Laurelton, Queens

Part of Jamaica, Laurelton is a peaceful neighborhood with lots of lovely Tudor homes, as well as garden apartment co-ops. Despite the fact that it is part of New York City, it feels like a small town as it is just a little over one square mile and has no high-rise buildings. While the majority of the residents are African American with an increasing immigrant population, this is a unique community as it is the city's only census area in which the black population has a far higher income than the white population. The town used to have a large Jewish population, but today, it is filled with Christian churches. This town's ethnic diversity is reflected in the food: the restaurants and shops feature different ethnic foods. The prices are pretty low for what you get; the area was hit hard by the foreclosure crisis, which brought prices down. Rentals are hard to come by in Laurelton. There is a strong sense of unity in this town: there are various block organizations and civic associations. The school district is okay, but not spectacular. There are parks, where live music can be enjoyed during the summer. There is a nice local library. While shopping choices are limited, it's close to malls and other areas with better shopping. Public transportation links are limited. There is bus service and a Long Island Rail Road station, but there is no subway station.

Laurelton is almost like a suburb and doesn't really fit in with the Big City feel of the rest of NYC. That's why it's a perfect place to raise a family. It provide a place to get fresh air and feel like your living in Long Island without truly leaving the city, even though it is fairly far from Manhattan. For example, it takes me and 1 1/2 hrs or more (depending on the MTA) on public transportation just to get to Woodside, Queens for school. But for the most part its relatively safe clean and gardener friendly. Laurelton is not for people that want to live a life of partying and nightlife or even people that like to eat out, its mostly for families . Laurelton has a lot of great daycare centers as well and for the most part is close to public transportation. The majority of the people are friendly and don't mind talking to you. This is averall a great neighborhood, I love it!!

This neighborhood looks more like a suburb than most New York City neighborhoods, perhaps because it is so far from Manhattan (it is also uncomfortably close to the John F. Kennedy International Airport). The neighborhood, however, is populated by the middle- and upper-middle class, many of whom are African American and West Indian immigrants. There are some lovely streets here – though nothing special if you happen to be from a suburban area – this is exactly what your neighborhood probably looks like, barring some small inconsistencies. This is a great area for those who are starting a family, though it is a bit far from the city it houses a lot of single family homes, which are difficult to find in many New York neighborhoods.

Laurelton is a neighborhood in Queens that is surrounded by other communities like Cambria Heights, St. Albans, Springfield Gardens, and Rosedale. Laurelton was named after the laurels that covered the area over one hundred years ago.

The area is primarily a residential neighborhood with one and two family homes. Spanish and English Tudor style homes populate the area. Rental prices in the neighborhood are reasonable with studios running $550-$800, one bedrooms from $750-$1000, and two bedrooms from $1050-$1250.

Transportation in Laurelton is pretty good. You can catch the Long Island Rail Road, at 225th Street and 141st Road which should get you to Penn Station in 35 minutes. Shopping and restaurants are just a short train ride away.

There is not much in the way of nightlife or hotspots for singles. Most single residents travel to the city for fun on the weekends.