After spending the past 2 years in the White Plains area (the school was in Valhalla), I hated the area. Its all residential and really nothing to do. Everything closes early. Its mostly just for people that work in the city to live in my opinion. If one wants to actually do anything, the train into the city happens more often than not.
I'd take that over the conjested dirty dilapidated mess that is NYC.
I go to the White Plains area (actually a bit north of WP) to visit a buddy who lives there. We shoot, hunt (fox and birds), play golf, ride horses (he plays Polo) etc. Beautiful place.