Long ago, Brooklyn was the refuge to those who couldn’t afford he sky high Manhattan prices. But not anymore. Queens is in the process of becoming “Brooklynized” by young professionals, hipsters and individuals trying to escape Brooklyn’s high rent. The shut down of the L train has also added to the influx of people headed to Queens. Woodside, Sunnyside, and Astoria have all had an increase to population according to U.S. Census Bureau. In 2015, Queen’s population grew by 16,700.
The median rental price for a Long Island City studio apartment is $2,425, a 1 bedroom is $2,889, a 2 bedroom is $3450. These prices are all more practical than the ones in Brooklyn, where the average monthly rent is nearly $3000 and above.
The trade off for cheaper rent is a slightly longer commute. Jackson Heights has seen an influx of people who can’t afford to live in Manhattan or Brooklyn. Jackson Heights is very convenient as there is a mass transit hub located there, and getting into Manhattan is relatively fast. Jackson Heights also has older building stock. Many of the apartments and co-ops in their extensive historic district feature private gardens.
With the influx of people heading into Queens, and gentrification landing on their shores, what will become of Queens?
Image from momentcaptured1