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Bushwick East offers affordable housing and a growing creative community. The L and J/M/Z trains provide strong transit connections.
Bushwick East offers affordable housing and a growing creative community. The L and J/M/Z trains provide strong transit connections.
Did you know?
The Maria Hernandez Park in Bushwick is named after a community activist who was murdered by drug dealers in 1989 after organizing against the crack epidemic.
Who’s your neighbor?
Housing cost
Commute
Weekday mornings · leaving 7:30–9:00
- FromBushwick (East)
- ToNear Bryant Park
Family scores
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Trade-offs
Stands out
- Family-Friendly Vibe78/100
Many families with children, with homes and schools close by
To weigh
- Air & Child Health24/100
More air pollution, childhood lead or asthma ER visits than most
- Affordability28/100
Higher costs than most
- Safety35/100
More reported crimes, traffic injuries or serious housing violations per resident
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 Bushwick (East) 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
Schools23 schools
Bushwick East has a deep bench of schools — 34 options spanning zoned public, charter, and a few private alternatives. The public side dominates, but charters hold real ground here, with Achievement First North Brooklyn Preparatory and Bushwick Ascend consistently in the mix. Elementary families will find P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell and P.S. 151 Lyndon B. Johnson anchoring corners on Knickerbocker, while J.H.S. 291 Roland Hayes handles middle school for a chunk of the neighborhood. The governance diversity gives families real options to weigh, though individual school quality takes more homework.
Browse all early-ed in this neighborhoodLiving here
Parks & Playgrounds7 places
Bushwick (East) punches above its weight for play space — there are seven playgrounds scattered through the neighborhood, which is a deep bench for families. Irving Square Park and Evergreen Playground tend to get the most buzz, but Heckscher and Rudd are solid workhorses if you need to dodge the crowds. The variety means you're rarely more than a few blocks from somewhere to let the kids run.
4 playgrounds within a 10-min walk
Nearest large park: Highland Park-Cypress Hills Cemeteries (North) · ~15 min walk (0.6 mi)
Transportation81 stops
Bushwick (East) punches above its weight for transit — you're sitting on the J, L and Z lines with six subway stops scattered across the neighborhood, including Broadway Junction where the J meets the Z for a straight shot into Manhattan. The L line runs north-south via Bushwick Av-Aberdeen St and Wilson Av, giving you two more options without wandering far. Thirty-four bus stops fill in the gaps, especially along Broadway and Cooper St. Commute-wise, you're looking at 25-30 minutes to downtown Manhattan on a good day — not bad for the rent you're saving.
Restaurants66 places
Bushwick East keeps it casual with a deep bench of taquerias, Dominican spots, and Latin American carryouts lining Knickerbocker and Broadway. You'll find a handful of old-school pizza slices and no-frills counters that have been feeding locals for years — the kind of place where you grab dinner on the walk home. The deli and bodega food scene is thick, but don't expect much in the way of sit-down refinement. A couple of Dunkin' outposts are the only chains you'll spot, keeping things decidedly neighborhood-scale.
Groceries19 places
Bushwick East has a deep bench of grocery options along its commercial corridors — Key Food, Food Bazaar, and C-Town anchor the bigger weekly shops, with several independent supermarkets scattered on Broadway, Central Ave, and Myrtle Ave filling in the gaps. The independents tend to lean Latin and Caribbean in inventory, which is a real strength if you know what you're looking for. For a full cart, you won't need a car — most of the anchors are walkable from the L and J/M lines, though carrying heavy bags on the subway gets old fast.
Coffee Shops22 places
Bushwick East has a solid coffee scene — the kind of neighborhood where you can find a proper third-wave pour-over or just roll into a counter-service spot for a bagel and a quick fix. A Starbucks on Wyckoff and a Dunkin' on Bushwick Ave cover the chains, but the independents are what give this stretch its character — spots where the espresso is strong and the vibe is unpretentious.
Things to Do13 places
When it comes to keeping kids active, Bushwick East leans hard into martial arts — there's a deep bench of TKD and MMA studios lining Broadway and the avenues, plus a public pool on Eldert Street for swimmers. Enrichment options are thinner but include a music school and an urban exploration program, and there's a small youth center off Gates Ave for community-based programming. Moviegoers will find the nearest theater just over the border in the East Village. Athletic programming clearly dominates here, with fewer artsy or enrichment-heavy options than in some neighboring Brooklyn pockets.
