Where should I buy near Manhattan?

Q. I am looking to buy an apartment in New York within an hour's commute of Manhattan. I'm 25, make about $50,000 a year and want to be in a neighborhood with other young people. What can I afford and where should I look?
If you don't mind a longer commute, you'll get more space for your money further away — in Kensington or Clinton Hill, where studios cost $200K and 1BRs can be bought for $250K. But it's a one-hour train ride to midtown.
Daily News Real Estate