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Bensonhurst is a large residential neighborhood with strong Chinese and Italian communities. Affordable housing and local retail serve a growing family population.
Bensonhurst is a large residential neighborhood with strong Chinese and Italian communities. Affordable housing and local retail serve a growing family population.
Did you know?
Bensonhurst's 18th Avenue Feast of Santa Rosalia has been celebrating Sicilian heritage with a street festival every September since 1903.
Who’s your neighbor?
Housing cost
$668 / sq ft
Commute
Weekday mornings · leaving 7:30–9:00
- FromBensonhurst
- ToNear Bryant Park
Family scores
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Trade-offs
Stands out
- Family-Friendly Vibe86/100
Many families with children, with homes and schools close by
- Safety72/100
Fewer reported crimes, traffic injuries and serious housing violations per resident
- Schools71/100
Strong results at the public and charter schools serving it
To weigh
- Transit36/100
Longer weekday-morning trips to the city's main job centers
- Affordability37/100
Higher costs than most
- Air & Child Health39/100
More air pollution, childhood lead or asthma ER visits than most
Each score compares it with NYC's other residential neighborhoods.
What these scores don't measure: how a block feels on foot, what's changing on it, and whether a particular school suits your child. Walk it at school drop-off time, and check the zoned school for the exact address before you sign a lease.
Your family’s read
How does Bensonhurst fit your family?
An agentic read of this neighborhood — including safety and cost of living — tailored to your priorities, family size, budget, and commute.
Analyze for My FamilySchools & early education
Schools32 schools
Bensonhurst runs deep on school options, with two dozen public schools anchoring the neighborhood alongside a solid roster of private schools and one charter. New Utrecht High School on 80th Street is the neighborhood's main public high school, feeding into J.H.S. 227 Edward B. Shallow on 16th Avenue for middle schoolers, and several P.S. elementary options scattered across the blocks. Private school families have choices like Magen David Yeshivah and Bais Esther, while the Success Academy charter adds another pathway. It's a genuine mix — not every block has a zoned option, but the spread means most families can find something that fits.
Browse all early-ed in this neighborhoodLiving here
Parks & Playgrounds3 places
Bensonhurst offers a tight cluster of three solid playgrounds scattered through the residential blocks. Garibaldi Playground and Seth Low Playground/Bealin Square anchor the north and south ends, while Lt. Joseph Petrosino Park covers the middle ground. It's not a park-heavy neighborhood in the sense of big green acres, but these three give families decent options for afternoon play within walking distance. The selection is modest but reliable.
Nearest large park: Dyker Beach Park · ~25 min walk (1 mi)
Transportation54 stops
Getting around Bensonhurst means living along the D and N lines, with stops scattered from 18 Av up through 79 St on the D and Bay Pkwy on the N. The D gives you a straight shot into Midtown and Downtown Brooklyn, while the N cuts through the neighborhood's spine before merging at DeKalb. It's a solid, no-nonsense setup for commuters — you're not close to Manhattan, but the trains run frequently and the bus network along 86th Street and Bay Parkway fills in the gaps for local runs.
Restaurants100 places
The food scene here is quintessentially residential — a deep bench of delis, bakeries, and quick-take spots rather than a destination dining strip. The Asian selection surprises: Korean fried chicken and hot pot clusters around 86th Street, solid Chinese and Hong Kong cafe options along 18th Avenue, and a growing sushi presence. Italian pizza and pasta holds it down on the western end near New Utrecht, while dessert joints — crepe spots, bubble tea, and a couple of Carvels — keep the kids happy. When you need a chain fix, there's a Chipotle and a few Burger Kings, but Bensonhurst runs on its small, independently-owned spots.
