Brooklyn is one of the 5 boroughs in New York City with several lovely, safe and affordable neighborhoods. Searching for a new place to live can be challenging especially when you are on a budget. The two major things in mind when looking for a place to live is safety and affordability. If you are looking for a safe neighborhood to live in Brooklyn, we have put together the best Brooklyn neighborhoods for rentals based on price and local amenities.
Before moving to any part of the city, you must consider how much to live in New York because all the 5 boroughs are part of the city. However, they are different in so many ways such as culture, vibe, etc.
One of the nicest things about these neighborhoods is that they have good commute and transportation services to Manhattan as well as different parts of the NYC within one hour. You might ask, what is there to do in Brooklyn, well, there are fun activities and nightlife in different parts of this borough. And there are several activities that would make your living an any of these neighborhoods worthwhile.
The median rent for an apartment in any of these neighborhoods in Brooklyn is $2,665 per month unlike what you’d get in Manhattan and the likes.
Best Neighborhoods in Brooklyn
- Bay Ridge
- East Flatbush
- Flatbush
- Crown Heights
- Sunset Park
- Bed-Stuy
- Sheepshead Bay
- Bushwick
- Brighton Beach
- Red Hook
Bay Ridge
This neighborhood is often referred to as Real Brooklyn or Old Brooklyn. It is located in southwest corner of Brooklyn, it is bounded by the Narrows and the Belt Parkway to the west, Dyker Heights to the east, Verrazzano-Narrow Bridge and Fort Hamilton Amy Base to the south and Sunset Park to the north.
This residential neighborhood is full of native New Yorkers and growing immigrant population. Bay Ridge offers more than just pristine seaside views, there are several restaurants, bars, coffee shops mom-and-pop shops, grocery stores, shopping, etc. In Bay Ridge there are multiunit brick apartment buildings, with parquet floors and incredible views of the water. There are different kinds of apartments from studio apartments to three bedroom apartments.
There are several parks for recreational activities and attractions; there are a number of schools from elementary to high school. There also hospitals and pharmacies. This is one of the best neighborhoods for both young professionals as well as young families. If work in Midtown Manhattan, or you are stationed at the army base at Fort Hamilton Bay Ridge is the best place for you to live.
Median Rent: $1,700 per month
Commute: Subway ride to Manhattan from any of the four R train will take up to 50 minutes
East Flatbush
This is one of the safest neighborhoods in Brooklyn, predominantly by African American with a population of over 136,000. To the north, it is bounded by Crown Heights and Empire Boulevard, to the east, Brownsville and East 98th Street, to the west, the neighborhood of Flatbush and Nostrand/New York Avenues, and Long Island Rail Road’s Bay Ridge Brand and Flatlands/ Canaries to the South.
This neighborhood is mostly populated by working-class people, both young professionals and young families. Here, you will find the former General George W. Wingate High School as well as Gov. Samuel J. Tilden High School.
In Easy Flatbush, there are three major hospital, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Kings County Hospital. There are also a number of restaurants, bars, grocery stores, mom-and-pop shops, coffee shops etc. There are parks and a National Historic Landmark such as Wyckoff House Museum.
Median Rent: $2,150 per month
Commute: Subway ride to midtown Manhattan is about 40 minutes either 2 and 5 trains.
Flatbush
This is also one of the best neighborhoods and it’s located in the heart of Brooklyn. It comprises of subsections and it’s bounded by East Flatbush to the east, Prospect Park to the north, to the south is Midwood and to the west is Kensington and Parkville.
It is a culturally diverse residential neighborhood and was originally named by early Dutch settlers “Flat Woodland”. Over the years, the neighborhood has evolved from a rural area into an affluent community, urbanized by immigrant from Europe, the Caribbean as well as other parts of the world.
Due to its relative affordability, Flatbush is now attracting young families as well as young professionals, it has rich collection of housing styles from detached Victorian mansions, townhomes to brownstones, two-story rowhouses and large apartment buildings. The neighborhood has a combination of urban and suburban feels.
