Apartments For Rent in Brooklyn, New York, NY

Brooklyn is a big city in its own right. Kings County is the 2nd most densely populated county in the United States and, if Brooklyn were its own city, it would be the third largest by population. Brooklyn’s size is why its neighborhoods are so diverse and dynamic. The borough, at 70 square miles, has its own downtown, a beach, a ferris wheel, a botanical garden, and its own sprawling parks.

Brooklyn is known for its character. As Manhattan becomes more and more a borough exclusively for the wealthy, young artists and performers have been moving to the outer boroughs, especially Brooklyn. New cafes, bars, and restaurants are opening every week, and there is a culture of art and creation that’s ever present.

The public transportation system of New York City is expansive and reliable. The services extend to Brooklyn, operate 24/7, and the subways allow access to most of Brooklyn’s vast neighborhoods. While you have fewer options the further you go into Brooklyn, you can still travel anywhere easily as long as you can get to The Barclay’s Center (access to the B, D, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5 trains as well as the LIRR), Jay Street MetroTech (access to the A, C, F and R trains), or the L train.

Driving and parking is generally considered to be easier in Brooklyn, as there are more parking spots and less heavy traffic. Uber and Lyft are widely used in parts of Brooklyn as are alternative local car services.

The last decade saw a dramatic increase in NYC support for cyclists which is why Brooklyn has seen countless new miles of bike lanes over the last few years. That, as well as the expansion of Citibike to Brooklyn, creates an easy and quick alternative to other transportation methods in the area, especially when there is no direct subway line to your destination.

While crime in Brooklyn is slightly worse than it is in Manhattan, it’s still a very safe place to live and travel. Violent crime is down in all sections of Brooklyn and the majority of crime in the area is vandalism.

Brooklyn has dozens of hospitals all over the borough where you can receive top-shelf care from a world class doctor. Some of these facilities include branches of New York Presbyterian and NYU Langone, but places such as the Brooklyn Hospital Center also have great facilities should you ever need them.

• Crown Heights: Known for its annual West Indian Carnival, this neighborhood is a good spot for foodies.
• Flatbush: Home to Brooklyn College, this neighborhood recently reopened the historic Kings Theater after some extensive renovations.
• Prospect Park: This area is home to Prospect Park, Brooklyn’s largest park.
• Kensington: Insanely residential, this neighborhood sports some of the only Victorian homes in all of NYC.
• Brownsville: This residential neighborhood has a ton of open, public spaces for recreation and relaxation.
• Canarsie: With tons of detached houses and several shopping centers, this neighborhood has a very suburban feel to it.
• East New York: A neighborhood with several smaller neighborhoods inside it.
• Bedford-Stuyvesent: Home to several historic districts, Bed-Stuy is the setting of many popular movies, TV shows, songs, and poems.
• Bushwick: A rapidly changing area that’s home to many parks and House of Yes.
• Greenpoint: The Northernmost neighborhood in Brooklyn, Greenpoint is home to PS 34, the oldest running public school in NYC.
• Williamsburg: A neighborhood known for emerging art, music, and theater.
• Brooklyn Heights: This neighborhood is a prominent residential area and is featured in many movies.
• Clinton Hill: A historic District credited for the distribution of Tootsie Rolls.
• Downtown Brooklyn: The third largest business district in NYC.
• DUMBO: A bustling neighborhood full of food, art, and tech firms.
• Fort Greene: Home to Fort Greene Park, this neighborhood was where Al Capone was born.
• Vinegar Hill: Once a forgotten neighborhood, Vinegar Hill was restored in the 70’s and made into a historic landmark in the 90’s.
• Boerum Hill: This neighborhood was once home to Heath Ledger.
• Carroll Gardens: Named for the only Roman Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence.
• Cobble Hill: The sight where George Washington ordered his troops to retreat during The Battle of Long Island.
• Park Slope: One of the most desired neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Park Slope is home to the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.
• Red Hook: This neighborhood is home to IKEA.
• Bergen Beach: Home to one of the few gated communities in NYC.
• Coney Island: Home to the Ferris Wheel and The Nathan’s Hotdog Eating Contest.
• Sheepshead Bay: A popular destination for tour boats and seafood.
• Midwood: A popular neighborhood with several streets that are major shopping destinations.
• Flatlands: A quiet neighborhood with shopping districts and historic buildings.
• Gravesend: One of the original colonies of New Netherland.
• Bay Ridge: Home to the American Veterans Memorial Pier.
• Bensonhurst: Home to NYC’s largest Hong Hong community and its own Little Italy.
• Borough Park: Home to one of the largest Orthedox Jewish Communities outside of Israel.
• Dyker Heights: Big houses that love holiday decorations line this neighborhood.
• Sunset Park: Home to Industry City and Greenwood Cemetery.

• See a show at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music); the arts center known for progressive and avante-garde performances of dance, music, and cinema.
• Go for a walk through Prospect Park and take a moment to smell the flowers at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.
• Wander through DUMBO to see Brooklyn’s beautiful waterfront. You’ll enjoy some good bites from DUMBO’s food trucks, and take in the exquisite views of Manhattan.
• Coney Island, at the very edge of Brooklyn, offers fun in the sun on the beach, Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs, a Ferris Wheel, and one of America’s first roller coasters.
• Take a quiet stroll through Greenwood Cemetery, a mid-19th gothic revival century garden cemetery. Pay homage to Basquiat and other famous New Yorkers.
• Walk down Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, the longest street in Brooklyn that stretches through Greenpoint to Flatbush. Peak into boutique clothing shops and sip on delicious homemade coffee.

The Lenape people originally occupied this area, along with most of what we know as New York City. When the Dutch colonized the area in the early 1600’s. The borough of Brooklyn was then just a small colony called Breuckelen. The British took over in 1664, and by that time Brooklyn had become a decently sized town. It was incorporated into Kings County along with eleven other towns that would eventually become the neighborhoods of Brooklyn.

After the Revolution, Brooklyn continued to increase in size, annexing smaller towns on Long Island while also maintaining a relationship with Manhattan. In 1883 the Brooklyn Bridge was completed, joining the city together even more. In 1898, the citizens of Brooklyn voted to join Manhattan, and other boroughs, to form the greater New York City.

Since then, Brooklyn has been a major player in the arts community, the fight for civil rights for the black, LGBTQ+, and immigrant communities, and for affordable housing in NYC. Brooklyn gets high marks for beautiful parks, phenomenal institutions of higher education, and for world class sports teams. Tootsie Rolls were also created here, so that’s fun.