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Madison offers quiet residential streets with detached and semi-attached homes. An affordable, suburban-feeling neighborhood in southern Brooklyn with local retail along Avenue U.
Madison offers quiet residential streets with detached and semi-attached homes. An affordable, suburban-feeling neighborhood in southern Brooklyn with local retail along Avenue U.
Did you know?
Madison's street grid was laid out by the Flatbush Water Works Company in the 1920s, which is why the avenues follow alphabetical order from N through Z.
Who’s your neighbor?
Housing cost
$897 / sq ft
Commute
Weekday mornings · leaving 7:30–9:00
- FromMadison
- ToNear Bryant Park
Family scores
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Trade-offs
Stands out
- Safety66/100
Fewer reported crimes, traffic injuries and serious housing violations per resident
To weigh
- Air & Child Health31/100
More air pollution, childhood lead or asthma ER visits than most
- Schools34/100
Weaker results at the public and charter schools serving it, or fewer of them
- Transit38/100
Longer weekday-morning trips to the city's main job centers
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 Madison 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
Schools14 schools
Madison offers families a real mix — zoned public schools like James Madison High School and P.S. 255 Barbara Reing sit alongside an equal number of private and religious options, from Catholic academies to a cluster of yeshivas serving the neighborhood's large Orthodox community. Public school families will find seats available, though the private and parochial landscape is equally robust.
Browse all early-ed in this neighborhoodLiving here
Parks & Playgrounds3 places
Madison keeps it simple on the outdoor play front — three solid playgrounds spread across the neighborhood give kids somewhere to burn off energy, though you're not going to find a massive green marquee here. Galapo Playground and Kelly Park Playground are the more well-known spots, with Pfc Norton Playground rounding things out. It's a thin but functional bench of options for families who just need a swing set and some open space.
Nearest large park: Marine Park-Plumb Island · ~12 min walk (0.5 mi)
Transportation69 stops
Madison keeps it simple on transit — two subway stations, the Q at Avenue U and the B/Q at Kings Highway, handle most of the Manhattan-bound traffic. The B is the workhorse for direct Midtown runs, while the Q throws in express options during off-peak hours, a genuine perk when you're trying to get somewhere on time. Bus coverage is dense along Avenue U and Gerritsen Avenue, so you're rarely more than a block from a route. That said, this is a spread-out corner of Brooklyn — driving is common and parking is easier than you'd find closer to the park.
Restaurants55 places
Madison's restaurant scene is unpretentious and practical — a working-class food scene that feeds locals rather than draws visitors. There's a strong deli and bakery presence along Avenue U, plus a solid lineup of pizza spots and ethnic options that punch above their weight: Mexican taquerias, Vietnamese pho, sushi joints, and a few Middle Eastern kebab places. Kings Highway anchors the chain restaurants — an IHOP sits alongside a few Dunkin' locations — while the side streets stay loyal to the mom-and-pops. It's not fancy, but the variety is decent and the portions are generous.
Groceries19 places
Avenue U and Kings Highway deliver a deep bench of ethnic grocers — Chinese markets, fishmongers, fruit stands, and a handful of small supermarkets line the commercial strips. It's a place where your weekly shop pulls you onto the avenue rather than into a big-box parking lot. The variety is strong for a Brooklyn neighborhood of this income tier, though families without a car will be totting bags on foot or by bus. There's no Trader Joe's or Key Food in these blocks, but what's here is well-stocked and well-trafficked.
Coffee Shops13 places
Avenue U gives you a couple of spots to grab your morning cup without wandering far. There's a Dunkin' if you need the reliable fix, but the real character comes from the independent bakeries and cafes scattered along the block — places that do coffee and a bagel or pastry without any fuss. You'll also find a few bubble tea spots perfect for kids or a sweet afternoon treat. It's not a third-wave scene, but what's here covers the basics without drama.
Things to Do5 places
There's a decent spread of options for kids here, though the list isn't exhaustive — tutoring centers, a swim program, a dance studio, and a couple of kid-focused spots cover the bases without overwhelming you with choices. It's a mix of enrichment and active outlets, which works if you're piecing together a weekly routine. Nothing from the big chain scene here, just a handful of local standalone options that have stuck around. For families wanting more variety, the borough's larger inventory is a short trip away.
