Lohud's hippest town: Vote on the Elite Eight

We asked you to vote on the Lower Hudson Valley's hippest towns — and more than 1,000 of you did!

While Nyack absolutely slayed in early voting (getting over three times the votes of its nearest competitor, Peekskill), the final two spots in our Elite Eight were a real nail-biter: Dobbs Ferry and Cold Spring were literally within one vote of each other, just barely edging out Mount Kisco and Pearl River from the competition.

Now the Elite Eight go head-to-head in four bracket battles: Rockland Rumble (Nyack vs. Piermont), Up River Uproar (Cold Spring vs. Peekskill), Clash of the Cities (White Plains vs. Yonkers) and Rivertown Riot (Tarrytown vs. Dobbs Ferry). Pick a winner from each pair, then check back next week to find out who made it into the Final Four!

Nyack is the best-known village in Rockland, and the county's gateway via the Tappan Zee Bridge. Haven for artists, musicians, and the occasional celebrity. Weekends attract antique hunters, cyclists (it's a popular stop on the Route 9W ride between the George Washington Bridge and Bear Mountain), foodies, and kayakers. Hipster families by day, bar scene by night.

Piermont was once an industrial town under neighboring Nyack's shadow, this artsy, environmentally-friendly community's business district came into its own in the 1990s; the revitalized Piermont Avenue and Flywheel Park feature art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and a well-regarded bike shop to cater to the many cyclists who descend on the weekends. Bird-watchers and fishermen enjoy the marsh and eponymous pier.

(If you don't see the poll tap here)

Cold Spring is a classic small town that has long been a favorite weekend day trip for city-dwellers seeking antiques, outdoor activities and history. A vibrant music and art scene, quaint Main Street full of boutiques and restaurants and stunning views of the river and the Hudson Highlands have made the town an increasingly popular year-round home even for city commuters, who appreciate the town's quiet charm and strong sense of community.

Peekskill is an artsy town in the midst of a bustling riverside city. Art spills out from the galleries, theaters and coffeehouses onto the streets: murals large and small appear on buildings throughout the town, painted tile benches adorn the mile-and-a-half walk from the waterfront to the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, and local fiberart vigilantes have even yarn-bombed the downtown gazebo, which the city seems to be in no hurry to rectify. The city hardly needs all the beautification; it sits at one of the most breathtaking bends on the Hudson.

(If you don't see the poll tap here)

White Plains is Westchester's corporate hub, White Plains has a sprawling city feel. Depending on where you walk, the main business district feels alternately like a small-town main street or a mall in the middle of a city (there are also two actual malls). There's a high concentration of chain restaurants and stores, several exclusive suburban locations of NYC dining establishments, and a strip of restaurants and pubs on Mamaroneck Avenue that comes alive at night as local residents and happy hour regulars mingle with the many business travelers.

Yonkers is the true border between the urban and suburban: it borders the Bronx, and the 1 and 4 subways stop just across Van Cortlandt Park. The riverfront area has been developed and filled with young urban professionals. The ongoing "daylighting" of the Saw Mill River, which flows beneath the city, has inserted a park-like feel into the middle of town. The Getty Square neighborhood encompasses nearly a square mile of bars and restaurants — including the sole Westchester offering from Yonkers native Peter X. Kelly. The large Irish-American community in Woodlawn knows they'll find the craic on McLean Avenue (and if you don't know what that is, just come for the pints).

(If you don't see the poll tap here)

Tarrytown is a bustling hub at the foot of the Tappan Zee Bridge, Tarrytown is a warm welcome to Westchester. Up on the two main drags — Main Street and Broadway — shops, restaurants and coffee shops are filled with singles and young families. The 1885 Queen Anne-style Tarrytown Music Hall still attracts top names: Rufus Wainwright, Bruce Cockburn and Josh Ritter are playing there this month alone. The recently redeveloped RiverWalk area incorporates the Hudson Harbor residential complex, Rivermarket Bar & Kitchen, and The Lodge recreational facility and spa.

Dobbs Ferry has emerged from its working-class niche between tony Irvington and artsy Hastings and come into its own as a hip river town without the pretense or crowds. A hilly V-shaped main drag features a diverse mix of shops, galleries, restaurants and a near-constant view of the Hudson (and the picturesque palisades across it). The Old Croton Aqueduct Trail runs through the center of town, a tangible reminder of the connectivity of the river towns.

(If you don't see the poll tap here)

What you need to know about each place:

Nyack:

• Median home value: $413,730 (2012, city-data.com)

• Median rent: $1,433 (2012, city-data.com)

• Percentage of renters: 66.1% (2010 census)

• Median income: Household: $52,789 Per capita: $36,607 (2012, city-data.com)

• Population: 6,765 (2010 census)

• Median age: 40.9 (2010 census)

• School ranking: 7/10 (greatschools.com)

Piermont:

• Median home value: $684,746 (2012, city-data.com)

• Median rent: $1,388 (2012, city-data.com)

• Percentage of renters: 37.9% (2010 census)

• Median income: Household: $85,508 Per capita: $64,640 (2012, city-data.com)

• Population: 2,510 (2010 census)

• Median age: 47.7 (2010 census)

• School ranking: 8/10 (greatschools.com)

Cold Spring:

• Median home value: $352,782 (2012, city-data.com)

• Median rent: $806 (2012, city-data.com)

• Percentage of renters: 37.9% (2010 census)

• Median income: Household: $62,772 Per capita: $43,413 (2012, city-data.com)

• Population: 2,013 (2010 census)

• Median age: 46.4 (2010 census)

• School ranking: 9/10 (greatschools.com)

Peekskill:

• Median home value: $309,624 (2012, city-data.com)

• Median rent: $1,229 (2012, city-data.com)

• Percentage of renters: 45.9% (2010 census)

• Median income: Household: $57,982 Per capita: $27,786 (2012, city-data.com)

• Population: 23,583 (2010 census)

• Median age: 37.5 (2010 census)

• School ranking: 3/10 (greatschools.com)

White Plains:

• Median home cost: $489,399 (2012, city-data.com)

• Median rent: $1,361 (2012, city-data.com)

• Percentage of renters: 46.2% (2010 Census)

• Median income: Household: $71,728, Per capita: $44,046 (2012, city-data.com)

• Population: 56,853 (2010 Census)

• Median age: 39.2 (2010 Census)

• School ranking: 6/10 (greatschools.com)

Yonkers:

• Median home value: $412,600 (2012, city-data.com)

• Median rent: $1,152 (2012, city-data.com)

• Percentage of renters: 53.9% (2010 census)

• Median income: Household: $55,298 Per capita: $29,155 (2012, city-data.com)

• Population: 195,976 (2010 census)

• Median age: 37.6 (2010 census)

• School ranking: 3/10 (greatschools.com)

Tarrytown:

• Median home value: $494,145 (2012, city-data.com)

• Median rent: $1,539 (2012, city-data.com)

• Percentage of renters: 43.4% (2010 census)

• Median income: Household: $76,353; Per capita: $48,779 (2012, city-data.com)

• Population: 11,277 (2010 census)

• Median age: 39.3 (2010 census)

• School ranking: 6/10 (greatschools.com)

Dobbs Ferry:

• Median home value: $580,996 (2012, city-data.com)

• Median rent: $1,451 (2012, city-data.com)

• Percentage of renters: 39.4% (2010 census)

• Median income: Household: $101,976 Per capita: $45,643 (2012, city-data.com)

• Population: 10,875 (2010 census)

• Median age: 41.4 (2010 census)

• School ranking: 8/10 (greatschools.com)