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Midwood offers a suburban feel with tree-lined streets and diverse religious communities. Brooklyn College anchors the southern end with affordable housing nearby.
Midwood offers a suburban feel with tree-lined streets and diverse religious communities. Brooklyn College anchors the southern end with affordable housing nearby.
Did you know?
Brooklyn College's campus was designed in Georgian style and built during the Great Depression using WPA labor — the quadrangle was modeled after Harvard Yard.
Who’s your neighbor?
Housing cost
$525 / sq ft
Commute
Weekday mornings · leaving 7:30–9:00
- FromMidwood
- ToNear Bryant Park
Family scores
Show 5 moreShow fewer
Trade-offs
Stands out
- Safety61/100
Fewer reported crimes, traffic injuries and serious housing violations per resident
To weigh
- Schools14/100
Weaker results at the public and charter schools serving it, or fewer of them
- Air & Child Health28/100
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 Midwood 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
Schools29 schools
Midwood runs a deep bench of schools — zoned public options like P.S. 197 The Kings Highway Academy and Edward R. Murrow High School sit alongside a robust cluster of private yeshivas and one charter (Urban Dove Team Charter School). The private sector dominates here, with over twenty religious schools filling most of the landscape. Public zoned options are thinner on the ground, and secular private school choices are limited. Specialized programs include the Hebrew Institute for the Deaf.
Browse all early-ed in this neighborhoodLiving here
Parks & Playgrounds1 place
Kolbert Playground is the main game in town for Midwood — a solid, well-maintained playground that locals rely on. Beyond that, the neighborhood leans more on its quiet residential streets and nearby corner parks than any major green space. It's thin but what's there is decent, and the area's flat, walkable layout makes it easy to find a patch of shade on warmer days.
1 playground within a 10-min walk
Nearest large park: Marine Park-Plumb Island · ~32 min walk (1.2 mi)
Transportation54 stops
Getting around Midwood means leaning on the Q line, which stops at Avenue H, Avenue J and Avenue M — three solid anchors that get you into Manhattan without a transfer. The bus network fills in the gaps along Coney Island Avenue, Nostrand Avenue and the commercial stretches of Kings Highway, reaching the stations or branching out to neighboring areas without a car. For a neighborhood this flat and walkable, the transit options cover the basics without much fuss.
Restaurants44 places
Midwood's restaurant scene is heavily shaped by its Orthodox Jewish community — you get a deep bench of kosher delis and glatt kosher spots along Avenue J and Coney Island Ave, plus a cluster of solid brick-oven pizza places that locals swear by. Middle Eastern options are strong too, with falafel shops and kebab joints dotting Avenue M. It's not a date-night destination, but there's honest, working-class eats everywhere: delis, bakeries, and no-frills ethnic restaurants that have been feeding the block for decades. The mix is more utilitarian than trendy, and that's kind of the point.
Groceries17 places
Midwood's grocery scene is surprisingly robust for a residential block — you've got a couple of proper supermarkets (Key Food on Nostrand and Associated on Avenue J) handling the weekly shop, plus a deep bench of specialty options. Kosher shoppers are well-served with a few dedicated stores along Coney Island Avenue, while the fruit markets along Avenue M and Ocean Avenue cover fresh produce basics. Most of the neighborhood is walkable for daily needs, though a car helps if you're hauling bulk from the freezer spots on the east side.
Coffee Shops14 places
Midwood's coffee scene is a working-class affair — you're not going to find third-wave pour-over bars on every corner here. What you get is a solid duo of chains anchoring the main drags: a Starbucks on Avenue J and a Dunkin' near Avenue M handle the familiar caffeine fixes. The real backbone, though, is the bagel-and-coffee culture — spots like Kosher Bagel Hole and Midwood Hot Bagels serve morning coffee the way this neighborhood has for decades. It's functional, not fancy, and that's exactly the point.
Things to Do3 places
Midwood's kid-activity scene leans heavily toward tutoring and academic enrichment — there's a solid cluster of test prep and learning centers, plus parochial school options that serve as neighborhood fixtures. Athletic and recreational options are notably sparse, and the list here reflects that gap honestly. What's available skews educational rather than active, which works for families prioritizing academic support but leaves gaps for those seeking more recreational outlets.
Daycare & informal care1 place
Midwood's childcare landscape is heavily weighted toward Pre-K — there's a deep bench of universal Pre-K sites run through the local yeshivas and public schools, which is great if you're locking in a Pre-K spot. But traditional daycare options are thin, so if you need full-day care for a younger child, you'll feel the squeeze. Morning drop-off here means navigating school zones — give yourself extra time on the avenues.