In Flatbush, you will find some of Brooklyn’s top restaurants serving different cuisines such Mexican, Italian, French, Thai, Japanese etc. There are several bars, grocery stores, mom-and-pop shops, shopping, etc. There are a number of schools, hospitals, parks and pharmacies. The neighborhood has good nightlife and a fantastic transportation system.
Median Rent: $2,200 per month
Commute: About 40 minutes or less to Manhattan. Servicing this neighborhood are the 2, 5, B and Q trains.
Crown Heights
This neighborhood is also located in central Brooklyn, to the west it is bounded by Washington Avenue, to the north Atlantic Avenue, Ralph Avenue to the east and to the south is Empire Boulevard/East New York Avenue.
This is a diverse community known for art, food and brownstone homes. It is surrounded by Prospect Lefferts Gari, Bed-Stuy and Brownsville. Gentrification has bagan to hit this neighborhood but it’s still one of the best Neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
There are several beautiful architecture and apartment buildings, there are a number of restaurants such as Wakky’s African, Ragoon, Mozzarella Kosher, Boeuf & Bun, etc. There are bars coffee shops, grocery stores, mom-and-pop shops, etc. There also lots of shopping spots such as Jupe NYC.
In Crown Heights, there are lots of galleries and museums dedicated to educating the community and it’s visitors. Some of the best museums include The Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Weeksville Heritage Center, The Bridge and Tunnel Gallery, etc. Some of the historic landmark include the 23rd Regiment Armory, The Crown Heights North Historic District, Nassau Brewing Company, etc. There are also a number of schools from elementary school to high school. There are hospitals, parks and pharmacies.
Median Rent: $2,400 per month
Commute: Servicing the neighborhood are the 2, 3, 4 and 5 trains. Bus shuttles as well.
Sunset Park
This is a safe and budget-friendly neighborhood, because of its high elevation, it offers some of the city’s best views such as the Statue of Liberty.
To the north it is bounded by Park Slope and Green-Wood Cemetery, to the east Borough Park, to the south Bay Ridge and to the west Upper New York Bay. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community District 7 and patrolled by the 72nd Precinct of the NYPD.
This neighborhood is the home of 24-and-a-half-acre Sunset Park which is also known as Brooklyn Park which boasts of a large playground and Sunset Play Center, a designated landmark inside and out that comprises of a recreation.cemter and a public art-deco-style pool, the park is where Sunset Memorial Grove is located.
Sunset Park is a diverse community with different ethnic groups, it is a historic district in Brooklyn with rowhouses brownstones and limestones built for middle-class both professional and skilled workers. There are different kinds of apartments from studio apartments, condos to co-op of 1bedroom to 3 bedrooms. There are lots of restaurants, coffee shops, bars, grocery stores and shopping. There are schools, hospitals, pharmacies, parks. The neighborhood has good nightlife.
Median Rent: $2,000 per month
Commute: About 40mins to Manhattan. Servicing this neighborhood is the D, N, and R trains.
Bed-Stuy
Bedford-Stuyvesant, commonly called Bes-Stuy is one of the safest and affordable places to live in Brooklyn. To the north it is bordered by Flushing Avenue, to the west Classon Avenue, to the east Broadway and Atlantic Avenue to the south.
Bes-Stuy is made up of four smaller neighborhood such as Weeksville, Ocean Hill, Bedford and Stuyvesant Heights so the name of this neighborhood is a combination of the Bedford and Stuyvesant. Heights. Over the years, this neighborhood has transformed into socialite paradise, it is the center of African American culture and has seen battles for both revolution and equality.
One of the notable hallmarks of this neighborhood is the food, there are several restaurants located in this neighborhood offering different kinds of cuisine. There are also bars, grocery stores, mom-and-pop shops, coffee shops, and shopping. There couple of landmarks in this neighborhood, as well as parks for recreational activities.
Although gentrification has hit the neighborhood, it is still an affordable neighborhood in the borough. This is a nice place to start a family, the neighbors are friendly, it’s a strong community
Median Rent: $2,700 per month
Commute: A and C train runs through the southern section of the neighborhood, the L, M, and Z runs through the northern and eastern section while the G train runs through the neighborhood. It takes about 35 minutes to get a Manhattan.
