7 Affordable Queens Neighborhoods for Renters
Savvy New Yorkers already know rent in NYC has been back on the rise, but the top question is, where can one find really affordable rentals? Honestly, you can find steep discounts in all five boroughs. However, if you’re looking to squeeze every penny from your rental dollars, there are several cheap neighborhoods in Queens perfect for budget-minded renters. We’re talking areas with a broad range of affordable units, typically for much less than similar Manhattan and Brooklyn apartments.
Queens Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below
Not convinced? Here are the numbers: The median asking rent for Queens as of December 2021 was $2,300, which is a striking contrast to Manhattan ($3,500) and Brooklyn ($2,675) for the same period. Let’s take a closer look. Here are seven affordable Queens neighborhoods to consider — one even has a median asking rent of $1,785!
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1. Briarwood: Extremely Affordable Queens Neighborhood
- Median Rent: $1,785 per month as of December 2021.
- Subway Info: Express E and F trains service the neighborhood at Briarwood/Van Wyck; local F to Sutphin Boulevard and Parsons Boulevard. Expect a 45-minute commute into Manhattan.
- Notable Attractions & Amenities: The area has a few parks, a local library, and many mom-and-pop shops.
Briarwood has a quiet, distinctly suburban feel, despite being bordered by both Grand Central Parkway and Van Wyck Expressway. When it comes to cheap neighborhoods in Queens, this area is the most affordable. Here, you will find large apartment complexes, many built in the 1950s, alongside stand-alone houses and duplexes on tree-lined streets. The area features a couple of public parks: Hoover-Manton Playgrounds, a central hangout for the community, and Briarwood Playground. Need a little help finding an apartment in the area? Here’s how to find the best rental for you on StreetEasy.
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2. Flushing: Affordable Queens Neighborhood Brimming With Local Attractions
- Median Rent: $1,950 per month as of December 2021.
- Subway Info: 7 train; the express 7 can get you to midtown in 30 minutes. LIRR to Penn Station takes 20 minutes.
- Notable Attractions & Amenities: Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens Botanical Garden, Flushing Town Hall, Queens Historical Society, and Citi Field.
Flushing is a dense and vibrant area with sleepy pockets of single-family homes as you move away from the center of Roosevelt Avenue and Main Street. Unlike other cheap neighborhoods in Queens, here you will find Flushing Meadows Corona Park, one of the largest in the city with not one but two lakes. Flushing also boasts the Queens Botanical Garden created for the 1939 World’s Fair; the Flushing Town Hall, which holds concerts, including the Louis Armstrong Jazz Jams; and the Queens Historical Society.
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3. Kew Gardens: A Hidden Village in Central Queens
- Median Rent: $1,999 per month as of December 2021.
- Subway Info: Express E and F; expect a 40-minute commute into Manhattan. LIRR to Penn Station takes less than 15 minutes.
- Notable Attractions & Amenities: Forest Park, Ralph Bunche House, and it’s a short 15-minute drive to JFK.
Kew Gardens is a little-known gem with a small-town feel. You won’t find this in any of the other cheap neighborhoods in Queens: The main street, Lefferts Boulevard, runs over the only “working bridge” in New York City, meaning the bridge itself is home to local mom-and-pop shops and eateries, some of which have been operating on the bridge for decades. Apartment buildings — many with spacious square footage and 10-foot ceilings — blend seamlessly with Tudor duplexes and two-story houses with deep lawns, including the landmarked Ralph Bunche House.
Out of all of the cheap neighborhoods in Queens, Kew Gardens was one of seven planned communities, which may be why the area has winding streets, towering oak trees, and plenty of lush greenery. It also shares a border with Forest Park, one of the largest parks in the borough, with hilly hiking paths. With plenty of housing stock, easy transportation to Manhattan, and a small-town vibe, Kew Gardens is the best combination of urban and suburban worlds.
Forest Hills Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below
4. Forest Hills: A Neighborhood Brimming With Big City Amenities
- Median Rent: $2,100 per month as of December 2021.
- Subway Info: E, F, M, R; express trains are a 30-minute commute into Manhattan. LIRR to Penn Station takes 10 minutes.
- Notable Attractions & Amenities: Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills Gardens, and two murals paying tribute to the Ramones.
