Brooklyn, New York, the largest of the five boroughs of New York City, takes residents just outside of the traditional hustle and bustle of Manhattan to a slightly more spacious and family-oriented environment while remaining close enough to the city for a convenient commute if necessary.
Once the cheaper alternative to Manhattan, prices in Brooklyn seem to be increasing to the point it can be difficult to determine whether it’s worth it or if you might want to consider a different borough.
However, maybe there’s a reason that Brooklyn comes with such high prices.
Here are the top 10 reasons Brooklyn is so expensive.
1. Large Population
Brooklyn, New York makes up Kings County, the second-largest county in the United States (behind San Bernardino County in California) with almost 2.8 million citizens in 2020.
While we usually include Brooklyn in the larger umbrella of New York City, Brooklyn on its own would be the fourth most populous city in the United States, which goes to show how many people we are dealing with here.
Brooklyn’s most populous neighborhoods are as follows:
- Bedford: 157,530
- Bensonhurst: 151,705
- Bushwick: 129,239
Demographics
Brooklyn houses a diverse group of residents, adding to the unique culture of the borough.
See the ethnicity demographics of Brooklyn citizens as of 2020:
- White: 49.5%
- African American: 35.8%
- Asian: 11.86%
- Other: 11.85%
A total of 25.74% of Brooklyn citizens completed their high school education, and 22.48% have a bachelor’s degree while 15.01% went on to receive a graduate degree.
About 20% of the population lives below the national poverty rate with slightly more women under the poverty line than men.
The large majority of Brooklyn residents align with the Democratic Party compared to the Republican Party.
In fact, Brooklyn hasn’t voted for a Republican presidential candidate since Calvin Coolidge in 1924.
Tourism
Not only do people in Brooklyn need to share the area with their neighbors, but they must also make room for the large number of tourists who visit.
New York is one of the largest cultural hubs in the world, so it’s no wonder that more than 65 million tourists spent a night in New York in 2018.
These tourists spent an estimated $44 billion that year.
That money goes to local businesses, such as restaurants and taxi companies.
Of course, these tourists also take up space, adding to the already large crowds and contributing to local pollution.
2. Attractions
No matter what you enjoy, you can always find something to do in Brooklyn thanks to the seemingly endless number of attractions in the area.
We will cover some of the most popular things for you to do so that you make the most of your trip.
Brooklyn Bridge
It all starts when you see the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, the first steel-wire suspension bridge in the United States.
You can marvel at its construction and size while you drive or walk over it.
However, that’s only the beginning.
Museums And Parks
Brooklyn contains more culture than the local accent may lead you to believe.
Museums cover topics on everything from art to science, and parks supply a little piece of nature in the middle of urban America.
Some of the museums and parks in Brooklyn to put on your to-do list include:
- Brooklyn Museum
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden
- Prospect Park
- MCU Park
- New York Transit Museum
- BA Harvey Theater
Coney Island
Brooklyn is also home to the famous summertime attraction, Coney Island, which is located at the southernmost point of the borough.
At Coney Island, you can enjoy the aquarium, the theater, and the romantic Ferris wheel then eat carnival-themed treats while sliding your feet into the sand of the Coney Island Beach.
To get the most value, you should buy the Coney Island day pass for only $69 at the gate.
You may be able to get the day pass at a discount (up to $25 off) if you buy it in advance online.
Fun Fact: It’s believed that the hot dog was invented in 1867 in Coney Island.
Religious Attractions
Brooklyn has a substantial Jewish presence with 600,000 Jewish residents.
However, they have substantial numbers of Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian residents as well.
Check out these religious landmarks in the area to boost your internal peace:
- Brooklyn Tabernacle
- Green-Wood Cemetery
- Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims
3. History
Dutch immigrants first developed the area we know as Brooklyn, taking it from the native Canarsie Native Americans.
The British took the area from the Dutch in 1664, but Americans declared independence from Britain in 1776.
As part of the war for independence, the first and largest Battle of Long Island (or Battle of Brooklyn) took place in Brooklyn in August of 1776.
After the Civil War, the area blew up in population and industry.
More and more of the trademarks we know, such as Coney Island, were first developed at this time.
Eventually, the area became the modern central location for business and family that we know it as today.
The history attached to an area increases its desirability, thus increasing the prices in that area.
4. Center Of Innovative Artistic Expression
Many people make the mistake of thinking that Manhattan is the artistic focal point of New York.
However, free-thinking artists prefer a slightly less obvious location than Manhattan.
While Manhattan undeniably has its artistic hot spots, Brooklyn arts tend to be hipper and more innovative.
