The city provides a constant sense of adventure for newly minted New Yorkers. Where else can you ogle world-famous art, nosh on soup dumplings, then beeline to the beach to watch the sunset with your toes in the sand? But if all you know about NYC comes from binge-watching TV shows and movies, you may be a little worried about how it is in real life. The big question: which NYC neighborhoods are right for you to stake your flag in? We chatted with real estate experts and longtime New Yorkers for advice on finding the best NYC neighborhood for you, depending on your preferences and lifestyle.

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Yorkville

334 East 90th Street

$2,246 base rent

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Fort George

520 West 190th Street

$2,275 base rent

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Fort George

520 West 190th Street

$2,395 base rent

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Washington Heights

571 West 159th Street

$2,456 base rent

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Lower East Side

55 Suffolk Street

$2,049 base rent

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East Harlem

305 East 105th Street

$2,450 base rent

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Upper West Side

320 West 83rd Street

$2,475 base rent

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Fort George

362 Wadsworth Avenue

$2,400 base rent

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Central Harlem

48 West 138th Street

$2,200 base rent

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Central Harlem

48 West 138th Street

$1,995 base rent

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Hamilton Heights

1794 Amsterdam Avenue

$2,400 base rent

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East Harlem

315 East 108th Street

$2,225 base rent

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Explore different neighborhoods

There are — wait for it — hundreds of NYC neighborhoods to choose from. For people who have a hard time making decisions, that’s more intimidating than selecting a coffee at Starbucks. Try to narrow your NYC neighborhood search by focusing on a borough first. There are just five. Indeed one will feel like home, whether you want to steep yourself in historic Manhattan or live on the frothy Atlantic Ocean in Brooklyn or Queens.

“If someone is completely new to the city, the best advice I give them is to first reach out to any family or friends and get some guidance from them,” says Nora Ali, a licensed real estate salesperson for Corcoran. “The next thing I always recommend is for them actually to go and spend time in areas of interest.”

If you haven’t arrived in NYC yet, don’t fret. There are plenty of local press sites that will give you taste, such as the Queens Gazette, Brooklyn Eagle, Staten Island Advance, Bronx Times, and Manhattan papers like The Villager. You can also visit the NYC Life section on StreetEasy Reads for an even more granular look at neighborhoods.

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Fort Hamilton

28 Marine Avenue

$2,495 base rent

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Borough Park

1028 39th Street

$2,500 base rent

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Stuyvesant Heights

582 Mac Donough Street

$2,500 base rent

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Wingate

435 Maple Street

$2,400 base rent

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Flatbush

250 Clarkson Avenue

$2,256 base rent

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Stuyvesant Heights

870 Dekalb Avenue

$2,307 base rent

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Brighton Beach

211 Brighton 15th Street

$2,400 base rent

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Stuyvesant Heights

44 Malcolm X Boulevard

$2,090 base rent

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Gravesend

2366 West 12th Street

$1,900 base rent

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Gravesend

2318 81st Street

$1,600 base rent

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Crown Heights

791 Sterling Place

$2,499 base rent

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Gravesend

2269 East 2nd Street

$2,200 base rent

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Find out how much it costs to live in NYC

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, Tel Aviv, Paris, and Singapore now top the world’s most expensive cities list. But New York is in sixth place. So, of course, your pocketbook may be a deciding factor regarding which NYC neighborhoods you’re considering. (Don’t worry, plenty of the more affordable NYC neighborhoods offer many perks.) “Things like budget always play a part on where to live,” Ali says. “Once my clients lock in on a budget, that in itself will narrow down neighborhoods for them.”

It’s easy to see median asking prices for rent and home sales on the StreetEasy Data Dashboard. For example, the median asking rent in Long Island City, Queens, is $3,700 as of December 2021. Over in Manhattan, the median asking rent on the Upper East Side is even less: $3,300. But remember, a “median” is just that — you can find steals way less than that and splurges that cost way more, too. Finds tips for your rental search here.

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Bayside

210-03 43rd Avenue

$2,550 base rent

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Astoria

31-17 42nd Street

$3,800 base rent

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Oakland Gardens

67-15 Cloverdale Boulevard

$2,900 base rent

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Oakland Gardens

223-02 65th Avenue

$3,250 base rent

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Astoria

30-50 21st Street

$3,250 base rent

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Maspeth

57-19 64th Street

$3,100 base rent

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Astoria

45-09 Broadway

$4,695 base rent

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Elmhurst

90-02 Queens Boulevard

$2,800 base rent

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Elmhurst

90-02 Queens Boulevard

$2,250 base rent

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Jamaica

153-10 88th Avenue

$3,424 base rent

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Jamaica

153-10 88th Avenue

$2,443 base rent

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Jamaica

153-10 88th Avenue

$2,182 base rent

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Public transportation is a big part of the cecision

New Yorkers are movers and shakers by definition. So when you’re weighing the pros and cons of NYC neighborhoods, you will want to familiarize yourself with the local subway and bus lines. Are there express stops nearby, or only local ones? Does it take you not just to work but also to see friends or catch a show? Is the nearby station scheduled for a lengthy shutdown in the near future?

Do you need lots of greenery and open space?

Even the most die-hard residents of NYC enjoy some green space occasionally. Others need it often. Be realistic about where you fall on that spectrum and evaluate accordingly. (The good news is that NYC is home to many world-famous parks, both old and new, including Central Park, Prospect Park, Hudson River Park, and Brooklyn Bridge Park.)

Note that what qualifies as a “park” in the city can vary widely. One might be a vast green expanse that invites you to lounge and picnic. Another might be a series of benches on a boulevard. The best advice is to visit your nearest parks in person if green space is essential to you.

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Jamaica

153-10 88th Avenue

$2,443 base rent

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Jamaica

153-10 88th Avenue

$2,182 base rent

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Jamaica

153-10 88th Avenue

$2,160 base rent

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Glendale

71-60 69 Place

$2,500 base rent

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Bronx

660 East 242nd Street

$1,800 base rent

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Central Harlem

1856 Park Avenue

$2,443 base rent

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Central Harlem

1856 Park Avenue

$2,357 base rent

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Central Harlem

2655 Frederick Douglass Boulevard

$2,500 base rent

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Jamaica

150-02 Hillside Avenue

$2,450 base rent

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Jamaica

150-02 Hillside Avenue

$2,350 base rent

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Jamaica

150-02 Hillside Avenue

$2,400 base rent

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Union City

2307 New York Avenue

$2,450 base rent

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Do you crave nightlife or shopping?

Maybe your weekend doesn’t begin until you’ve sipped a craft cocktail at a stylish spot, or you’re addicted to hunting through the racks at high-end consignment boutiques. Keep those needs in mind when searching for where to live in NYC. “People think you need to be able to walk to work or have a very short commute,” says Doron Zwickel, licensed real estate broker with CORE real estate. “For me, it’s more about where your social circle is and your favorite restaurants and retail. That’s more valuable to me than an easy commute to the office.”

Above all, do not settle. The promise of New York is that there’s a surprise around every corner. And there usually is. So go ahead, walk down all the streets, try all the bodegas, slice joints, and coffee shops you can. It’s the best way to discover the best place for you to live.