Daycare & informal care5 places
Bushwick East has a deep bench of Pre-K options — the city's free program shows up at most of the local elementary schools here, which is a real lifeline for working families. Independent daycares cluster along Knickerbocker and Broadway, though private care is thinner than the public side. Morning drop-off can get bustling near the school zones, but having options spread across the neighborhood helps distribute the rush. Families wanting private daycare should probably get on waitlists early, since availability is more limited than the Pre-K side.
Family Resources15 places
Bushwick (East)'s civic backbone centers on Washington Irving Library on Irving Avenue, a neighborhood anchor that hosts kids' programming and draws from the broader area. Playground options surprise — Evergreen, Heckscher, and Tiger give families solid local spots within a few blocks. The RiseBoro farmers markets add seasonal texture, popping up at Irving Square Park and Hopefield throughout the year. Dedicated community centers remain thin, but what's here feels walked and used.
Healthcare12 places
Bushwick East has a deep bench of community health centers — Betances, Bushwick Community Health Center, and La Casa de Salud anchor the area with full-spectrum services. Pediatric care is thin, with just one mental health center serving kids, and dental options are essentially nonexistent in the neighborhood — families will need to travel for dentistry. Urgent care coverage is modest but functional, with a couple of options along Broadway for non-emergencies.
Compare with nearby neighborhoods
Best schools in Bushwick (East)
Schools in Bushwick (East)
23
- Academy for Excellence in Leadership
- Achievement First North Brooklyn Preparatory Charter School
- AIM HIGH - NEW LIFE CHILD DEVEL
- All City Leadership Secondary School
- Bushwick Ascend Charter School
- Bushwick Community High School
- Evergreen Middle School for Urban Exploration
- J.H.S. 291 Roland Hayes
- KIDS-CENTRIC, INC ACE INTEGRATION
- Math, Engineering, and Science Academy Charter High School
- P.S. /I.S. 384 Frances E. Carter
- P.S. 075 Mayda Cortiella
- P.S. 106 Edward Everett Hale
- P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell
- P.S. 151 Lyndon B. Johnson
- P.S. 299 Thomas Warren Field
- P.S. 377 Alejandrina B. De Gautier
- P.S./I.S. 045 Horace E. Greene
- PEOPLE'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
- Success Academy Charter School - Bushwick
- The Academy of Urban Planning and Engineering
- The Brooklyn School for Math and Research
- The Brooklyn School for Social Justice
Early education in Bushwick (East)
26
- Ace Integration Head Start
- BUHDFC9
- Bushwick United Hdfc 3
- Bushwick United Hdfc 8
- BUSHWICK UNITED HDFC3
- John Coker DCC
- Kreative Kare Day Care Center
- KREATIVE KARE DAY CARE CENTER
- Kreative Kare Day Care Center, Inc.
- Lssmny: Early Life Children's Center 9
- New Life Child Development Center 1
- P.S. /I.S. 384 Frances E. Carter
- P.S. 075 Mayda Cortiella
- P.S. 106 EDWARD EVERETT HALE
- P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell
- P.S. 151 Lyndon B. Johnson
- P.S. 299 Thomas Warren Field
- P.S. 377 Alejandrina B. De Gautier
- P.S./I.S. 045 Horace E. Greene
- PEOPLE'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
- Salvation Army - Bushwick
- Superior
- SUPERIOR DAYCARE CENTER, INC
- THE SALVATION ARMY BUSHWICK CORPS COMMUNITY CENTER
- Traditional Educational Center
- TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL CENTER INC.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Bushwick (East) a good neighborhood for families?
- Bushwick (East) scores 45/100 for families on Motley — near the middle of the pack citywide. 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 Bushwick (East) for families?
- For families, Bushwick (East) stands out for many families with children, with homes and schools close by. What to weigh: more air pollution, childhood lead or asthma ER visits than most; higher costs than most; and more reported crimes, traffic injuries or serious housing violations per resident. 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 Bushwick (East) safe?
- Bushwick (East) scores 35/100 on safety — toward the lower end citywide. 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 Bushwick (East)?
- Bushwick (East) has 23 schools mapped inside its boundary and scores 43/100 for schools — near the middle of the pack citywide.
- How do middle and high school admissions work from Bushwick (East)?
- Middle school: families in Bushwick (East) apply in 5th grade through the citywide middle school application. District 32's 17 middle school programs admit by method: 6 screened, 6 zoned, 3 charter lottery and 2 unscreened. 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 Bushwick (East) affordable?
- Bushwick (East) scores 28/100 for affordability on Motley — among the pricier parts of the city.
- Which borough is Bushwick (East) in?
- Bushwick (East) is a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City.
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