Farmingdale, NY 200 Apartments for Rent

This village has a fighting heritage: World War II fighter planes were assembled here, and test flights were conducted at Fairchild Flying Field.

Farmingdale is an incorporated village that's part of the Town of Oyster Bay. With only 8,189 residents according to the 2010 census, Farmingdale Village is still dramatically bigger than when it was founded in 1691. The village is easily reached by planes, trains and automobiles: by car via three nearby highways, by train via the Long Island Rail Road from Manhattan and by plane via the Republic Airport (which used to be the flying field).

Moving to Farmingdale

Since Farmingdale Village is pretty small (only 1.1 square miles), you don't need to leave too much time for looking at apartments in town. When you look for an apartment for rent in Farmingdale, you will find a variety of options. There are garden apartments and townhouses for rent. You might be able to rent a room and share a house with others. You may even choose to live in an apartment over a shop on Main Street.

Landlords will want proof that you can afford the rent. You may have to pay an application fee and pay for a credit check, and some complexes ask for references as well. If approved, you may be able to choose between a one- or two-year lease. Building policies vary, as do pet policies. There are pet-friendly apartments in Farmingdale, but you need to read the lease to know the limitations.

Once you choose your lease term, you will have to pay a security deposit. Some buildings ask for two months' rent, not just the more common one month. Don't expect the landlord to pay for your utilities, either -- all-bills-paid apartments are not common here.

Neighborhoods of Farmingdale

There are three main neighborhoods, though technically only one of them is actually Farmingdale -- the others are the unincorporated areas that share the same ZIP code.

Farmingdale Village: This is the incorporated "official" Farmingdale. The train station, Main Street shopping and Village Green are all in this area. There are apartments over the shops on Main Street, as well as apartment complexes along the other major roads. The Lenox Hills area near Bethpage State Park is often considered the nicest area in Farmingdale proper.

South Farmingdale: This unincorporated area is in Nassau County, still within the Town of Oyster Bay. One possible advantage of living here is that it can be reached by trains on two different lines of the LIRR.

East Farmingdale: This unincorporated area is in Suffolk County, in the Town of Babylon. It's less residential than the other two regions. Republic Airport is here, as are many shopping centers. You'll find the local Dave and Buster's here.

Living in Farmingdale

Getting anywhere is easy, with the railroad arriving in Manhattan in about an hour (a few minutes less on an express train, a few minutes more if there are delays).

When you have spare time, hang out by the Village Center. That's the heart of town, with the Village Hall and Village Green. The Village Green is a focus of activity, with concerts and classic films during the summer. Bring your own chair, but don't worry about bringing refreshments -- the village often provides popcorn, ice cream and juice for free.

Restaurants in town include American food, as well as different kinds of cuisines, such as Sakura Japanese fare and CaraCara Mexican Grill. The old library is now a delightful caf̩ (don't worry, a modern library replaced it). One market shop in town specializes in locally produced food products and gives a percentage of its profits to Long Island charities. You can shop in specialty stores ranging from antiques to cigars to tattoos. Big box stores for life's essentials are also nearby.

You can stroll around the village to see historic homes, many in the "arts and crafts" architecture style. Thomas Powell, the first European settler here, built a house in 1700 that's still standing.

The library has frequent events, and holidays are celebrated in a big way. Columbus Day brings fireworks, and Christmas calls for a holiday parade.

Head over to Bethpage State Park to walk or go horseback riding on its trails. There are tennis courts and a polo field, but the favorite game in this park is golf. You can play a round on one of the five golf courses in the park, including a course that's hosted the U.S. Open Championship twice.

The Adventureland Amusement Park has rides for kids young and old, from bumper cars to roller coasters.

For a different kind of thrill ride, visit the American Airpower Museum. Here, you can get a taste of the aviation history that helped build this town. The museum has a collection of old aircraft. You can even participate in a "flight experience" that takes you off the ground in a vintage plane.