Sheepshead Bay
This neighborhood is bounded by Ocean Parkway to the west, to the east is Nostrand Avenue and Gerristen Avenue, to the north is Kings Highway and Avenue T and to the south Atlanta Ocean. The neighborhood comprises of a popular waterfront bike path, a busy marina and nice seafood restaurants.
This is a safe and affordable neighborhood in Brooklyn, it is a diverse and vibrant neighborhood mixed with classic NYC haunt and local quirks. Over the years Sheepshead Bay has transformed into a popular NYC destination with new infrastructures like hotels, seafood restaurants and the Sheepshead Bay Race Track.
Sheepshead Bay is a combination of bustling city life and suburban environment. The neighborhood has an excellent transportation services but most resident have cars and parking is also easy.
In this neighborhood there are several bars, coffee shops, grocery stores, mom-and-pop shops. There are also a lot of schools, hospitals pharmacies parks and landmarks. There are different kinds of apartments from co-ops to newer condos, and single-family homes.
Median Rent: $1,800 per month
Commute: Subway Q trains runs the northwestern section while the Q and B trains runs the southwestern section. To midtown Manhattan takes about 45 minutes.
Bushwick
This neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community District 4, to the northeast, it is bounded by Ridgewood Queens, to the northwest Williamsburg, to the southeast East New York and cemeteries of Highland Park, to the south Brownsville and to the southwest Bedford-Stuyvesant.
It is Brooklyn’s hottest neighborhood marked by imaginative street arts, and foodie destination. Over the years, the neighborhood has transformed into an ecclectic destination with street art and graffiti adorning almost every surface. Bushwick has attracted young professionals because it is often referred to an a hippy and vibrant neighborhood with good nightlife.
In Bushwick, there are a number of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, grocery stores etc. There also lots of family-owned eateries where they serve some of the bets tacos you’d get in the borough. You’d also get different kinds of dishes from Colombian to Venezuelan dishes.
The hosting system in this neighborhood is quite interesting, warehouses are turn into lofts, studio apartments and co-ops. There are schools, hospital, pharmacies, park for recreational activities as well as landmarks.
Median Rent: $2,800 per month
Commute: By train it take 30 minutes to Manhattan and Queens; There are three subway lins, the L, M, and the J/Z. Eacj runs across different avenues making commuting very easy.
Brighton Beach
This is one of the safest Neighborhoods in Brooklyn, it’s a perfect community for families. It’s bounded by Coney Island to the east, to the west Manhattan Beach, to the north the Belt Parkway and Atlantic Ocean to the south.
This diverse neighborhood is filled with high-rise residential building. In the 1920s the area became the save haven for Jewish immigrants. This neighborhood is referred to as Little Odessa.
There are several hotels, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, grocery stores, mom-and-pop shops etc.The theater in this neighborhood is the only theater in the world located a quarter mile into the ocean.
The residents in the neighborhood are predominantly Jewish and mostly working class. This is a safe neighborhood and it’s a good community to start a family.
Median Rent: $2,200. Average sales price for 2 bedroom: $621,500
Commute: The only subway station is the Ocean Parkway Q stop. To access the B is through the Sheepshead Bay station. From this neighborhood to Manhattan is about 1 hour.
Red Hook
This neighborhood was once known as South Brooklyn, it is bounded by Gowanus Canal to the east, to the south and west Upper New York Bay, it is part of Brooklyn Community District 6 and patrolled by the 76th Precinct of the NYPD.
This neighborhood has a fully frontal view of the Status of Liberty, it also boasts of few fars in the five borough, The Red Hook Community Farm. Residents get organic farm produce from this farms at affordable prices. The neighborhood has easy access to water so it has a seaside village view.
In Red Hook, there are several town houses and beautiful historic restored loft buildings. There are several restaurants, hotels, bars, coffee shops, grocery store etc. You’ll also find a number of schools, hospitals pharmacies .
Median Rent: $2,600
Commute: The only subway station in this neighborhood is at the border. The F and G trains at Smith and 9th Street. To midtown it will take about 30mins. A ferry can take you to Lower East Side within 30 minutes.
