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NYC Neighborhood Comparison

Bensonhurst vs Downtown Brooklyn

Downtown Brooklyn vs Bensonhurst: side-by-side market data, transit, and neighborhood profiles to help you decide.

Brooklyn|Brooklyn

Bensonhurst

Brooklyn

Downtown Brooklyn

Brooklyn

How They Compare

For buyers focused on affordability, Bensonhurst has the lower median sale price at $870K vs $1.6M in Downtown Brooklyn.

Investors analyzing rental yield will find Downtown Brooklyn offers a stronger rent-to-price ratio based on current market data.

Commuters have more transit options in Downtown Brooklyn, which is served by 8 subway lines compared to 0 in Bensonhurst.

Median Sale Price
$870K
$1.6M
Median Rent
$2K
$5K
Active Listings
78
156
Avg Days on Market
85 days
112 days
YoY Price Change
-30.4%
+50.0%
Monthly Sales Volume
8
20

Detailed Comparison

MetricBensonhurstDowntown Brooklyn
Median Sale Price$870,000$1,650,000
Median Condo Price$630,000$2,200,000
Median Co-op Price$220,000$772,000
Median Rent$2,250$4,695
Active Listings78156
Rental Inventory46835
Days on Market85112
Price Cut Share2.6%10.3%
Monthly Sales Volume820
YoY Price Change-30.4%+50.0%
YoY Rent Change-2.2%+2.1%
YoY Inventory Change-14.3%+25.8%
Subway LinesN/A2 3 4 5 A C F R

Year-Over-Year Price Movement

Prices in Bensonhurst moved -30.4% over the past year, compared to +50.0% in Downtown Brooklyn. Downtown Brooklyn is seeing price appreciation while Bensonhurst has softened, pointing to different supply-demand dynamics in each market.

Neighborhood Profiles

Bensonhurst

Bensonhurst is a densely built Brooklyn neighborhood of six-story prewar apartment buildings, attached brick row houses, and two-family homes along wide commercial avenues. The D train runs along an elevated section of 86th Street, and the N train serves the Bath Beach border to the west. Bensonhurst Park and the Gravesend Bay waterfront provide green space along the southern edge.

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Downtown Brooklyn

Downtown Brooklyn features a mixture of historic brownstones and modern high-rise architecture. The area is built around major transit hubs, including LIRR access and multiple subway lines. Residents benefit from green space in Brooklyn Bridge Park and prominent local landmarks.

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Transit Access

Bensonhurst

No subway data available

Downtown Brooklyn

2345ACFR

Court St (R) — 0.1 mi

Borough Hall (2 3 4 5) — 0.1 mi

Jay St-MetroTech (A C F R) — 0.2 mi

Clark St (2 3) — 0.3 mi

High St (A C) — 0.4 mi

Active Listings

Bensonhurst for sale

View all Bensonhurst listings

Downtown Brooklyn for sale

View all Downtown Brooklyn listings

Listing data is derived in whole or in part from the RLS at REBNY (Real Estate Board of New York) Internet Data Exchange (IDX) database. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Milton Coste | Keller Williams NYC are marked with the RLS logo. The information provided is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Data is refreshed every 15 minutes per REBNY IDX requirements.

Bensonhurst vs Downtown Brooklyn: Home Price Resilience 2008-2020

From the 2008 financial crisis through the 2020 pandemic, the NYC metro Case-Shiller composite fell about 25% peak-to-trough between 2007 and 2012, then fully recovered by 2017 and gained another 15% through Q1 2020. Bensonhurst and Downtown Brooklyn both tracked this broader NYC arc, with annual closing volume contracting sharply in 2009 and again in Q2 2020 before normalizing.

Outer-borough submarkets including Bensonhurst and Downtown Brooklyn generally tracked the broader NYC metro pattern of a 20% to 25% peak-to-trough decline before fully recovering by 2017 and posting further gains through early 2020.

Source: Per Case-Shiller Home Price Index, NYC metro subset, 2008-2020, cross-referenced with StreetEasy historical price data series.

Metric (2026)BensonhurstDowntown Brooklyn
Median Sale Price$870,000$1,650,000
Median Rent$2,250/mo$4,695/mo
Year-over-Year Price Change-30.4%+50.0%
Average Days on Market85 days112 days
Distance to Nearest SubwayN/A0.07 mi

Table values reflect current 2026 market conditions. Historical 2008-2020 commentary is sourced from Case-Shiller NYC metro composite and StreetEasy historical series.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bensonhurst cheaper than Downtown Brooklyn?
Yes, Bensonhurst has a lower median sale price at $870,000 compared to $1,650,000 in Downtown Brooklyn as of the most recent market data. Co-op and condo prices within each neighborhood can vary significantly, so the right fit depends on property type and building.
Which has better transit, Bensonhurst or Downtown Brooklyn?
Bensonhurst has access to 0 subway lines and Downtown Brooklyn has 8, making Downtown Brooklyn the stronger option for transit access. Bensonhurst has 0 lines, which may still cover your commute depending on your destination.
Which is better for families, Bensonhurst or Downtown Brooklyn?
This depends on what type of home fits your household. Bensonhurst and Downtown Brooklyn both offer a mix of apartment and multi-room units in co-ops, condos, and townhouses. Larger 3- and 4-bedroom units, including townhouses and multi-family properties, tend to be more available in lower-density areas. Reviewing active listings filtered by bedroom count is the most reliable way to see what each neighborhood currently offers for larger households. A licensed broker can pull current inventory by bedroom count across both areas for a direct comparison.
Should I buy in Bensonhurst or Downtown Brooklyn?
The right neighborhood depends on your price range, commute needs, and preferred property type. A comparative market analysis (CMA) of recent sales in both Bensonhurst and Downtown Brooklyn gives you the clearest picture of what your budget gets in each location. Request a free CMA from Milton Coste to get a side-by-side breakdown of current opportunities.

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Data updated:

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