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Brooklyn Heights features historic brownstones, the Promenade with Manhattan views, and Brooklyn Bridge Park. One of Brooklyn's most established and sought-after family neighborhoods.
Brooklyn Heights features historic brownstones, the Promenade with Manhattan views, and Brooklyn Bridge Park. One of Brooklyn's most established and sought-after family neighborhoods.
Did you know?
Brooklyn Heights was designated as New York City's first historic district in 1965, saving its Federal-style rowhouses from Robert Moses' planned expressway.
Who’s your neighbor?
Housing cost
Commute
Weekday mornings · leaving 7:30–9:00
- FromBrooklyn Heights
- ToNear Bryant Park
Family scores
Show 5 moreShow fewer
Trade-offs
Stands out
- Transit99/100
Quick weekday-morning transit to the city's main job centers
- Safety83/100
Fewer reported crimes, traffic injuries and serious housing violations per resident
- Schools75/100
Strong results at the public and charter schools serving it
To weigh
- Affordability10/100
Higher costs than most
- Air & Child Health35/100
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 Brooklyn Heights 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
Schools10 schools
Brooklyn Heights runs heavy on private schools — nine of the thirteen options are private, with Packer Collegiate Institute anchoring the historic Joralemon Street campus and Mary McDowell Friends serving students with learning differences on Sidney Place. The public side is thinner but real: The Emily Warren Roebling School on Hicks Street and Imagine Brooklyn Heights near Monroe Place offer zoned spots, though demand can be competitive given the neighborhood's modest family population.
Browse all early-ed in this neighborhoodLiving here
Parks & Playgrounds4 places
Brooklyn Heights keeps a tight but solid roster of playgrounds — you get Adam Yauch Park down by the Promenade, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Zone 6 near the piers, and Harry Chapin Playground on the interior blocks. It's not a neighborhood drowning in play space, but what they have is well-tended and well-placed, with the waterfront park giving families that rare combo of green and skyline. The tradeoff is you're often sharing the grass with adults reading or jogging — this is a quiet crowd.
3 playgrounds within a 10-min walk
Nearest large park: Prospect Park · ~53 min walk (2 mi)
Transportation19 stops
Brooklyn Heights sits right on the subway grid with quick access to the 4 and 5 at Borough Hall, the 2 and 3 at Clark Street, and the R at Court Street — you're basically a skip from the Manhattan core. The bus network is equally dense along Atlantic Avenue, Cadman Plaza West, and Old Fulton Street, giving you parallel options when the trains feel too crowded.
Restaurants62 places
Brooklyn Heights eats skew sophisticated rather than family-focused — a handful of local independents along Henry Street, Montague Street, and Atlantic Avenue offer Mediterranean, Italian, and Asian options, with a particularly strong showing around Montague. You'll find a dedicated soup dumpling spot, a few solid delis, and a handful of bakeries worth walking to. Fast food is thin on the ground — just a Dunkin' and a McDonald's near Court Street — which honestly fits the vibe here better than a chain-heavy strip would.
Groceries9 places
Brooklyn Heights holds its own for everyday provisions. There are two Key Food locations — one on Atlantic Avenue and another near Montague Street — giving solid coverage for a neighborhood this size. Beyond the supermarkets, you get a handful of specialty options (Garden of Eden for prepared foods, Sahadi's for those Middle Eastern staples) and a few smaller grocers scattered along Atlantic and Clinton. It's a workable mix for day-to-day, though for a full weekly shop many neighbors I know still hop over to DUMBO or Downtown Brooklyn — just a quick walk or one subway stop away.
Coffee Shops24 places
Brooklyn Heights packs a solid coffee scene into its small footprint. The Montague Street corridor and Court Street area hold the densest clusters, with a couple of Starbucks locations providing reliable backup when you need them. For something less corporate, Gregorys Coffee and Joe Coffee have each staked out a spot near the historic blocks, and there's a decent bench of bagel shops that double as morning hangouts if you just need coffee and a seat. Bubble tea and a few specialty spots round things out, so you're covered whether you're fueling up or lingering.
