Brooklyn is an overnight success that has been 300 years in the making. Historic neighborhoods and diverse architecture await New Yorkers looking to purchase a property. Brooklyn exudes creativity, and there are home styles and neighborhoods for everyone in this majestic borough.
If you grew up in Brooklyn, you wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. If you just discovered it, you are already in love with it. And if you are planning to trade in that Manhattan apartment but don’t want to move to the suburbs, you likely have your sights set on it.
Considering how much time New Yorkers spend working from their home offices these days, buyers look to Brooklyn as the destination to trade up. The historic section of the city provides residents with spacious parks, tree-lined streets, numerous transportation hubs, and plenty of entertainment options.
Below our team has compiled a list of the best neighborhoods in Brooklyn, outlining some of the up and coming areas and which ones are among the most expensive neighborhoods in Kings County.
Best Neighborhoods in Brooklyn
- Brooklyn Heights
- Cobble Hill
- Dumbo
- Park Slope
- Carroll Gardens
- Downtown Brooklyn
- Bedford Stuyvesant
- Fort Greene / Clinton Hill
- Williamsburg
- Greenpoint
- Bushwick
Brooklyn Heights
New Yorkers emerging from the 2, 3 train at Clark Street in Brooklyn Heights immediately gaze upon the towering St. George Hotel, tree-lined streets, and serene Federal-style townhouses of Brooklyn Heights. These sleepy streets contain historic mansions, spacious parks, and numerous elite private schools, making Brooklyn Heights one of the best places in Brooklyn for New York buyers.
The confluence of historic buildings and ease of access to Manhattan make Brooklyn Heights one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Homeowners looking to swap their Manhattan apartment will find pre-war co-ops, classic brownstones, federal row houses, and even well-preserved wooden houses from the early 1800s nestled on historic Middagh Street.
Apartment hunters attending open houses in Brooklyn Heights should check out Henry Street, as this main throughway contains boutique stores and storied eateries like the Henry Street Ale House and the Plymouth Cafe. The quaint streets, easy commute, and historic buildings make Brooklyn Heights one of the most sought-after Brooklyn neighborhoods.
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Cobble Hill
Bordered by Brooklyn Heights to the north and Downtown Brooklyn to the east, Cobble Hill is another storied Kings County neighborhood. Founded by the Dutch in the 1600s, this area remained rural even as Brooklyn Heights to the north underwent rapid development. But once Brooklyn became incorporated as a village, an exodus of Manhattan residents moved to Cobble Hill and changed the rural district into a suburban commuter neighborhood.
Buyers seeking quiet living in one of the best places to live in Brooklyn can take an F train from Manhattan or a G train from Greenpoint and get off at Bergen Street to attend open houses in Cobble Hill. The neighborhood is close to the hustle and bustle of Downtown Brooklyn, providing residents with access to the Fulton Mall, Barclays Center, and big box stores like Trader Joe’s, Marshall’s, and Michael’s.
While people can’t go to the movies now, once New York bounces back from the pandemic, new Cobble Hill residents should visit the historic Cobble Hill Cinema on Court Street to take in a movie with some fresh popcorn. New Yorkers should include a trip to Poppy’s on Degraw Street, as the famed bakery sells some of the best cookies in NYC.
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Dumbo
Any New Yorkers that were fans of the TV show Gossip Girl growing up will immediately think of the Humphrey Loft when a Dumbo listing pops up in their search. Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, called Dumbo by New Yorkers, is arguably the most expensive Brooklyn neighborhood thanks to sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline.
This hidden enclave did not always evoke thoughts of luxury condos and exalted eateries near the East River waterfront. As New York City deindustrialized and the packaged food, coffee, paint, Brillo pad, and cardboard box companies left the area, artists began moving into the neighborhood to take advantage of the cheap loft spaces built in the wake of the industrial past. It is even rumored that the name Dumbo was conceived by the art community to initially stave off development efforts.
While developers kept away from the district for years, in the 1970’s a developer named David Walentas purchased two million square feet of land in Fulton’s Landing and began a decades-long effort to redevelop Dumbo. Mr. Walentas created a new lease on life for many forgotten buildings. Now, buyers interested in owning a luxury condo will find ample opportunities today at One Main Street, One John Street, 51 Jay Street, as well as newer builds at Front and York or 98 Front Street.
Dumbo is also home to nearly 25% of New York City’s technology firms and has the highest concentration of tech start-ups in one neighborhood. Tech workers coming to Dumbo can find opportunities to create at Etsy, flex their creative marketing knowledge at the digital consultancy HUGE, or invent off-the-grid heating and electricity technology at BioLite.
