Living in Ridgewood, New York
QueensRidgewood straddles the Brooklyn-Queens border closely enough that the neighborhood's blocks of Queen Anne rowhouses could pass for Bushwick a few streets over, and in some cases the border runs straight down the middle of a block. Much of Ridgewood's housing stock sits within a designated historic district, rows of early-1900s brick rowhouses with terracotta detail that give the streets a consistent, low-rise look block after block. That shared architecture and proximity to Bushwick has brought in a run of bars, coffee shops, and small galleries along Myrtle and Fresh Pond Avenues.
The L and M trains serve the neighborhood, connecting into Bushwick and then Manhattan, and rents here stay among the more affordable options within reach of those same L-train neighborhoods. The trade-off is a longer, indirect commute into Manhattan compared with stops closer to the river, since both lines require more time or a transfer to reach the busiest parts of the city.
It fits people who want Bushwick-adjacent bars and rowhouse architecture at a more affordable rent, and who are fine trading some commute time for it — quieter blocks a few stops further out.
Rent & move-in cost
Typical upfront cash for a 1-bed. Many listings are “no-fee,” which removes the broker fee — always check the listing.
≈ $7,980 to move in
Safety
About 333 reported felonies within about ½ mile of the center so far this year.
Source: NYC Open Data.
Getting around
Nearest station: Forest Av (M) — about 1 min walk.
Trains that stop here. These are the lines you'd ride to get into the city — the colors match the signs at the station.
Livability
From 3,934 street noise and 149 rats / sanitation 311 complaints within ~½ mile over the past year.