Groceries29 places
Bensonhurst's grocery scene is surprisingly deep — you won't need to trek far for a full weekly shop. A solid bench of ethnic markets lines Bay Parkway and 86th Street, with several Asian supermarkets stocking everything from fresh dim sum ingredients to hard-to-find produce. For the familiar chains, there's a Key Food, a couple of CTowns, and a Met Food handling your standard American staples. The variety is excellent — specialty shops for seafood, meats, and produce dot the commercial strips. You'll likely need a car for the big haul, but smaller trips are transit-friendly.
Coffee Shops37 places
Bensonhurst coffee culture runs deep along the 18th Ave and 86th St corridors, where you'll find a solid mix of the familiar and the hyper-specific. Two Starbucks and a pair of Dunkin' anchor the main drags for reliable, no-surprises morning runs, but the real character comes from the Italian caffes pulling shots alongside spots like Kung Fu Tea and multiple bubble tea options. It's less third-wave hangout and more functional caffeine network — grab and go or sit with a pastry, depending on the crowd.
Things to Do35 places
Bensonhurst's kids' activity scene is heavy on enrichment — especially dance and martial arts, which together make up nearly half the list. Studios like The Little Gym anchor a strong gymnastics and swim options, while music schools and tutoring centers (including the Russian School of Mathematics and Kumon) round out the mix. Sports fans aren't left out either, with soccer academies and a public park offering field space. It's a deep bench for families looking to fill a weekend.
Daycare & informal care6 places
Bensonhurst offers a deep bench of childcare and Pre-K options — 21 Pre-K sites spread across the neighborhood alongside about half a dozen daycares. The options lean heavily toward universal Pre-K through the district, with private daycare as the smaller slice. For families with little ones, there's a reasonable spread across the blocks near New Utrecht Ave and the 71st Street corridor, though morning drop-off can get congested on the main drags. The mix means you're likely to find a spot if you plan ahead, but don't wait until the last minute.
Family Resources4 places
Bensonhurst's got a solid base of community anchors for families, anchored by a pair of greenmarkets that pop up along 18th Avenue — one between 81st and 82nd Streets, the other at 81st Street. Garibaldi Playground on 18th Avenue and Lt. Joseph Petrosino Park over on 16th Avenue give kids room to run and locals spots to linger. It's a modest setup but well-concentrated, and what they're doing with these public spaces feels genuine to the neighborhood.
Healthcare24 places
Bensonhurst has a deep bench of pediatricians and dentists scattered along Bay Parkway and 18th Avenue — families won't travel far for well-child visits or routine cleanings. Urgent care is well-covered too, with a couple of CityMD locations and PM Pediatrics handling after-hours bumps and bruises. The hospital scene is smaller but includes anchors like Brooklyn Comprehensive Care Center and Healthcare Choices NY along Bay Parkway, though some specialized care may mean a ride elsewhere.
Compare with nearby neighborhoods
Best schools in Bensonhurst
Schools in Bensonhurst
32
- BAIS ESTHER SCHOOL 2
- Brooklyn Studio Secondary School
- CONG TALMIDEI MESIVTA TIFERES SHMIEL
- CONGREGATION MACHNA SHALVA
- CONGREGATION MACHNE CHAIM INC
- ELITE HIGH SCHOOL
- EMUNAS BAIS YAAKOV
- HEBREW ACADEMY FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN
- I.S. 096 Seth Low
- J.H.S. 227 Edward B. Shallow
- MAGEN DAVID YESHIVAH HIGH SCHOOL
- MERKAZ BNOS/BNOS CHAVA HIGH SCHOOL
- New Utrecht Evening Hs M/W
- New Utrecht Evening Hs T/R
- New Utrecht High School
- P.S. 112 Lefferts Park
- P.S. 128 Bensonhurst
- P.S. 186 Dr. Irving A Gladstone
- P.S. 204 Vince Lombardi
- P.S. 205 Clarion
- P.S. 247 Brooklyn
- SINAI ACADEMIC CENTER
- Success Academy Charter School - Bensonhurst
- TIFERES MIRIAM SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
- WILLIAMSBURG INFNT & ERLY CHLD 15AVE
- YALDEINU SCHOOL (THE)
- YESHIVA BIRCHAS MOSHE
- YESHIVA KETANA OF BENSONHURST
- YESHIVA MACHZIKEI HADAS 3
- YESHIVA OHEL MOSHE
- YESHIVA TIFERES SHMIEL
- YESHIVA TOLDOS YESUSCHER
Early education in Bensonhurst
34
- 65Th Street Daycare Inc
- Angel Early Childhood Development Center
- ANGEL STAR DAY CARE CENTER, INC.