Visitors should explore the Time Out Market, snap a photo at the iconic Instagram spot at the corner of Washington Street and Water Street, and visit Jane’s Carousel. This iconic carousel was refurbished by the late Jane Walentas who restored it herself as a gift to the community.
Once a tech exec lands the job of their dreams and wants to live close to the office, they can tour the new construction buildings along Front Street. There they will find a confluence of luxury living, arts, business, and leisure, making Dumbo one of the nicer and most expensive neighborhoods of Brooklyn.
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Park Slope
Coined as one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Park Slope sits on the northwestern edge of Prospect Park, and aspiring buyers will find museums, gardens, townhouses, and more in this quaint section of Kings County. The tree-lined streets house rows of historic brownstones, and as neighborhood explorers get closer to Prospect Park, they will find Victorian mansions built in the 1880s overlooking the expansive park.
New York City preserved Prospect Park as an outdoor space for all city residents, and soon after, developers constructed rows of iconic Park Slope brownstones, extending the southern reach of the neighborhood. Once the MTA connected Brooklyn with the other boroughs, Park Slope became a working-class neighborhood, with many of the mansions and brownstones subdivided to serve as multi-family units.
Today, Park Slope is one of the best neighborhoods in Brooklyn to live for New Yorkers, and many tech workers, parents, and other folks call the serene locale home. Homebuyers have a plethora of options when exploring Park Slope and find adventures at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Brooklyn Museum, and the Brooklyn Public Library, in addition to outings in Prospect Park.
Prospective buyers thinking of purchasing real estate near the green space of Prospect Park can find restaurants, boutiques, and bakeries lining 5th and 7th Avenue which runs north-to-south through the neighborhood.
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Carroll Gardens
Carroll Gardens derives its name from Charles Carroll, an American Revolutionary War leader, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and senator from Maryland. During the Battle of Brooklyn, Carroll sent a regiment of soldiers to disrupt a British encampment, an act that cemented Carroll’s place in history.
Originally called Carroll Park, developers and real estate tycoons pushed to change the name to Carroll Gardens to woo wealthy New Yorkers from Manhattan to purchase homes in the area. In the 1800s, surveyor Richard Butt designed large brownstones with expansive space, creating the front yard gardens that put Carroll Gardens on the map.
Today, Carroll Gardens has plenty of boutiques, dance studios, hobby shops like the Brooklyn Strategist, and other quirky outlets aimed at curious kids and adults. Underneath the G and F train tracks, residents can find St. Mary’s Playground and park, offering parents a protected place to let their kids roam free while providing regular residents with a shaded space where they can take in the day.
Generations of Italian Americans took up shop in Carroll Gardens, and many Italian bakeries and restaurants continue to line the neighborhood streets. New Yorkers coming to Carroll Gardens to attend an open house should allot time to have pizza at Lucali’s and then mosey over to the Mazzola bakery on Union Street for a classic cannoli.
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Downtown Brooklyn
Conveniently located just to the west of Brooklyn Heights across from Cadman Plaza Park, straphangers emerging from the A, C, E, train at High Street will see the skyscraper buildings that characterize the Downtown Brooklyn skyline. When historical societies popped up to curb the construction of towering buildings in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and Brooklyn Heights, developers eyed Downtown Brooklyn, as the neighborhood sits at the confluence of major transportation hubs for several up-and-coming Brooklyn neighborhoods.
Today, Downtown Brooklyn is a hub for education, providing a home for New York City College of Technology, Long Island University, St. Francis College, Brooklyn Law School, and the NYU Tandon School of Engineering.
Condo buyers scouring listings for the best places to live in Brooklyn might have previously passed over Downtown Brooklyn in their search. But that changed in 2007 when New York City rezoned unused office buildings and other undeveloped lots to create new condos and townhouses.
Brooklyn owners looking for swanky condo living can find high rises on Hoyt Street, Willoughby Street, and Lawrence Street. While buyers give up the historic charm of smaller neighborhoods, these luxury buildings usually come equipped with amenities such as doormen, expansive rooftop gardens and viewing platforms, and private gym facilities.
Within the next few years, the Downtown Brooklyn skyline will change forever once developers finish construction on the 1,099-foot tall residential skyscraper at 9 DeKalb Avenue, making it the first super-tall building in the borough.
Plus, with the DeKalb Food Hall and a Trader Joe’s nearby, Downtown Brooklyn residents do not have to travel far to restock the kitchen. The convergence of subway stations in Downtown Brooklyn makes it one of the coolest places in Brooklyn to live as straphangers can access almost all of New York from the A, C, E, 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, F, and N, Q, R, W train lines.
