, and any landmark or architectural review history. Unpermitted finished basements are worth checking in a flood prone area.
• Taxes come from more than one place. A City parcel carries City, County, and school district taxes. Check the current bills, exemptions, and assessment before you compare two houses.

We do not publish a median price on this page, because it changes month to month and depends on the slice of the market you measure. Ask us for a current, sourced comparable set for the street you care about.

Buying in Rye: our checklist

• Confirm the municipality, the tax map number, and the school district for the parcel.
• Pull the FEMA flood map, ask for an elevation certificate and claim history, and get an insurance quote early.
• Ask the City whether the 2026 moratorium, landmarks review, coastal review, or wetlands rules touch the parcel.
• Have an architect check floor area ratio and setbacks before you plan an addition.
• Check seawalls, retaining walls, and drainage on waterfront and brookside lots.
• Confirm any beach, club, or dock rights in writing. Do not rely on a listing description.

Selling in Rye: what helps

Buyers here ask detailed questions about flood history, permits, and what can be built. Sellers who gather the survey, certificates of occupancy, elevation certificate, flood insurance history, and recent tax bills before listing give buyers fewer reasons to hesitate. If your lot is in or near the moratorium area, know where it stands before you set a price. Start with selling with The Garay Team or request a home valuation.

Compare nearby

Buyers who look at Rye often compare it with nearby places along the Sound and inland. Each has its own government and rules:

• Harrison, which borders the City to the north and northwest. Beaver Swamp Brook forms part of that line.
• Mamaroneck, including the Rye Neck section, which is in the Town of Rye.
• Larchmont, further along the Sound.
• White Plains, the county seat and another Westchester city.
• Greenwich, Connecticut, across the state line, with different taxes and rules.

For the wider county, see our Westchester County guide and current Westchester homes for sale.

FAQ

Is Rye a city, a town, or a village?

Rye is a city. It became a village in 1904 and a city on January 1, 1942, when it left the Town of Rye. The Town of Rye is a separate government made up of Port Chester, Rye Brook, and the Rye Neck section of the Village of Mamaroneck.

Is Rye Brook part of the City of Rye?

No. Rye Brook is a village inside the Town of Rye, incorporated in 1982, with its own Village Hall at 938 King Street. It has its own zoning and building department.

Does every City of Rye address go to the Rye City School District?

No. Rye Neck UFSD states that it serves students from both the City of Rye and the Village of Mamaroneck. Confirm the district for the exact parcel with the district office.

Is flooding a real issue in Rye?

For some parcels, yes. The County names Blind Brook as the City's greatest flood risk, with Indian Village and the business district among the areas that have flooded, plus Beaver Swamp Brook and drainage problems in places like Hicks Park. Check the FEMA map, the claim history, and an insurance quote for the exact property.

Can I tear down and rebuild near downtown?

Possibly not right now. Local Law No. 3 of 2026 put a six month moratorium on certain projects in and next to the business district. Ask the City about the current status for your parcel.

Can The Garay Team help in Rye?

Yes. We are licensed in New York and Connecticut. Email [email protected] or use our contact page, and we will reply with clear answers and sources, not a sales pitch.