Discover the best neighborhoods to live in NYC based on their atmosphere, affordability, connectivity and quality of life.
New York’s iconic neighborhoods make choosing the best places to live in NYC an exciting endeavor. But before you explore rental homes in New York, you’ve to pick an area. Do you go for the lyrical Harlem, the colorful Bushwick, the hip Astoria or the affordable Long Island City? How do you pick where to live in New York?
Well, this is where our list of the top 8 best neighborhoods in New York comes in handy. We dive into 3 decisive factors that will help you pick the best neighborhood in New York:
- Environment: based on community, greenery, safety, and access to essential services.
- Quality of life: based on schools, cultural hotspots, and entertainment options.
- Livability: based on rental price, safety, public transportation, and walkability.
Best neighborhoods in New York
Here’s a roundup of the 8 best areas to live in New York City:
- Greenwich Village, Manhattan
- Harlem, Manhattan
- Williamsburg, Brooklyn
- Astoria, Queens
- Long Island City, Queens
- Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
- Midtown, Manhattan
- Bushwick, Brooklyn
Let’s dive deeper into them and see which one is the one for you.
1. Greenwich Village, Manhattan
Neighborhood vibe: Charming, central, sought-after
Greenwich Village stands out as a charming and upscale neighborhood. On the bank of the Hudson River and famed for being the backdrop of Friends, this is where you want to live in New York if you’re looking for a laid-back atmosphere, low-rise buildings, and lush spaces like Washington Square Park.
Living in one of the best neighborhoods in Manhattan you’ll dine at top-notch bars, eateries, and pizza joints. Transportation is a breeze with buses and subway options (lines 1, F, and M) linking to the rest of Manhattan and beyond.
With an average studio rent of $3,712 and $3,989 for a 1-bedrom apartment, Greenwich Village is one of the best and most expensive places in NYC to live in. If your heart is set on this neighborhood, but the rental prices are too high, you can rent a private room in shared housing, as the average monthly rent is around $1,455.
2. Harlem, Manhattan
Neighborhood vibe: Culturally rich, community-centric, affordable.
Harlem, steeped in culture and music, ranks high among NYC’s best neighborhoods. It’s where you should live in New York if you’re looking for affordable living and community spirit. It’s heaven for families, with plenty of highly-rated schools, such as High School for Math Science & Engineering at City College and Tag Young Scholars.
Spanning Upper Manhattan, Harlem borders the Bronx to the north and Central Park to the east, providing excellent citywide connections. It’s only an 8-minute subway ride from Midtown Manhattan (via line 4) and a 25-minute trip to the Financial District (via line 2).
With 3 distinct sectors—Central, East, and West—Harlem offers varied charms united by the sound of jazz. Central Harlem is an enclave of African-American culture, while East Harlem (Spanish Harlem) thrives with a vibrant Latin-American community and top-notch entertainment. West Harlem’s tree-lined streets and rowhouses offer inviting residences ideal for young professionals.
Harlem is one of the more affordable neighborhoods in New York. For a private room, you can expect a monthly rent of $1,426. Whereas studios cost on average $2,696 and 1-bedroom apartments $2,898 monthly.
3. Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Neighborhood vibe: Trend-setter, gastronomic paradise, costly chic.
Williamsburg has swiftly emerged as one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in New York, ideal for young professionals. With its hip culture, proximity to Manhattan, walkable streets, and high-rising buildings, Williamsburg is one of New York’s best neighborhoods to live in.
Here, you can go on a culinary adventure every night, and you still won’t be able to visit all of the wonderful restaurants, bars, and cafes. Plus, Williamsburg offers exciting nightlife where the party goes on until the early hours of the night.
Brooklyn’s cultural hotspots are easily reachable by train. You can take the L train from Manhattan, or the __M and J trains to reach Downtown Brooklyn.
Living in this hipster neighborhood you should expect a higher monthly rent. Private rooms cost between $1,600 and $1,900 monthly, whereas studios cost around $3,546. For apartments, expect an average rent of $4,108 (1 bedroom).
4. Astoria, Queens
Neighborhood vibe: Affordable, parkside charm, welcoming community atmosphere.
Located in the northwest of Queens, Astoria offers a unique blend of cultural diversity, urban convenience, and a welcoming community atmosphere. Recognized as the Greek neighborhood of New York after many Greeks settled here in the 80s, this neighborhood boasts a distinctive identity.
