Frequently asked questions
Short answers to what families ask most. Don’t see yours? Reach us from the Contact page.
What is Motley?
Motley is a family-focused way to find the right NYC neighborhood and school. We cover all 262 NYC neighborhoods and thousands of public, charter, and private schools, and we rank them against the priorities your family cares about.
Which neighborhoods and schools do you cover?
All 262 NYC neighborhoods across the five boroughs, plus thousands of schools — public, charter, and private — and early-education programs including 3-K, Pre-K, and NYCEEC providers.
How are neighborhoods ranked?
We score every neighborhood on safety, schools, affordability, commute, parks, and diversity, then re-sort them against the priorities you rank during onboarding. Move what matters most to the top and the rankings follow.
Where does your data come from?
From official public sources — the U.S. Census, NYC Planning, the Department of Education, and other city agencies — combined with live listings data. We refresh it on a regular schedule.
Do I need to pay to use Motley?
No. Browsing and ranking neighborhoods, searching schools, generating snapshots, and saving favorites are free. Motley Pro ($39 every 6 months) adds Smart Match, the admissions tracker, the lottery simulator, PDF reports, multiple family profiles, and a calendar feed.
Is my family's information private?
Yes. Your profile and saved items are tied to your account and used only to personalize your results. See our Privacy Policy for the full detail on what we collect and how it's used.
How do I get help or report a problem?
Email us at [email protected] and we'll get back to you. The Contact page in this Help section has the details.