Almost every Brooklyn resident you ask about the best part about living here brings up the people. While it gets dinged for the hipster takeover that has happened in many neighborhoods, it remains the 3rd largest city in the U.S. (it’s not technically a city anymore but it functions like one) so Brooklyn is for sure not any one thing. Families, singles, couples, LGBTQ communities(particularly lesbian), white,  black, Hispanic, Chinese, Russian, Jewish, Indian, Pakistani -- seriously the diversity in the communities is amazing, and a reported 800 languages are spoken here. There’s great food, and the neighborhoods and housing can be wonderful in price and size relative to Manhattan but for most, it comes down to the people and the feeling in real communities. 

Getting back to the hipster issue -- there are very few places in the world where the rise in hipster population has been blamed for a city’s fall from grace more than Brooklyn. It started for the most part in the 2000s when prices in Manhattan pushed lots of younger people across the bridge to neighborhoods like Williamsburg, Park Slope, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Red Hook, Dumbo, and a heck of a lot more. Part of the issue is just housing prices. Brooklyn was affordable, it now is much less so. All the young newbies and families moving in pushed up the prices and pushed out the historic locals. Another part of the issue is the impact these rising prices and new people had on local commercial areas. Historic retail was priced out and precious boutiques took their place. This is tricky because for many it turns Brooklyn into a version of Manhattan that they might have sought to escape. 


Culture Meets Diversity

LookyLOO Review of Brooklyn?

As noted, virtually every type of lifestyle is available in Brooklyn. Families out in Bay Ridge or Park Slope live suburban-ish lifestyles (by New York standards) and neighborhoods like Bed-Stuy are dense city-centric neighborhoods. Posh, gentile lifestyle exists in old-line wealthy neighborhoods like Brooklyn Heights, or newer wealth like Dumbo or Park Slope. Huge parks provide green options for locals but for the most part, Brooklyn is a brick-and-concrete borough that for some is too much in terms of density but for others, it is an escape from the madness of Manhattan. 

If you want to see some of the things to do in Brooklyn check out the [**calendar of events**](https://events.brooklynpaper.com/).

Lifestyle Of Brooklyn? 

Brooklyn, like any major metro, has a big mix of amazing schools and others that lag in areas like standardized scoring. Elementary and Middle Schools are aligned with your neighborhoods/geo-zones. High Schools are a lottery system with specialized high schools, like [**Brooklyn Technical**](https://www.bths.edu/) and [**Brooklyn Latin**](https://www.brooklynlatin.org/), setting the pace for high rankings on sites like [**niche.com**](https://www.niche.com/k12/brooklyn-technical-high-school-brooklyn-ny/). The borough has several neighborhoods known for higher-ranking schools at the elementary level. These include:

**Park Slope**: Park Slope is a hugely popular neighborhood known for excellent public schools, like P.S. 321 and P.S. 107. The neighborhood also offers a variety of private school options.

**Brooklyn Heights**: Brooklyn Heights is a historic neighborhood with highly rated schools, including P.S. 8 and P.S. 307. It is known for its tree-lined streets, proximity to the waterfront, and some of the most beautiful homes and buildings in the five boroughs. 

**Cobble Hill**: Cobble Hill is another neighborhood with good schools, including P.S. 29. It has some of the same types of tree-lined streets and beautiful architecture as Brooklyn Heights and a strong sense of community.

**Carroll Gardens**: Carroll Gardens is a charming neighborhood that lines up next to Cobble Hill and also has excellent schools, including P.S. 58. It has beautiful townhouses, brownstones, and newer buildings on the rise along the waterfront.

**Windsor Terrace**: Windsor Terrace is a residential neighborhood that runs alongside Prospect Park, so wonderful outdoor culture, and has highly rated schools, including P.S. 154. Locals love it because it's a quieter alternative to some of the busier Brooklyn neighborhoods.


Schools

For West-Coasters looking to move here it can be easy to think of Brooklyn the way Bay Area residents think of Oakland. More diverse, more culturally interesting, less expensive and in many cases, younger than the bigger city next door. If you want to escape Manhattan or come to NYC but get a more local community vibe then put Brooklyn on your list. 