Astoria has affordable accommodation, plenty of green spaces like Astoria Park, and excellent public transport connections (subway lines E, M, N, R, and W, and buses Q19 and M60-SBS). Beyond this, Astoria is one of the best neighborhoods in NYC for families, with excellent schools like 30th Avenue School and the Frank Sinatra School of The Arts High School.
When it comes to renting, Astoria is one of the cheapest neighborhoods in New York. The monthly rent for a private room in Astoria is around $1,150. Renting a studio ($2,310) or a 1-bedroom apartment ($2,723) are more expensive but you get more privacy.
5. Long Island City, Queens
Neighborhood vibe: Industrial chic, well-connected, vibrant.
Long Island City, once an industrial manufacturing center, is now one of the best places to live in New York. The neighborhood balances greenery with skyscrapers and iconic landmarks with an urban city vibe.
This is where you want to live in New York if you like industrial architecture, beautiful parks and walking on the bank of the East River. The neighborhood comes alive in the warmer months, hosting street festivals, flea markets, and even outdoor cinemas.
Long Island City has great public transport connections with 8 subway lines, 15 bus lines, 3 ferry landings, and the Long Island Rail Road running through it.
Plus, the neighborhood is also budget-friendly. Renting a private room in Long Island City costs around $1,500 per month. If you’re looking for more privacy, you can explore studios that cost on average $3,404 or rent a 1-bedroom apartment for $4,089 on average monthly. This blend of city and nature is one of the best NYC neighborhoods for families and young professionals.
6. Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Neighborhood vibe: Family friendly, multicultural, connected.
With its brownstones and leafy streets, Prospect Heights is one of the best neighborhoods in New York. This multicultural haven offers NYC’s finest dining and bar scene. Culture thrives here with iconic institutions like the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and Prospect Park.
Did you know that Prospect Park was designed by the same architects who designed Central Park?
So you can embrace nature and tranquility without the Manhattan price tag. Ideal for families, you can enroll your children at some of New York’s best schools.
What’s better is the excellent walkability of the neighborhood and even better public transport connections. With 9 subway lines (B, D, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5) and several buses (B41, B45, B65, B67, and B69) passing through, you’ll have no issue getting to Manhattan or any other part of the city.
Although rent in Prospect Heights is expensive, its blend of culture, accessibility, and residential charm marks it as one of the best places to live in New York. The average rent for a private room is between $1,550 and $1,725. Rent for studios is around $3,479, and $4,297 for a 1-bedroom apartment.
7. Midtown, Manhattan
Neighborhood vibe: Upscale, urban dynamism, central.
Midtown sprawls across Manhattan, from Central Park to Greenwich Village. This large neighborhood is divided into Midtown East and Midtown West. Midtown East has a classic Manhattan vibe, while the West offers contemporary structures and vibrant nightlife.
Midtown is where you want to live in New York if you want to be nestled between the city’s skyscrapers. Yet you can still find tranquillity in Bryant Park, jog on the bank of the Hudson River, or spend the day at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). With multiple subway lines__—Grand Central Station, Penn Station, and Long Island Railroad—using public transport is seamless.
Going out for dinner here is more expensive than in the previous neighborhoods, but it comes at high quality, with famous restaurants like Le Bernardin, Hutong, and Le Rock located in Midtown.
The key location and proximity to business centers put Midtown’s average rent for a room at $2,000. Renting a studio is around $3,556, whereas a 1-bedroom apartment is on average, $4,407 monthly. But you’ll find more affordable options in East Midtown (especially in Kips Bay or Murray Hill) without compromising the centrality.
8. Bushwick, Brooklyn
Neighborhood vibe: Artistic, cost-effective, well-connected.
Bushwick is where you want to live in New York if your heart is set on Williamsburg, but its cost of living is above your budget. This Brooklyn neighborhood is one of the best places to live in New York with its affordable living, (vintage) shopping, and entertainment. Walking on the streets of Bushwick will also make you feel like you’re living in a gallery because of the colorful art adorning the buildings.
And all of these amenities aren’t only easily accessible by foot but also with plenty of public transportation options. You can ride the J, Z, and L trains to and from Bushwick as well as buses B24, B26, B38, B52, B 57 and B58. One of the best neighborhoods in New York for young professionals and families, Bushwick offers vibrant nightlife and quality schools (e.g. Saint Ann’s School).
In terms of housing, you can expect industrial architecture and newly-builds. Renting a private room in Bushwick costs between $1,400 and $1,600 monthly. The average rental price for studios is around $2,635 and for 1-bedroom apartments, $2,869 monthly.
Once only a setting of a movie, New York is almost your home now. All you need to do is explore homes for rent in New York’s best neighborhoods.