Daycare & informal care4 places
Madison delivers a solid mix of early childhood options — 11 Pre-K sites scattered through the neighborhood alongside four daycares, mostly clustering around Avenue U and the side streets near the park. The roster leans community and faith-based, so secular families may want to cast a wider net. Morning drop-off on the main drags gets busy, but side streets offer breathing room. Give yourself a couple weeks to tour — these spots fill up quickly.
Family Resources4 places
Family resources in Madison center around a solid trio of playgrounds and one local library anchor. Kings Highway Library on Ocean Avenue is the neighborhood's main public hub — a reliable spot for story time, homework help, and air conditioning on hot days. The playgrounds (Galapo, Kelly Park, and Pfc Norton) are scattered across the zone, giving most blocks a decent walk to a swing set. It's not over-resourced, but the basics are present and well-distributed.
Healthcare16 places
Healthcare in Madison is anchored by Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital on Kings Highway, with Brooklyn Birthing Center and Sheepshead Bay Surgery Center handling specialized needs nearby. Pediatric care and dental options are both well-represented along the Ocean Avenue and Avenue U corridors — there are a handful of each, including a few practices geared toward kids. One notable gap: urgent care is sparse in the area, so families typically head outside the neighborhood for non-emergency after-hours needs.
Compare with nearby neighborhoods
Best schools in Madison
Schools in Madison
14
- BNOS ESTHER MALKA
- BNOS ISRAEL OF EAST FLATBUSH
- GOOD SHEPHERD CATHOLIC ACADEMY
- J.H.S. 234 Arthur W. Cunningham
- James Madison High School
- NEFESH ACADEMY
- P.S. 255 Barbara Reing School
- PROSPECT PARK BNOS LEAH HIGH SCH
- REACH FOR THE STARS LEARNING CENTER
- ST EDMUND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
- ST EDMUND PREP HIGH SCHOOL
- YESHIVA DERECH HATORAH
- YESHIVAT KINYAN TORAH
- YESHIVAT OHEL TORAH
Early education in Madison
21
- A To Z Day Care Center
- A2Z HAPPYLAND DAYCARE
- A2Z HAPPYLAND II, LLC
- A2Z Happyland, LLC.
- BLUE'S CLUES'S DC, INC.
- BNOS ESTHER MALKA
- BNOS ISRAEL OF EAST FLATBUSH
- Brooklyn Star Daycare, Inc.
- Butterfly
- FREE GREEK COMMUNITY OF THE "THREE IERARCHES" INC.
- GOOD SHEPHERD CATHOLIC ACADEMY
- Good Shepherd School
- Keshet Learning Center
- KINGSWAY EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, INC.
- PROSPECT PARK BNOS LEAH HIGH SCH
- Prospect Park Yeshiva
- REACH FOR THE STARS LEARNING CENTER
- ST EDMUND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
- YESHIVA DERECH HATORAH
- Yeshivat Mizrachi L'Banim / Yeshiva Derech Hatorah
- YESHIVAT OHEL TORAH
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Madison a good neighborhood for families?
- Madison scores 46/100 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 Madison for families?
- For families, Madison stands out for fewer reported crimes, traffic injuries and serious housing violations per resident. What to weigh: more air pollution, childhood lead or asthma ER visits than most; weaker results at the public and charter schools serving it, or fewer of them; and longer weekday-morning trips to the city's main job centers. 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 Madison safe?
- Madison scores 66/100 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 Madison?
- Madison has 14 schools mapped inside its boundary and scores 34/100 for schools — toward the lower end citywide.
- How do middle and high school admissions work from Madison?
- Middle school: families in Madison apply in 5th grade through the citywide middle school application. District 22's 23 middle school programs admit by method: 10 unscreened, 5 charter lottery, 5 screened and 3 zoned. 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 Madison affordable?
- Madison scores 52/100 for affordability on Motley — mid-range on cost for the city.
- Which borough is Madison in?
- Madison is a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City.
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