Brooklyn vs Queens: Which Borough Is Right for You?

If you moving to NY and choosing between Brooklyn or Queens all you need to do is to decide what place is better for you personally as they are both fantastic boroughs to live in. And a reliable moving company, of course. You can see the full catalog of New York movers here. But let’s get back to Brooklyn and Queens. Brooklyn is considered to be the most trendy of all boroughs. It’s young, fashionable and has just about any niche anyone who is moving could ask for. Queens is rapidly gaining popularity as well. It has a reputation of the most culturally diverse place in NY, which means an inclusive community and plenty of internationally inspired cuisine. So if you are hesitating we are here for you to help you make the right choice.

Brooklyn vs Queens Housing Costs

You must be prepared that prices in Queens are higher than in Brooklyn. NY is famous for its spectacular views. Both Brooklyn and Queens apartments offer spectacular views of the iconic skyline, it’s just a matter of knowing where to look. Be ready that the Queens community is thriving and incredibly diverse. We propose you to compare the prices from the table and decide what is more acceptable for you.

Brooklyn vs Queens Housing

  Queens, NY Brooklyn, NY United States
Median Home Age 66 78 40
Median Home Cost $603,000 $765,100 $231,200
Home Appr. Last 12 months 7.5% 6.2% 6.7%

Brooklyn vs Queens Average Rent For Home Or Apartment

 

  Queens, NY Brooklyn, NY United States
Average Rent $2,350 $2,395 $1,470
Studio Apartment $1,690 $1,625 $820
1 Bedroom Home or Apartment $1,735 $1,665 $930
2 Bedroom Home or Apartment $1,990 $1,905 $1,145
3 Bedroom Home or Apartment $2,520 $2,420 $1,535

Brooklyn vs Queens Features

  • Ethnic vibes. Neighborhoods in Queens are dominant in one race. Woodside has mostly Hispanics, Jackson Heights is mostly Desi and Asian people, Flushing is mostly Chinese, Astoria – Greek, Forest Hills – White. As a result, there’s a lot of ethnic restaurants.
  • Transportation here isn’t as in-depth compared to other boroughs. Not every neighborhood has a single line where you can take 1 train or bus. For example, to get to Bayside or Maspeth you might need to take a train and bus or 2 buses.
  • Queens is not as lively as Brooklyn. Queens is more residential. You can get the town/suburb vibe there since most of the action takes place in Manhattan and the north/northwest portion of Brooklyn. There are still places to go at least but it’s more chill and calm.
  • Crimes here happen less often than in Brooklyn.
  • The deeper in Queens you are, the cheaper the rent. However, the more reliant you become on a single train line or bus route. Or you might need to drive.
  • Driving here is a lot more common than in Brooklyn. Queens Boulevard, the LIE, Roosevelt Ave are REALLY packed with cars.

Brooklyn or Queens Crime Rate

The rule of thumb is areas closer to Manhattan are generally safer. Queens is a pretty big borough and has a variety of cultures in different neighborhoods. Northern Brooklyn, the neighborhoods that span from Carroll Garden to Greenpoint that infamously gentrified over the past two decades, are generally pretty safe. Petty crime is at a pretty minuscule level that it’s completely negligible. This trend is extending inward to places like Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights and such, which are all considerably safer than decades ago.
Also in southwestern and southern Brooklyn, there are the traditional, often ethnic, middle-class settlements like Sheepshead Bay, Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Bensonhurst and such. These are relatively safe too.
Only dangerous areas at this point are probably Canarsie and East New York. Both of which struggled with rundown and unsuccessful public housing projects for years.
Few areas, if any, are gentrified within Queens. Maybe Long Island City and Astoria, although definitely not up to the point of what you’ve seen in Brooklyn. Virtually all of Queens is middle class, and the fact that such a wide array of individuals from different backgrounds live together with little trouble probably says a thing or two about how safe it is.
Jamaica is the only area in Queens that may seriously be considered unsafe. Much of the borough are just bedroom communities where people get back to sleep at night and leave for Manhattan by day.
If you have to draw them side by side, Queens edges out Brooklyn a little, because Brooklyn is a booming scene when it comes to commercial activities, and that might bring in all types of people. But otherwise, neither of the two boroughs really can win over the other one.

What to do and where to go in Brooklyn and Queens

Brooklyn is known for its diverse dining scene and numerous restaurants from food trucks to fashionable places. With Queens’s incredibly diverse population, the cuisine is great in both international variety and quality. There are lots of tour operators like Brooklyn Bike Tours that have tours themed around graffiti or beer or can even guide you all the way to Coney Island. DUMBO is home to the famous pizzeria Grimaldi’s, as well as Jacques Torres chocolate shop, St. Ann’s Warehouse and numerous other artsy venues. The Brooklyn Bridge is a must-see when traveling to Brooklyn. Queens is famous for Marvel at massive art at the Socrates Sculpture Park where you can learn about the history of film-making at the Museum of Moving Image. Flushing Meadows Corona Park took center stage during the 1964 World’s Fair. The largest park in Queens features several top attractions and cultural institutions in the borough, including the Queens Botanical Garden, New York Hall of Science, Queens Museum, Queens Theater, and Citi Field. There are recreational activities like boating, biking, and hiking. Both Brooklyn and Queens have great nightclubs that are less crowded and also less frequented by tourists. The House of Yes is one of the semi-scandalous places in the heart of Brooklyn’s club scene that is known for its grand burlesque and circus-themed productions and patrons that put everything and more into their outfits.

Moving to Brooklyn or Queens

Decision making has never being a simple task. But f you know where to move just let us know and we will do the most problematic part of moving to Brooklyn or Queens. Having years of experience we advise starting your research from looking through moving companies reviews. We are helpful to provide you with Top 10 NY movers. We did our best to cover everything for your move: both online and offline estimating, well-maintained moving checklist and the best choice of moving companies. Good luck with your move.