Best Neighborhoods in Queens, New York

Queens New York is one of the most residential places to live in New York. There are a wide variety of neighborhoods. Single family and multi family, either detached or attached row houses, mansions and mini mansions with large plots of ground, high rise apartment houses, condos and co ops. There is virtually a style of living for almost everyone. Add to that the facts that most of Queens’ neighborhoods are less than a half hour from Manhattan, both of New York City’s air ports are located in Queens, and the abundance of beautiful parks offering everything from horse back riding and tennis to golf courses, you have some great neighborhoods. And of course it is home to the New York Mets. Many residents of Queens find everything they need right in the borough and hardly ever find it necessary to cross the river to Manhattan.

Queens New York Neighborhoods

Forest Hills/Forest Hills Gardens

The neighborhoods of Forest Hills and Forest Hills Gardens originated together, but Forest Hills Gardens is a private community with million dollar and more homes and Forest Hills is a community of middle and upper-middle class families. The two communities sit side by side and cooperate with many of the decisions that have to be made for the good of the neighborhood. Forest Hills is famous for the shopping area of Austin Street, the antique shops and Eddies Sweet Shops on Metropolitan Avenue and the fine restaurants on both of them as well as on Queens Blvd. Many of the city’s subway lines stop in Forest Hills and there are express busses that take you right to Midtown Manhattan. Forest Park, with a turn of the century carousel, horse back riding and an 18-hole golf course is on the south and Flushing Meadow Park, the site of two world’s fairs, home of the US Open tennis tournament and Shea Stadium is on the North. Rents in Forest Hills start at about $1000 a month for a one bedroom and go up to about $5000 a month for a large 5 bedroom house. IF you are looking to buy, you can choose from a one bedroom co op starting at about $160,000 , a 2 bedroom co op starting at about $200,000, a three bedroom house starting at about $500,000 going up to a house in the Gardens starting at about $1,300,000

Long Island City

Long Island City is one of the up and coming neighborhoods in Queens. It is located right on the banks of the East River, directly across the river from Manhattan and the view of the skyline at night is unsurpassed and one of the main reasons Long Island City has undergone its renaissance. It the past, Long Island City was a mainly industrial area, with most of the residences being in the neighborhood next door, Astoria. Long Island City is also just minutes from Manhattan, making it a favorite place to live for those who want to be close to Manhattan and not have the congestion. Rents in Long Island City start at about $900 for a one bedroom and to up to $7,000+ for a 3-bedroom right by the river. If you are looking to buy, you can choose from a one bedroom co op starting at about $200,000, a 2 bed room co op starting at about $250.000, a one bedroom condo starting at about $450,000, a two-bedroom condo starting at about $650,000 up to a top of the line pent house condo on the river for a cool $1,000,000. Long Island City has come a long way in a short time from an industrial center to one of THE places to live.

Douglaston

Douglaston is just the opposite of Long Island City with gracious private homes on large plots of land. It is the furthest East you can go in Queens and is right on the border of Nassau County. Northern Blvd is the main street and it has many fine restaurants. Douglaston also has its own shopping mall with Macy’s as an anchor store. The schools in Douglaston are some of the best in the city. There is also an 18 hole golf course, and bing on the North Shore, a yacht basin right on the bay. You can get a 2 bedroom co op for around $250,000, a three bedroom co op starting at around $350,000, a three bedroom condo goes for around $600,000. A three bedroom attached house will start at about $600,000 and the houses go all the way up to a 4 bedroom mansion for about $8,000,000.