Exhibit 23.1

                         INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

The Board of Directors
New York Community Bancorp, Inc.:

We consent to the use of our report dated January 24, 2001, incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 of New York Community
Bancorp, Inc., relating to our audit of the consolidated statements of condition
of New York Community Bancorp, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2000 and
1999, and the related consolidated statements of income and comprehensive
income, changes in stockholders' equity and cash flows for each of the years in
the three-year period ended December 31, 2000, which report appears in the
December 31, 2000 Annual Report and is incorporated by reference in the New York
Community Bancorp, Inc. Annual Report of Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2000, and to the reference of our Firm under the heading "Experts" in the
Registration Statement.


/s/ KPMG LLP


New York, New York
April 24, 2001