I really think Staten Island is a great choice. In Staten Island, you get the benefits of living in N.Y. without the hassle of living “in town”. Brooklyn is a 25 min drive away, though you have everything you need in S.I. In the Willowbrook community. Theres a great mix of kolel yingeleit as well as baal habatim ranging from yeshivish to modern orthodox. Staten Island has their own yeshivos; yet its proximity to Brooklyn as well as New Jersey gives you more options. The community has a laid back “out of town”, atmosphere.