Dyker Heights is famous for its elaborate holiday light displays and well-kept single-family homes. A quiet, family-oriented neighborhood with strong Italian-American heritage.
Dyker Heights is famous for its elaborate holiday light displays and well-kept single-family homes. A quiet, family-oriented neighborhood with strong Italian-American heritage.
Did you know?
Dyker Heights' Christmas lights tradition started in the 1980s with a few families competing, and now draws tour buses from across the tri-state area every December.
Neighborhood Stats
Who’s your neighbor?
Housing cost
$788 / sq ft
Family scores
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What families should know
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Analyze for My FamilyLiving here
Dyker Heights keeps a solid roster of playgrounds scattered through the residential streets — nothing marquee, but the three options here get regular use. Leif Ericson Park Playground and McKinley Park Playground are the bigger draws, both with decent equipment and enough space for kids to run. Patrick O'Rourke Playground rounds things out as a solid backup. The tree canopy along the side streets adds a little shade to the mix, making summer afternoons more bearable.
Schools & early education
Dyker Heights packs a deep bench of public schools alongside a handful of parochial and private options. The neighborhood runs heavy on elementary and middle schools — P.S. 127 McKinley Park and P.S. 176 Ovington anchor the zoned public side, while The Christa McAuliffe School and The Detective WenJian Liu School bring some distinctive programming to the mix. Families also tap into Catholic academies like St. Bernadette and St. Ephrem, plus a yeshiva on 12th Avenue. The private-religious options here give families real alternatives to the public system.
Compare with nearby neighborhoods
Best schools in Dyker Heights
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Dyker Heights a good neighborhood for families?
- Dyker Heights scores 55/100 for families on Motley — near the middle of the pack citywide. The Family Fit score blends safety, schools, parks, cost of living, and community.
- Is Dyker Heights safe?
- Dyker Heights scores 56/100 on safety — near the middle of the pack citywide. We build the score from NYPD complaint data, normalized by population.
- How are the schools in Dyker Heights?
- Dyker Heights has 12 schools mapped inside its boundary and scores 78/100 for schools — ahead of most NYC neighborhoods.
- Is Dyker Heights affordable?
- Dyker Heights scores 33/100 for affordability on Motley — among the pricier parts of the city.
- Which borough is Dyker Heights in?
- Dyker Heights is a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City.
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