- BCA CENTER AT 6409 20TH AVENUE
- Brooklyn Chinese American Association
- CONG. MACHNE CHAIM INC.
- CONGREGATION MACHNA SHALVA
- CONGREGATION MACHNE CHAIM INC
- DISTRICT 20 PRE-K CENTER AT 1423 62ND STREET
- DISTRICT 20 PRE-K CENTER AT 2165 71ST STREET
- Dreamland Day Care
- DREAMLAND DAY CARE INC.
- EDITH AND CARL MARKS JEWISH COMMUNITY HOUSE OF BENSONHURST
- Edith And Karl Marks Jch of Bensonhurst
- Generation21 Day Care
- GENERATION21 NY, INC
- Happy Scholars, Inc.
- Kindstart Preschool
- Kings Pointe Talent Inc.
- Kings Pointe Talent Inc. 3 - W4 St.
- Little Sunshine Child Development
- LITTLE SUNSHINE INC.
- Little Sunshine Preschool
- My Sunshine Kids, Inc.
- P.S. 112 Lefferts Park
- P.S. 204 Vince Lombardi
- P.S. 205 Clarion
- Shalva UPK I
- SINAI ACADEMIC CENTER
- World of Wonders Early Childhood Center
- YALDEINU SCHOOL (THE)
- YESHIVA KETANA OF BENSONHURST
- YESHIVA OHEL MOSHE
- YESHIVA TOLDOS YESUSCHER
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Bensonhurst a good neighborhood for families?
- Bensonhurst scores 60/100 for families on Motley — ahead of most NYC neighborhoods. The Family Fit score blends six parts: how many families live there, schools, affordability, weekday-morning transit time to job centers, safety, and air quality and child health.
- What are the pros and cons of Bensonhurst for families?
- For families, Bensonhurst stands out for many families with children, with homes and schools close by; fewer reported crimes, traffic injuries and serious housing violations per resident; and strong results at the public and charter schools serving it. What to weigh: longer weekday-morning trips to the city's main job centers; higher costs than most; and more air pollution, childhood lead or asthma ER visits than most. Each score compares it with NYC's other residential neighborhoods. They don't measure how a block feels on foot or whether a particular school suits your child, so walk it before you decide.
- Is Bensonhurst safe?
- Bensonhurst scores 72/100 on safety — ahead of most NYC neighborhoods. We build the score from NYPD crime complaints, pedestrian and cyclist injuries, and serious (Class C) housing violations, each counted per 1,000 residents.
- How are the schools in Bensonhurst?
- Bensonhurst has 32 schools mapped inside its boundary and scores 71/100 for schools — ahead of most NYC neighborhoods.
- How do middle and high school admissions work from Bensonhurst?
- Middle school: families in Bensonhurst apply in 5th grade through the citywide middle school application. District 20's 32 middle school programs admit by method: 15 screened, 12 zoned and 5 unscreened. District 21's 68 middle school programs admit by method: 46 audition, 8 zoned, 7 unscreened, 6 screened and 1 other. High school: one citywide application in 8th grade lets a family rank programs anywhere in the city, and the eight specialized high schools admit on the SHSAT alone.
- Is Bensonhurst affordable?
- Bensonhurst scores 37/100 for affordability on Motley — among the pricier parts of the city.
- Which borough is Bensonhurst in?
- Bensonhurst is a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City.
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