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Bedford Stuyvesant
To the east of Clinton Hill and north of Prospect Heights, New Yorkers will find Bedford Stuyvesant, historically known for its vibrant African American community dating back to the 1930s. This neighborhood is famous in the hip-hop community with its stature as the birthplace of rap legends The Notorious BIG and Jay Z.
Today, buyers exploring one of the countless landmarked Victorian brownstones built before the 1900s will find perfectly preserved examples of historical detailing such as quoins joining the outside angles of homes together.
From technology workers to life-long residents, Bed Stuy has a welcoming mix of people living day-to-day in the neighborhood. Buyers visiting Bedford Stuyvesant should explore Bedford Avenue, where they can grab a drink to go at the Do or Dive bar, then check out the mural paying tribute to Biggie Smalls as the King of New York.
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Fort Greene / Clinton Hill
Nestled between Downtown Brooklyn to the west and Bed Stuy to the east, the Fort Greene area provides buyers with storied buildings and tree-lined streets, making it one of the attractive Brooklyn neighborhoods to explore for listings. No longer producing ships for the war effort, the Brooklyn Navy Yard to the north houses many modern businesses and includes the newest convenience of a Wegman’s grocery store.
New Yorkers thinking of purchasing a home in this noble neighborhood of Brooklyn are buying a historic real estate close to the campus of the Pratt Institute and St. Joseph’s College. Myrtle Avenue is the main commercial corridor of Fort Greene, where residents have a variety of shops and restaurants to frequent.
Folks attending open houses should explore Fort Greene Park, then meander over to one of the many restaurants the neighborhood has to offer.
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Williamsburg
Viewed as one of the coolest neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Williamsburg provides a housing style for all buyers. The district features vinyl-sided two-story homes on tree-lined streets, but buyers can find their pick of high rise condos situated along the East River as well. What was once a ragtag artist community consisting of haphazard lofts and dive bars has transformed into some of the most sought after real estate in New York City.
Infamous for creating the hipster scene in Brooklyn, Williamsburg is a wellspring of creativity, not just in art, but in the buildings, community, and food scene, making it one of the best neighborhoods in Brooklyn for foodies. Williamsburg is home to many high-end eateries, and residents will rejoice to know that Michelin Star rated chef Missy Robbins has an Italian restaurant near McCarren Park called Lilia, and another on Kent Avenue called Misi.
New Yorkers thinking of buying a riverside condo on Kent Avenue or a two-story home off of Bedford Avenue have tons of housing style available to them. Buyers willing to travel farther on the L can venture to the Morgan Avenue stop to visit the infamous McKibbin Lofts. This building used to be a darling of the college community, but now houses spacious luxury lofts for Brooklyn residents.
But aside from taking in the views from the waterfront, new residents in Williamsburg can lounge out at McCarren Park, or grab a drink at the Brooklyn Brewery. Once the pandemic fades, locals can visit intimate music venues like Pete’s Candy Store, rock out at Brooklyn Steel, or dedicate a day to shopping on Bedford Avenue at Goorin Bros Hat Shop, Apple, or their very own Whole Foods.
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Greenpoint
Fans of the HBO show Girls will recognize Greenpoint as the home of Hannah and her pals, where they routinely tried to figure out the ebb and flow of life as a young woman living in New York City. Shot on the tree-lined India Street, residents residing in this quiet but vibrant neighborhood used to be able to catch scenes of the show being shot depending on what time of day they returned home from work.
While Greenpoint today is considered by some to be an upscale, hipster neighborhood featuring high-end boutiques and restaurants on Franklin Street, this region historically served working-class communities. It also continues to house generations of Polish families and some of the best Polish restaurants in New York City.
Many of the original brownstones and row houses of Greenpoint stand today, providing aspiring buyers with opportunities to own historic properties close to the G train. But if a luxury buyer seeks waterfront high rises with easy access to Manhattan, there is a ferry terminal awaiting commuters at the western end of India Street.
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Bushwick
Nestled between Bed Stuy to the south and East Williamsburg to the north, Bushwick ballooned in popularity as New Yorkers seeking to live near but not in Williamsburg laid down roots in this historically working-class neighborhood.
Homebuyers considering moving to this up-and-coming Brooklyn neighborhood can find ample opportunities to purchase one of these historic buildings. But buyers with money to spend can find new-age boutique condo developments all over Bushwick. Glassworks BK, Castlebraid, and Rhinegold Bushwick are situated just off of Myrtle Avenue.
Buyers attending open houses in Bushwick should take time out to visit Maria Hernandez Park and explore the many coffee shops and restaurants dotting Knickerbocker Avenue.
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