Family Resources4 places
Midwood keeps its families anchored around a pair of well-used playgrounds — Andries Playground along Nostrand Ave. and Kolbert Playground on Avenue L both see steady action after school. The Midwood Library on the same corridor is the neighborhood's quiet civic core, solid for homework help and story time. A seasonal farmstand at 2500 Nostrand rounds things out. It's a modest bench of resources, but the anchors here are dependable.
Healthcare25 places
Midwood has a solid roster of hospitals and specialty centers — AHAVA Medical and Rehabilitation Center, Rambam Family Health Center, and Brooklyn Eye Surgery Center anchor the area, plus a handful of dialysis and treatment spots along Nostrand and Ocean. Pediatric care is thin, with just a couple of options near Ocean Avenue, and there's only one urgent care on Avenue J. Dentists, though, are everywhere: a deep bench of independent practices along Avenue M, Ocean Avenue, and Coney Island gives families plenty of choices. Specialty and diagnostic coverage is well-represented here.
Compare with nearby neighborhoods
Best schools in Midwood
Schools in Midwood
29
- Andries Hudde
- BAIS YAAKOV ACADEMY
- BET YAAKOV OHR SARAH
- CONG OHR SHRAGA D'VERETZKY
- CONGREGATION OHR SHLOMO
- Edward R. Murrow High School
- HEBREW INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF
- I. S. 381
- IMAGINE ACADEMY
- IVDU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
- JOSEPH S GRUSS YESHIVA HS
- MERKAZ THE CENTER
- MESIVTA YESHIVA RABBI CHAIM BERLIN
- P.S. 193 Gil Hodges
- P.S. 197 - The Kings Highway Academy
- P.S. 199 Frederick Wachtel
- PATHWAY STUDY CENTER INC (THE)
- SHAARE TORAH HIGH SCHOOL-GIRLS
- STEP-SPECIAL TORAH EDUC PROG
- UCP OF NYC - WILLIAM O'CONNOR MIDWO
- Urban Dove Team Charter School
- YAD YISROEL
- YESHIVA BIRCHAS SHMUEL
- YESHIVA DARCHE ERES - KINDERGARTEN
- YESHIVA OF FLATBUSH-JOEL BRAVERMAN H
- YESHIVA OHR SHRAGA D'VERETZKY
- YESHIVA RABBI CHAIM BERLIN
- YESHIVA TORAS EMES KAMENITZ
- YESODOT HATORAH-GIRLS
Early education in Midwood
33
- Aleph Preschool
- ALEPH PRESCHOOL
- BAIS YAAKOV ACADEMY
- Bais Yaakov Academy UPK
- BERESHITH
- Bet Yaakov Ohr Sarah
- BET YAAKOV OHR SARAH
- BRIGHT SMILES CHILDCARE
- CONG OHR SHRAGA D'VERETZKY
- Free Greek Community of The Three Hierarchs
- HEBREW INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF
- Hidec
- IMAGINE ACADEMY
- IVDU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
- MERKAZ THE CENTER
- P.S. 193 Gil Hodges
- P.S. 197 - The Kings Highway Academy
- P.S. 199 Frederick Wachtel
- PATHWAY STUDY CENTER INC (THE)
- Promise World Day Care
- PROMISE WORLD DAYCARE INC.
- Red Hat Day Care Center, Inc.
- STEP-SPECIAL TORAH EDUC PROG
- THE JOAN SNOW PRE-K CENTER AT 1340 EAST 29TH STREET
- United Cerebral Palsy of New York City, Inc.
- YAD YISROEL
- YESHIVA DARCHE ERES - KINDERGARTEN
- Yeshiva Ohr Shraga
- YESHIVA RABBI CHAIM BERLIN
- Yeshiva Torah Vodaath Preschool
- YESHIVA TORAS EMES KAMENITZ
- YESHIVAT DARCHE ERES
- YESODOT HATORAH-GIRLS
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Midwood a good neighborhood for families?
- Midwood scores 42/100 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 Midwood for families?
- For families, Midwood stands out for fewer reported crimes, traffic injuries and serious housing violations per resident. What to weigh: weaker results at the public and charter schools serving it, or fewer of them, 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 Midwood safe?
- Midwood scores 61/100 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 Midwood?
- Midwood has 29 schools mapped inside its boundary and scores 14/100 for schools — toward the lower end citywide.
- How do middle and high school admissions work from Midwood?
- Middle school: families in Midwood 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. 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 Midwood affordable?
- Midwood scores 49/100 for affordability on Motley — mid-range on cost for the city.
- Which borough is Midwood in?
- Midwood is a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City.
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