Yes, Forest Hills is one of the cheap neighborhoods in Queens that made this list! Something about Forest Hills seems to foster talent because the list of celebrities who hail from here is a mile long: From legendary punk band the Ramones and folk music duo Simon & Garfunkel to actor and comedian Awkwafina and fashion designer Donna Karan, to name a few! The area is bisected by Queens Boulevard — with apartment complexes on the north side and multimillion-dollar homes of Forest Hills Gardens to the south. In between, running parallel to Queens Boulevard, is the main thoroughfare Austin Street, where you’ll find plenty of food including local favorite Nick’s Pizza alongside chain stores like Sephora.
Additionally, the historic Forest Hills Stadium, formerly a tennis arena, became a prime music venue in the 1960s, hosting performances by greats such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. It was restored in 2013 and once again plays host to headliners like Drake, Ed Sheeran, and Mumford & Sons. In a nutshell, Forest Hills is a self-contained town, offering everything you could possibly want in a big city.
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5. Rego Park: A Cheap Neighborhood in Queens With Many Shopping Options
- Median Rent: $2,200 per month as of December 2021.
- Subway Info: Local M, R. Expect a 45-minute commute into Manhattan; switching to an express train may cut down commute time.
- Notable Attractions & Amenities: The Crescents, an area known for its Tudor-style homes and large lawns.
Upon coming out of the subway, Rego Park’s main artery of Queens Boulevard looks to be dominated by large shopping centers. But while at first glance it may seem like the land of big box stores, Rego Park, like the other cheap neighborhoods in Queens on this list, has many other attractions. For example, the neighborhood is quiet off the main commercial strip, and recent developments mean there are plenty of new apartment buildings, ranging from swanky to modest. There’s also a historic area, known as The Crescents, which was named for the shape of its streets.
Although green spaces seem scarce, large parks like Flushing Meadows and Forest Park are not too far away. Rego Park is also known for its vibrant eateries and community centers. And here’s a fun fact: The neighborhood’s name is a shortened moniker of the original real estate developer, the Real Good Construction Company. And to many residents, that’s just what Rego Park is: a real good place to live.
Middle Village Rentals Under $2,500 on StreetEasy Article continues below
6. Middle Village: A Neighborhood With a Quaint Vibe
- Median Rent: $2,300 per month as of December 2021.
- Subway Info: Only the M to Metropolitan Ave. Expect a 45-minute commute into Manhattan.
- Notable Attractions & Amenities: Juniper Valley Park, St. John Cemetery, All Faiths Cemetery, and Mt. Olivet Cemetery
Located just below Rego Park, Middle Village is a serene, residential neighborhood — possibly because it is surrounded on three sides by cemeteries. (One of these, the St. John Cemetery, is the final haunt for infamous mobster Lucky Luciano.) When it comes to different home types in cheap neighborhoods in Queens, here the housing consists of predominantly squat, one-to-two-story homes and duplexes, which means you can see the sky for miles and miles — a rare perk in New York City. And there’s the lovely, sprawling Juniper Valley Park on the north side with tree-lined walkways, meadows, tennis courts, and playgrounds.
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7. Ridgewood: Best Kept Secret for Affordable Rentals
- Median Rent: $2,546 per month as of December 2021.
- Subway Info: L, M. Expect a 40-minute commute into Manhattan.
- Notable Attractions & Amenities: Many historical landmarks, including Vander Ende-Onderdonk House
For an idea of what Park Slope was like before the median asking rent shot up to the $3,000s range, head to Ridgewood. Sure, it’s not the most affordable on the list for cheap neighborhoods in Queens, but it’s still notable when compared to other boroughs and Queen’s own Long Island City. Central Ridgewood’s historic district, designated in 2016, runs 40 blocks and comprises some 990 buildings: mostly tan, stone rowhouses with stoops. You can also expect to find mom-and-pop shops and a diverse range of local eateries featuring cuisines from across the globe.
While you will find rental buildings here, many available units are found in multi-family homes. The only real con is the lack of green spaces. But promising developments in the industrial section of Ridgewood may incorporate more greenery. Till then, you’ll have to hang out on your stoop. Good luck with your apartment search!
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