Fashion
Brooklyn has established itself in the fashion scene over the last few years, especially when it comes to streetwear.
After Manhattan’s traditional New York Fashion Week, Brooklyn hosts its own Brooklyn Fashion Week that showcases the emerging names in Brooklyn fashion and around the world.
The Brooklyn fashion community makes a point to celebrate minority designers that may not get the same representation in another environment.
Check out these Brooklyn fashion designers emerging into the industry:
- Rosie Assoulin
- The Brooklyn Circus
- Shakira Lewis
- A. Cheng
Hipster Influence
Most people use “hipster” to describe a pseudo-intellectual “artist” who rides a unicycle and has a funny mustache.
Whether you love or hate the movement, Brooklyn became a hotspot for hipsters to gather and say pretentious things through puffs from their unfiltered cigarettes.
Embrace the culture and try funky food or listen to someone play an unusual instrument at the cafes in the area.
Celebrity Appeal
With such a large population, it’s no wonder that a couple of people from Brooklyn would end up famous.
It also makes sense that the artistic influence in the area can breed creative types, whether in comedy, acting, or music.
Here are just some of the celebrities who proudly grew up in Brooklyn:
- Barbra Streisand
- Adam Sandler
- Vanessa Williams
- Marisa Tomei
- Jimmy Fallon
- Mary Tyler Moore
- Rita Hayworth
- Mae West
- Woody Allen
Of course, the celebrity most attached to Brooklyn has to be the Notorious Biggie Smalls.
He referenced his love for Brooklyn in many of his songs, and his presence can still be felt.
If you are a fan, you may want to stop by the Biggie mural to pay your respects.
5. Crime And Safety
Many people think of Manhattan as significantly safer than Brooklyn.
However, Manhattan actually has a slightly higher rate of violent crimes at 4.57 per 1,000 in 2019 compared with Brooklyn’s rate of 4.16 per 1,000 in 2019.
The Bronx has the most violent crime of all five boroughs with a violent crime rate of 6.81 per 1,000.
Safest And Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Brooklyn
Just because Brooklyn has high general safety, this doesn’t mean that every neighborhood provides the safety you need to feel comfortable.
Here are the five safest neighborhoods in Brooklyn:
- Brooklyn Heights
- DUMBO
- Park Slope
- Prospect Heights
The most dangerous areas in Brooklyn include Brownsville that experiences 17 deaths for every 1,000 people and downtown Brooklyn that experiences 72 property crimes for every 1,000 people.
Avoid these locations if possible.
Naturally, the safer areas will come with more expensive housing and goods.
Most homebuyers put safety as a major requirement when looking at houses.
DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) has one of the highest housing costs in Brooklyn with average rent between $3,000 and $4,000 thanks to its high safety levels.
6. Job Market
New York, including Brooklyn, has one of the best job markets in the world.
People want to live near the job opportunities and money, and they will pay more to do so.
Brooklyn has regularly shown an increase in jobs year after year and a positive outlook when it comes to future jobs.
Most of the employers in Brooklyn are small business owners with 91% having fewer than 20 employees in 2000.
The three most common employment industries in Brooklyn are:
- Construction
- Service/Hospitality
- Retail
Despite the jobs available in the area, 56% of the Brooklyn population works somewhere outside of the borough.
Brooklyn’s job market did take a significant hit during the recent global pandemic.
In October of 2020, Brooklyn’s unemployment rate jumped over 14%.
Luckily, like most places throughout the country, employment in Brooklyn seems to be back on the rise.
7. Transportation
Driving in Brooklyn can prove difficult thanks to traffic and the regular occurrence of accidents.
Plus, the cost of parking is enough to deter people from driving anywhere.
That’s why more people in Brooklyn opt for the reliable and extensive public transportation system.
In fact, about 92% of Brooklyn residents who commute to Manhattan for work take the subway.
To ride the subway or bus, you only need to pay $2.75 each way.
You can ride to any of the 170 stations throughout Brooklyn, or you can leave Brooklyn for a wide range of other locations.
If you travel often, you may benefit from getting the unlimited pass.
If you need to get to your destination quickly, you may decide to pay for a cab or rideshare service.
While more expensive, you will most likely get there faster, and you won’t need to interact with other people as you would on the subway or the bus.
To save money and get some mild exercise, you may choose to walk or bike around town.
Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights have the highest walkability scores in Brooklyn at 98 out of 100.
8. Environmental Efforts
With so much commerce and industry happening, it’s bound to create a significant amount of pollution.
However, Brooklyn makes an effort to ensure that the air quality index (AQI) remains excellent.