Escape from New York 

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**ty457u** / Living in NYC / Updated 2yr
★★★★

**Why did you choose to live in Brooklyn instead of Manhattan?**

I've lived in NYC 10 years now. I've lived in both north and south Brooklyn during that time and never seriously considered living in Manhattan. Among the reasons:

-Price. I can get more in BK than in Manhattan.
-Location. It's really important to me to be in a neighborhood I enjoy walking around. There are parts of Brooklyn I could get more for my money but I'd never live in because it's not interesting to wander in. The parts of Manhattan that fill this requirement are out of my price range.
-Proximity to friends. 90% of my friends live in Brooklyn. Thus so do I.
-Density/types of apartments available. I don't want to live in a high rise. I don't want to step out of my building into a crowd of people.
-Finally I'm gonna be honest here: I associate Manhattan with work and I don't feel like I have a ton in common with anyone living in either the neighborhoods I like but can't afford or the neighborhoods I don't like and can afford.
-Put another way: do I want to share a wall with 5 entitled NYU students, a trust fund DJ, someone who's modeling their life after Sex and the City, or a finance bro? Or do I stay in Brooklyn where my friends are and talk shit on my stoop with my Italian landlord? At the end of the day Brooklyn feels like home. Manhattan is the place I go for work and avoid going to on the weekends if at all possible. [**Full Review**](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/l2ovc6/comment/gk8byny/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)

For more reviews of Brooklyn from locals check out: [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/new-york-city-brooklyn/reviews)

Local Reviews of Brooklyn

As noted there are young professionals flocking to plenty of different neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Williamsburg feels like the “granddaddy” of these gentrified spots with Bushwick and Greenpoint newer options to put on your list to check out. The commonality for a lot of these neighborhoods is lots of beautiful brick buildings with “good bones” that once bought and fixed up become cool loft homes surrounding by boutique shops, cafes, and cool eateries to keep you local on weekends rather than feeling you have to head into Manhattan to have a fun night out. 
- Williamsburg
- Bushwick
- Greenpoint
- Dumbo


Young Professionals/Creative Types

Williamsburg

Park Slope is incredibly popular with the LGBTQ+ community. In fact it has the most female same-sex couples in the entire NYC metro area. While Park Slope does have LGBTQ+ owned and supportive businesses the pull seems more to be just how nice the neighborhood is. The great big gigantic park means you can essentially live next to something equivalent to Central Park but for a heck of a lot less money. Windsor Terrace is another popular LGBTQ neighborhood in Brooklyn. Popular in part due to being next to Prospect Park and in part due to the tree-lined streets, tons of cafes and beautiful row houses that run quite a bit less than those in Park Slope.
- Park Slope
- Windsor Terrace
- East Williamsburg


LGBTQ+/Families

Park Slope

Park Slope is probably the most famous of the family-friendly neighborhoods in Brooklyn. The massive park is the most obvious draw but you also are surrounded by big single family homes and huge flats/apartments by NYC standards. You can’t throw a stick without hitting a stroller so for starters you will be surrounded by young families. The schools, both public and private, are excellent here, and while plenty of people go out in Manhattan, there are tons of restaurants, bars and cafes for nights out close by. Brooklyn Heights is another amazing option for families that can afford the most expensive neighborhood in Brooklyn. Absolutely stunning homes and block after tree-lined block of brownstones and even some cobble-stoned streets make it as scenic an area as you can live in the city.
- Park Slope
- Brooklyn Heights
- Bay Ridge
- Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill 


 Families

Brooklyn Heights

**Still an artist neighborhood… for now.**

As one resident put it, “Bushwick is all about your ‘scene.’ There are DIY punks, EDM, LGBTQ, sex, drugs, art, and creativity.” With dozens of galleries, art studios, and street art throughout, Bushwick’s reputation has become more and more solidified over the past couple of decades. Since the 20th century, Bushwick has also become a home increasingly for the Hispanic population of New York. Williamsburg and Bushwick host a Puerto Rican Day Parade, and Latin food and music are a part of Bushwick’s culture. On the other hand, there’s “the money that’s buying up the area and slowly washing those fun parts away.” Since 2000, the rise of real estate prices in nearby Manhattan has made the neighborhood more attractive to younger professionals.
	
Converted warehouse lofts, brownstones, limestone-brick townhouses, and other renovated buildings make up the majority of the residential parts of Bushwick. Among the six-family apartment buildings and two- and three-family townhouses, there are three developments built by the Housing Authority of New York City. 

The commute to Manhattan is convenient with the L and J/Z/M lines. Staying closer to the L seems to give you better mileage (both literally and figuratively), but biking is the best way to get around locally. There are always new bars and restaurants opening up, so you’ll never run out of new things to try. To quote Katerina Hybenova of Bushwick Daily: “There’s more to Bushwick than secret warehouse raves, polyamory, declining crime rates, and celebrities parading themselves at Roberta’s.” One recommendation was to get renter’s insurance. There is still crime, but it’s been steadily declining for decades. That being said, be smart about it, and pay attention to your surroundings, especially at night. 