Things to Do20 places
Brooklyn Heights punches above its weight for families who want to keep kids moving and learning. Sports options are the backbone here — basketball courts, soccer fields, and baseball clubs give active kids plenty of outlets. There's a real enrichment streak too, with the Transit Museum and Center for Brooklyn History offering hands-on ways to learn without feeling like homework. A YMCA branch covers swim and gymnastics, and a few dedicated tutoring and preschool options sit close to Montague Street. The Promenade and nearby beach give you easy outdoor breathing room when you need it.
Daycare & informal care4 places
For a neighborhood with relatively few families, Brooklyn Heights punches above its weight in early childhood options — a handful of dedicated daycares and Pre-K sites cluster near the main commercial strips and along Atlantic Avenue. The mix leans toward private programs, with fewer city-run UPK seats than you'd find in more family-dense Brooklyn pockets. Morning drop-off can get congested around the school zones on Henry Street and Clinton Street, so timing matters.
Family Resources6 places
Brooklyn Heights punches above its weight for civic anchors despite the area's low family density. The Brooklyn Heights Library on Cadman Plaza and the Center for Brooklyn History on Pierrepont Street anchor the intellectual life here, while three playgrounds — including Harry Chapin at Columbia Heights and Adam Yauch Park — give kids room to run. The Saturday green market at Borough Hall brings a weekend ritual that works for everyone. It's a thin bench by pure numbers, but what's here is well-maintained and integrated into daily walks.
Healthcare27 places
Brooklyn Heights anchors its healthcare around Cadman Family Health Center, Premier Healthcare Remsen Street, and The Watermark — solid institutional options that cover the basics. Pediatric care runs deep, with nine practices clustered around Joralemon, Montague, and Henry Streets, so families have real choices without crossing borough lines. Urgent care is thinner — CityMD and Mount Sinai cover the main commercial stretches, but options thin out toward the east side. Dental care is surprisingly dense, particularly along Joralemon Street where several practices have consolidated, making it easy to find a kid-friendly dentist.
Compare with nearby neighborhoods
Best schools in Brooklyn Heights
Schools in Brooklyn Heights
10
Early education in Brooklyn Heights
14
- A FANTIS PAROCHIAL SCHOOL
- A. Fantis Parochial School
- BROOKLYN AUTISM CENTER ACADEMY
- Imagine Brooklyn Heights
- KIDDIE KORNER DAYCARE & PRESCHOOL
- KINDER PREP CHILDCARE 2, INC.
- MS LAM MONTESSORI SCHOOL
- NY KIDS CLUB & NY PRESCHOOL
- Ny Preschool Brooklyn Heights
- PACKER COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE
- PACKER COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE EARLY
- SAINT ANN'S SCHOOL
- SMITH STREET ARTS ET LETTRES
- ST ANN'S SCHOOL
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Brooklyn Heights a good neighborhood for families?
- Brooklyn Heights 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 Brooklyn Heights for families?
- For families, Brooklyn Heights stands out for quick weekday-morning transit to the city's main job centers; 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: 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 Brooklyn Heights safe?
- Brooklyn Heights scores 83/100 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 Brooklyn Heights?
- Brooklyn Heights has 10 schools mapped inside its boundary and scores 75/100 for schools — ahead of most NYC neighborhoods.
- How do middle and high school admissions work from Brooklyn Heights?
- Middle school: families in Brooklyn Heights apply in 5th grade through the citywide middle school application. District 13's 21 middle school programs admit by method: 13 screened, 6 charter lottery and 2 unscreened. District 15's 20 middle school programs admit by method: 15 unscreened and 5 charter lottery. 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 Brooklyn Heights affordable?
- Brooklyn Heights scores 10/100 for affordability on Motley — among the pricier parts of the city.
- Which borough is Brooklyn Heights in?
- Brooklyn Heights is a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City.
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