Milton Coste

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NYC Neighborhood Comparison

Elmhurst vs Long Island City

Long Island City vs Elmhurst: side-by-side market data, transit, and neighborhood profiles to help you decide.

Queens|Queens

Elmhurst

Queens

Long Island City

Queens

How They Compare

For buyers focused on affordability, Elmhurst has the lower median sale price at $310K vs $1.3M in Long Island City.

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

Commuters have more transit options in Long Island City, which is served by 7 subway lines compared to 0 in Elmhurst.

Median Sale Price
$310K
$1.3M
Median Rent
$3K
$5K
Active Listings
95
301
Avg Days on Market
46 days
61 days
YoY Price Change
-48.3%
+40.4%
Monthly Sales Volume
10
14

Detailed Comparison

MetricElmhurstLong Island City
Median Sale Price$310,081$1,330,000
Median Condo Price$670,000$1,260,000
Median Co-op Price$300,000$460,000
Median Rent$2,500$4,500
Active Listings95301
Rental Inventory951117
Days on Market4661
Price Cut Share9.5%12.0%
Monthly Sales Volume1014
YoY Price Change-48.3%+40.4%
YoY Rent Change-7.2%+0.1%
YoY Inventory Change+4.4%+42.7%
Subway LinesN/A7 E G M N R W

Year-Over-Year Price Movement

Prices in Elmhurst moved -48.3% over the past year, compared to +40.4% in Long Island City. Long Island City is seeing price appreciation while Elmhurst has softened, pointing to different supply-demand dynamics in each market.

Neighborhood Profiles

Elmhurst

Elmhurst is a dynamic and bustling neighborhood in central Queens. Known for its incredible culinary scene and bustling commercial corridors, the area offers a high-energy urban lifestyle. The real estate market is characterized by a wide range of housing options, from spacious pre-war cooperatives and traditional multi-family houses to sleek new construction condominiums that provide excellent value and a quick commute to Manhattan and Long Island City.

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Long Island City

Long Island City sits directly across the East River from Midtown Manhattan, reachable in one stop on the 7 train. LIC has added more than 12,000 residential units since 2015, transforming former industrial blocks into a corridor of glass-tower condos, converted loft co-ops, and rental high-rises along the waterfront. Gantry Plaza State Park, MoMA PS1, and the Hunters Point Library anchor the neighborhood’s cultural identity. Median condo prices run roughly 30-40% below comparable Manhattan waterfront units, drawing both first-time buyers and investors looking for appreciation in one of the city’s highest-growth zip codes.

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Transit Access

Elmhurst

No subway data available

Long Island City

7EGMNRW

Hunters Point Av (7) — 0.2 mi

Court Sq (7 E G M) — 0.2 mi

Long Island City (E G M R) — 0.6 mi

Queensboro Plaza (7 N W) — 0.6 mi

Active Listings

Elmhurst for sale

View all Elmhurst listings

Long Island City for sale

View all Long Island City 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.

Elmhurst vs Long Island City: 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. Elmhurst and Long Island City 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 Elmhurst and Long Island City 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)ElmhurstLong Island City
Median Sale Price$310,081$1,330,000
Median Rent$2,500/mo$4,500/mo
Year-over-Year Price Change-48.3%+40.4%
Average Days on Market46 days61 days
Distance to Nearest SubwayN/A0.17 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 Elmhurst cheaper than Long Island City?
Yes, Elmhurst has a lower median sale price at $310,081 compared to $1,330,000 in Long Island City 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, Elmhurst or Long Island City?
Elmhurst has access to 0 subway lines and Long Island City has 7, making Long Island City the stronger option for transit access. Elmhurst has 0 lines, which may still cover your commute depending on your destination.
Which is better for families, Elmhurst or Long Island City?
This depends on what type of home fits your household. Elmhurst and Long Island City 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 Elmhurst or Long Island City?
The right neighborhood depends on your price range, commute needs, and preferred property type. A comparative market analysis (CMA) of recent sales in both Elmhurst and Long Island City 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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