If you’re looking to cash in on the social capital of living in Bushwick, cash in while it’s still relatively affordable. Ignore the fact that some people are claiming Ridgewood is really where it's at, and enjoy that Bushwick is hanging on to its queer/countercultural/grunge image, and its working-class communities. And they are real communities. 


Families/LGBTQ+/DINKs/SINKs

Bushwick

**Family Friendly**

Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill are two neighborhoods in northwest Brooklyn. They’re generally considered more high-end and family-friendly, although there is still a working class population to be found here. Cobble Hill has many pre-Civil War churches, and some have been converted to residential use. The vibe is more low-key, with plenty of cafes, restaurants, and bars. There are brownstones and single family homes full of families and young professionals. The streets are tree-lined, and the boutiques are trendy. 

Boerum Hill has a similar vibe to Cobble Hill, with stores, restaurants, and brownstones. There are plenty of galleries and artists in this neighborhood, and not one but two Trader Joe’s. This is also the neighborhood where Jean-Michel Basquiat spent his childhood. The main complaint that people have about Boerum Hill is that it takes about half an hour to walk to Prospect Park (the struggle is real). This area is great for food options, with a whole host of different markets and bakeries (like Sahadi and Damascus Bakery on Atlantic), but it gets pretty quiet after 9 pm. If you’re looking for nightlife, it isn’t too far away, but this is definitely a quieter area.


Families

Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill

**Yuppie Central**

Greenpoint was formerly an industrial area, but it has transformed into a hipster/yuppie paradise. A real community has sprung up around this neighborhood. It is completely full of great bars and restaurants, some bougier than others. There’s plenty of thrifting too. Greenpoint’s proximity to Williamsburg can be seen in the myriad of vintage shops and galleries. This small northern part of Brooklyn relies on the G train to get further into Brooklyn, making transit super easy… as long as it's running. There are plenty of bus lines for those looking to get to the 7 in Queens or other parts of Brooklyn. Formerly a Polish neighborhood, you can find a Michelin Star Pierogi restaurant and plenty of other Polish take-out spots. Greenpoint is the real-life version of what New York looks like on TV shows. Newtown Creek is a former Superfund sight, so it’s seen some pollution. Even so, people love how they can go from the best bars to the best pizza spots on the same block without spending Manhattan money. There are very few boring places in Greenpoint, every part of this neighborhood has personality. 


Young Professionals/DINKs/SINKs

Greenpoint

**Because calling it Down Under the Manhattan Bridge would be dumb.**

Dumbo (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is a neighborhood in Brooklyn that borders the Brooklyn Bridge and is bisected by the Manhattan Bridge. It has what are almost certainly the best views of the Financial District and the harbor in the city, so it tends be a touristy area. Dumbo is a beautiful neighborhood, with a mix a new developments and refurbished warehouses. Brooklyn Bridge Park runs along the border, offering plenty of free music events and activities. With two bridges and ferry, transportation to Manhattan is super easy, although you may want to make sure your building is soundproofed enough not to hear the trains 24/7. Since the 90’s when the zoning was changed from industrial to residential, the neighborhood has acquired a grocery store, a plethora of trendy restaurants and shops, and a reputation as a tech hub in the city. 


Dumbo

**On the Water**

Red Hook is a quiet coastal New England town that somehow got transported to Brooklyn, New York. This neighborhood has been developing from a shipping area to a high-end residential neighborhood, with new white box luxury condos springing up near the water. Although this neighborhood is more isolated, there are some great bars, barbecue, and seafood restaurants along Van Brunt St (there’s also a garden center and a supermarket). Red Hook is seriously beautiful. It has cobblestone-lined streets and converted Pre-Civil War warehouses along a waterfront with views of Governors Island and the Statue of Liberty. Many of the residents here are young families or creatives, and the people who have lived here for a while have built a close-knit community. 
What makes or breaks Red Hook is how much you love the isolated, coastal town vibes of this neighborhood. The public transportation is not the best– although with the B61 bus, it usually takes fewer than 40 minutes to get to the Financial District, and there’s also a ferry stop. This is one of the few neighborhoods in Brooklyn where a car really comes in handy. Luckily, there’s lots of parking. And a Tesla showroom. Another thing to know is that Red Hook’s proximity to the water means that the streets do sometimes flood during hurricane season, so living above the ground floor is the best way to make this neighborhood work. 
- Red Hook Lobster Pound
- Waterfront Museum
- Look North Gallery