In fact, they have an effective conservation program that keeps Brooklyn’s air cleaner than the national average.
To help support clean air and other environmental causes, Brooklyn developed the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Taskforce (ReSET) that supports residential efforts to run each household as efficiently as possible.
New York’s Department of Environmental Protection received a preliminary budget in 2021 of 29 million, which was distributed among the following eight programs:
- Agency Administration
- Customer Service
- Upstate Water Supply
- Engineering Design and Construction
- Wastewater Treatment Options
- Environmental Management
- Water and Sewer Maintenance
It’s estimated that projects in Brooklyn alone will add up to $1.8 billion after five years.
The government can’t do it all on its own.
We have to do our part, too.
Try these Brooklyn-style tips on how you can live a more sustainable lifestyle:
- Consume less meat
- Avoid single-use plastic
- Enjoy yourself
We cannot possibly achieve a perfectly sustainable lifestyle.
However, we can keep moving in the right direction by developing better habits and dedicating ourselves to the cause.
9. Cost Of Living
Brooklyn has a very high cost of living index of 200.7, with 100 as the American average.
That puts Brooklyn’s cost of living over double that of the national average.
A single spends roughly $1,190.19 a month on expenses (not including rent), and a family of four spends $4,356.86 (not including rent).
Housing
In particular, Brooklyn has a very high cost of living index of 330.9 regarding housing.
The average house in Brooklyn costs $782,800 compared to the national average of $291,700.
The market grew 18.4% from June of 2020 to June of 2021, and experts expect the market to grow another 2.8% over the next year.
However, don’t expect this trend to last forever.
While still expensive, rent in Brooklyn still costs 17.68% less than the ridiculous rent prices in Manhattan.
Food
Brooklyn has some amazing restaurants.
While more expensive than average, most of these restaurants won’t completely break the bank.
A three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant in Brooklyn comes to an average of $80.00.
Groceries cost a bit more, too.
A gallon of milk in Brooklyn costs an average of $4.02, while a gallon of milk costs an average of $3.15 in Birmingham, AL.
Utilities
Almost everybody in Brooklyn relies on the New York City government to supply water and electricity to their homes.
In general, Brooklyn’s cost of living index for utilities is an average of 151.6.
The cost of electricity, water, and garbage services for a 915 sq. ft. apartment comes to an average of $137.47 per month.
Of course, this cost tends to go up in the winter and summer months thanks to the additional heating and cooling costs.
10. Taxes
We all know that the only things guaranteed on this earth are death and taxes.
The taxes go to the Brooklyn city services we take advantage of every day, some of which have been covered in this article.
The three main taxes to consider are income tax, sales tax, and property tax.
Income Tax
When you make money in New York, both the state and the city want a piece of your earnings in the form of an income tax in Brooklyn.
New York taxes citizens based on their income as opposed to a flat tax.
See the state income tax brackets for single filers:
- $0 to $8,500 = 4%
- $8,500 to $11,700 = 4.5%
- $11,700 to $13,900 = 5.25%
- $13,900 to $21,400 = 5.9%
- $21,400 to $80,650 = 6.09%
- $80,650 to $215,400 = 6.41%
- $215,400 to $1,077,500 = $6.85%
- $1,077,500+ = 8.82%
Now, you have to add the following city income tax on top of the state income tax:
- $0 to $12,000 = 3.078%
- $12,000 to $25,000 = 3.762%
- $25,000 to $50,000 = 3.819%
- $50,000+ = 3.876%
For example, someone who makes $100,000 a year will pay 6.41% to the state and 3.876% to the city for a total of 10.286% taxes.
That comes to roughly $10,000.
Don’t forget to look into tax credits to minimize the damage when tax season comes around.
Sales Tax
You pay a sales tax every time you buy something from a retail shop in Brooklyn.
In New York, not only do you pay a state tax, but you also pay a county rate.
Brooklyn’s state tax rate is 4%, and the county rate is 4.875% for a total sales tax of 8.875%, considerably higher than the national average.
Property Taxes
Finally, residents of Brooklyn get a break on their property taxes.
The property tax is an annual tax on the value of property in Brooklyn.
While still a relevant expense, Brooklyn’s property tax is only .66%—about half the national average.
Conclusion
Brooklyn provides a home for millions of people of all backgrounds that includes clean air, numerous attractions, culture, and history.
These things cost money, so it makes sense things in Brooklyn cost more than other places.
Ultimately, most people who live in Brooklyn love it and find the expenses completely worth it.
Whatcha gonna do, live in New Jersey?
Fuhgeddaboudit!
