Milton Coste

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NYC Neighborhood Comparison

St. Albans vs Upper West Side

Side-by-side market data, transit, and neighborhood profiles to help you decide.

Queens|Manhattan

St. Albans

Queens

Upper West Side

Manhattan

How They Compare

For buyers focused on affordability, St. Albans has the lower median sale price at $737K vs $1.2M in Upper West Side.

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

Commuters have more transit options in Upper West Side, which is served by 5 subway lines compared to 0 in St. Albans.

Median Sale Price
$737K
$1.2M
Median Rent
$2K
$5K
Active Listings
22
1081
Avg Days on Market
68.5 days
56 days
YoY Price Change
+0.3%
-10.9%
Monthly Sales Volume
22
131

Detailed Comparison

MetricSt. AlbansUpper West Side
Median Sale Price$737,000$1,247,356
Median Condo PriceN/A$1,790,968.5
Median Co-op PriceN/A$847,500
Median Rent$2,050$4,750
Active Listings221081
Rental Inventory81518
Days on Market68.556
Price Cut Share9.1%10.5%
Monthly Sales Volume22131
YoY Price Change+0.3%-10.9%
YoY Rent Change-6.8%+5.6%
YoY Inventory Change-24.1%-12.5%
Subway LinesN/A1 2 3 B C

Year-Over-Year Price Movement

Prices in St. Albans moved +0.3% over the past year, compared to -10.9% in Upper West Side. St. Albans is seeing price appreciation while Upper West Side has softened, pointing to different supply-demand dynamics in each market.

Neighborhood Profiles

St. Albans

St. Albans is a residential Queens neighborhood of single-family homes, many in Tudor and Colonial styles, built primarily in the 1920s through 1940s on tree-lined streets with generous lots. The LIRR St. Albans station provides commuter rail service to Penn Station, and bus connections reach the E train at Jamaica Center. Roy Wilkins Recreation Center offers a public pool, ice rink, and sports facilities.

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Upper West Side

The Upper West Side (UWS) is celebrated for its cultural richness and architectural grandeur. Set between Central Park and Riverside Park, the neighborhood provides direct access to green space within the urban grid. Residents enjoy easy access to Lincoln Center, the American Museum of Natural History, and a popular culinary scene. The real estate landscape is famous for its historic brownstones and iconic 'white-glove' apartment buildings along Central Park West and Riverside Drive.

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Transit Access

St. Albans

No subway data available

Upper West Side

123BC

86 St (1 B C) — 0.2 mi

79 St (1) — 0.3 mi

81 St-Museum of Natural History (B C) — 0.4 mi

96 St (1 2 3 B C) — 0.5 mi

72 St (1 2 3) — 0.7 mi

Active Listings

St. Albans for sale

View all St. Albans listings

Upper West Side for sale

View all Upper West Side 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.

St. Albans vs Upper West Side: 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. St. Albans and Upper West Side both tracked this broader NYC arc, with annual closing volume contracting sharply in 2009 and again in Q2 2020 before normalizing.

Upper West Side tracked the more resilient Manhattan price path with a 10% to 15% peak-to-trough decline, while St. Albans moved closer to the broader NYC metro pattern of a 20% to 25% retracement before recovering through 2017.

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

Metric (2026)St. AlbansUpper West Side
Median Sale Price$737,000$1,247,356
Median Rent$2,050/mo$4,750/mo
Year-over-Year Price Change+0.3%-10.9%
Average Days on Market68.5 days56 days
Distance to Nearest SubwayN/A0.15 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 St. Albans cheaper than Upper West Side?
Yes, St. Albans has a lower median sale price at $737,000 compared to $1,247,356 in Upper West Side 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, St. Albans or Upper West Side?
St. Albans has access to 0 subway lines and Upper West Side has 5, making Upper West Side the stronger option for transit access. St. Albans has 0 lines, which may still cover your commute depending on your destination.
Which is better for families, St. Albans or Upper West Side?
This depends on what type of home fits your household. St. Albans and Upper West Side 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 St. Albans or Upper West Side?
The right neighborhood depends on your price range, commute needs, and preferred property type. A comparative market analysis (CMA) of recent sales in both St. Albans and Upper West Side 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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