Young Professionals/DINKs/Young Families

Red Hook

**Actually the Most Brownstones**

Bedford-Stuyvesant, AKA Bed-Stuy, is a neighborhood in Brooklyn south of Williamsburg and north of Crown Heights. There are many designated historical sights preserving this neighborhood’s African American history and cultural heritage. There are some tensions between lifelong residents and newcomers, though making an effort to know your neighbors and support local businesses goes a long way when it comes to forging a relationship with your community. Bed-Stuy has beautiful tree-lined streets and the largest collection of Victorian brownstones anywhere. Despite the young families and hipsters moving to the neighborhood, it's still a multicultural area with diverse dining and nightlife options. This area is serviced by not one, but four branches of the Brooklyn Public Library, and almost too many public transportation lines to count. Bed-Stuy is represented by Hakeem Jeffries, and the neighborhood is definitely liberal. 
Also, for the size of this neighborhood, an incredible amount of actors and musicians are from here: Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G., Chris Rock, Aaliyah, Mike Tyson, Tracy Morgan, Vanessa Williams, and the list keeps going. There might be something in the water. Fittingly, there are tons of murals and art appreciation events here celebrating the past and current artists of this neighborhood. Its former reputation in the late 20th century has mostly been overturned, though, like every neighborhood in New York, it's still important to have common sense. Bed-Stuy is a neighborhood that its residents take a lot of pride in, so living here means embracing your new community, and being a good neighbor so they embrace you back.
- Dynaco
- Dept of Culture
- Bedford-Stuyvesant Museum of African Art


Young Professionals/Young Families

Bedford-Stuyvesant

**Don’t Stop the Music**

The first thing people talk about with Flatbush is its community feel. This is definitely a place where you can and should get to know your neighbors. On the other hand, it’s not a place to live if your reaction to loud music is to call the cops. On residential blocks, you’ll find plenty of families and retirees. This is a great neighborhood if you enjoy Caribbean food, and also a place to celebrate J’Ouvert, a street festival signaling the start of Carnival. (As with most festivals, keep your head on your shoulders, and stay away if you don’t want the party atmosphere.)
	Flatbush is conveniently serviced by the Q, making it easy to get into Manhattan. This is an especially good thing because parking is not easy to come by. In addition to regular bus lines, there are also dollar vans, aka mini buses that are usually cheaper than regular MTA lines. There’s a variety of architectural styles, from classic brick apartment buildings to row houses, to Victorian-style houses. Like housing, the people are also incredibly diverse. Flatbush is also just south of Prospect Park, making it a great place to enjoy the greenery and lively neighborhood vibes when it gets warm out. 
- Errol’s Bakery
- King’s Theater


Families/Retirees

Flatbush

New York City / Brooklyn

**ty457u** / Living in NYC / Updated 2yr
★★★★

**Why did you choose to live in Brooklyn instead of Manhattan?**

I've lived in NYC 10 years now. I've lived in both north and south Brooklyn during that time and never seriously considered living in Manhattan.

Among the reasons:

Price. I can get more in BK than in Manhattan.

Location. It's really important to me to be in a neighborhood I enjoy walking around. There are parts of Brooklyn I could get more for my money but I'd never live in because it's not interesting to wander in. The parts of Manhattan that fill this requirement are out of my price range.

Proximity to friends. 90% of my friends live in Brooklyn. Thus so do I.

Density/types of apartments available. I don't want to live in a high rise. I don't want to step out of my building into a crowd of people.

Finally I'm gonna be honest here: I associate Manhattan with work and I don't feel like I have a ton in common with anyone living in either the neighborhoods I like but can't afford or the neighborhoods I don't like and can afford.

Put another way: do I want to share a wall with 5 entitled NYU students, a trust fund DJ, someone who's modeling their life after Sex and the City, or a finance bro? Or do I stay in Brooklyn where my friends are and talk shit on my stoop with my Italian landlord? At the end of the day Brooklyn feels like home. Manhattan is the place I go for work and avoid going to on the weekends if at all possible.

**docker_dre** / living in Brooklyn / updated 2yr
★★★

**Why did you choose to live in Brooklyn instead of Manhattan?**

i moved to bushwick for the diy rock and roll scene, then moved to crown heights for the real estate (and to run from bushwick bedbugs).

having lived on the upper west side i can tell you that the difference is community and people. there's a lot more entitlement in the moneyed parts of the city. here everyone generally assumes everyone's in it together, although that has changed during my time here, and i am reasonably sure gentrifier resentment is building. covid and the associated unemployment probably didn't help that.

and there aren't duane reades or banks of america every fifteen feet.

**wpids** / living in Brooklyn / updated 2yrs
★★★

**Questions Before Moving to Brooklyn**

Easy. Like others have said, you might need to cycle through some people (a lot of temporary people who are only here 2-3 years, etc.). Usually by year 2 you will have a solid group of friends to do the countless pre-COVID things NYC has to offer. As for neighborhoods:

-Williamsburg/Greenpoint for primarily yuppie stuff (wealthier) with lots of nightlife and shopping (boutiques). Formerly the hipster capital of NYC (back when hipsters existed).
-Bushwick if you like cheaper but definitely less clean and less wealthy but similar to the previous 2 (by similar I mean initially artist/musician gentrification enclaves).
-DUMBO is the SOHO of Brooklyn architecturally. Very wealthy, nightlife leans 30-50 something.
-Fort Greene/Clinton Hill/Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill/Prospect Heights/Park Slope/Downtown Brooklyn also wealthier, plenty of nightlife and shopping but leans more 30-50 something, really beautiful since it is the old Brooklyn.
-Bed-Stuy/Crown Heights (next to the previous) are less wealthy (much cheaper), plenty of nightlife, also part of old Brooklyn so really beautiful, younger (20-30 somethings), traditionally West Indian and African American.
-Red Hook feels like a village on the outskirts of old Brooklyn. By NY harbor. Beautiful.
-Sunset Park have a crap load of great food and culture from different regions of the world (not as much as a lot of Queens neighborhoods but for BK, they are up there). Nightlife picking up but still not the same as those other neighborhoods, by that I mean nightlife white people are down with but you can always go to old Chinese karaoke spots where they still allow you to smoke cigarettes inside if that's your thing.

Least and most favorite thing is that it is crowded. It's great that it's a 24 hour city and dense like many Asian cities. But with that comes noise (less so with COVID, depending on neighborhood), stress, and the summertime smells of hot garbage.

**Total-Figure3365** / Living in Brookylyn / Updated 2yr
★★★

Brooklyn Born and Raised.

If you really are serious about moving here long term the sincerest answer I can give you without knowing more about you is I think you should rent an apartment or sublet a place for a minimum of 6 months, but I'd a full year would be better.

NYC is a very strange place(that's the best way to put it)every borough has its own culture, that rings true especially through Manhattan and Brooklyn. If Brooklyn was an independent city and not a borough of NYC it would be the 4th largest city in the country. Again I don't know anything about you so based off of the info you provided Id have to say North Brooklyn. estimation for a 2 bed 1.5 bath, $3000-$3500 and there's still a big depends on what you "want, need, willing to tolerate/able to adapt to", factor. The backyard is possible, but will add in cost or decrease value.

You're gonna be working remotely from home, so you'll be spending at minimum 40 hours a week at home assuming you sleep 8 hours a night and (not including weekends)that's another 40 so 2/3 of your work week is accounted for already and you're married I'd really consider that the will "want and need" at about 43%-45% and "tolerate/adapt to" at 12% so recommendation: it's extremely important that you find a place that suits the 2 most important goals you need a place where you're capable of getting your work done just about as much as you want and need a the ideal space to live/sleep/relax-co-exist. This is good/bad scenerio type thing. The good part is that the space you occupy will need to be evenly ideal for both of you to work out of evenly ideal for both of you live in. You know yourselves you know each other you'll figure it out easily. The bad part is the timing. This is literally the best advice on finding out if the neighborhood is good or bad especially in NYC. You've picked a place and everything seems good. To absolutely ensure that is the best place for you-- go back on Friday night and Saturday night from 9pm-2am in the summer. Why? Because you'll see your neighborhood at it's worst or best. Just in case I'll elaborate. Your neighborhood will look, sound and smell like 2 different worlds if you saw it once on a Tuesday morning in the winter vs the time mentioned above. If you don't like it at the time mentioned above you should reconsider.THE BAD PART if you plan on moving or visiting within the next few weeks, it would be nearly impossible for you to get a read on the neighborhood it's winter During the COVID-19 Pandemic. I've lived here my entire life and I've never seen it like this.

Finally take into account what you like to do on your free time. If you absolutely must have a car add $500/MTH for parking in to your budget. If a car isn't necessary you'll get where ever you need to go via public transportation or Uber Lyft. If you have any questions feel free to comment or message me. Otherwise, welcome to Brooklyn,NY when get here.

New York City / Brooklyn, New York

No Sleep

Looklyloo Score: 90