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Jackson Heights features one of the world's most diverse populations with incredible global cuisine. The historic garden apartments and 74th Street corridor are neighborhood landmarks.
Jackson Heights features one of the world's most diverse populations with incredible global cuisine. The historic garden apartments and 74th Street corridor are neighborhood landmarks.
Did you know?
Jackson Heights' garden apartment complexes, built in the 1910s-20s, were among the first planned cooperative housing communities in the United States.
Who’s your neighbor?
Housing cost
Commute
Weekday mornings · leaving 7:30–9:00
- FromJackson Heights
- ToNear Bryant Park
Family scores
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Trade-offs
Stands out
- Family-Friendly Vibe89/100
Many families with children, with homes and schools close by
- Transit86/100
Quick weekday-morning transit to the city's main job centers
- Air & Child Health62/100
Cleaner air and better child-health measures
None of its Family Fit scores is below average; the lowest is Safety 41/100.
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 Jackson 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
Schools17 schools
Jackson Heights runs a deep bench of public options alongside several private and parochial choices, with one charter in the mix. The zoned elementary schools anchor the north and south ends of the neighborhood — P.S. 069 Jackson Heights and P.S. 148 Queens handle the younger crowds, while I.S. 145 Joseph Pulitzer and I.S. 230 cover middle school. Families looking at private or religious schools will find Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Academy and Monsignor McClancy Memorial HS, plus the specialized LEXINGTON SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF on 75th Street. The charter option, Renaissance Charter School on 81st Street, adds another pathway for those who qualify.
Browse all early-ed in this neighborhoodLiving here
Parks & Playgrounds4 places
The park scene in Jackson Heights is thin but functional. Travers Park is the neighborhood's best bet for actual green space, while Northern Playground and Louis C. Moser Playground handle the playground needs on the residential blocks. Playground Ninety adds one more option near the eastern edge. It's not a park-heavy neighborhood, but families will find a couple of solid spots to land on nice days.
1 playground within a 10-min walk
Nearest large park: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park · ~38 min walk (1.4 mi)
Transportation64 stops
Jackson Heights punches above its weight for transit — the 7 train runs through two stops, 82 St-Jackson Hts and 90 St-Elmhurst Av, and gets you to Midtown without much fuss. The bus network is deep, with 38 stops and seven routes covering the commercial strips along 74th, 82nd, and Roosevelt. For a working-class Queens pocket, you're in solid shape for a Manhattan commute — though street parking will test your patience.
Restaurants100 places
Jackson Heights packs an impressive dining scene onto its tight blocks — a deep bench of Latin American spots lines 37th Avenue while Northern Boulevard delivers a solid mix of Indian and Asian kitchens. Chains like Denny's hold it down alongside quick-serve stalwarts, but the real draw is the sheer variety of mom-and-pop kitchens serving arepas, dosas, empanadas, and beyond. It's not a white-tablecloth scene, but for affordable, authentic eats across a dozen cuisines, this stretch delivers.
Groceries25 places
Jackson Heights delivers a deep bench of grocery options for a neighborhood its size. You'll find multiple Key Food locations alongside Food Bazaar and CTown, giving you solid chain coverage for the weekly shop. But what really sets this block apart is the density of ethnic grocers — South Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern markets line the avenues, offering fresh produce, spices, and specialty ingredients that big chains simply can't match. For most errands, you won't need a car.
Coffee Shops27 places
Jackson Heights runs on a solid mix of Latino cafés, boba tea houses, and quick-service spots where you grab an espresso and pastry heading to the train. The 37th Ave and Northern Blvd corridors have the densest clustering — plenty of options for a cup on the go. For the familiar chains, you're covered by a couple of Starbucks locations and one Dunkin' that keep things consistent. It's more about utility and variety than third-wave linger spots here.
Things to Do17 places
Jackson Heights packs a solid mix of kids' activities into a few tight blocks, with martial arts studios and tutoring centers forming the backbone — there's a real enrichment bent here, with three tutoring options plus a handful of martial arts dojos offering everything from Tae Kwon Do to traditional Korean training. Dance studios and a couple of movie theaters round out the mix, plus a swim spot in neighboring Woodside for when the weather turns. It's not a massive scene, but what's here leans heavily toward active, skill-building pursuits rather than passive entertainment.
Daycare & informal care3 places
Jackson Heights leans heavily into Pre-K — there are 18 sites across the neighborhood, many attached to public schools — but full-time daycares are thinner, just a few family-run options. Universal Pre-K is reasonably well-served here; finding full-day childcare takes more legwork. Morning drop-off gets busy around the 82nd Street and Northern Boulevard school zones, so factoring in that window helps.
Family Resources13 places
Jackson Heights punches above its weight for civic infrastructure, anchored by the Jackson Heights Library on 81st Street — a real neighborhood asset with programs that draw from across the blocks. The playground scene is surprisingly solid: Travers Park and Louis C. Moser Playground give families solid options within walking distance, and the seasonal Greenmarket on 34th Avenue adds another layer of community gathering. It's not flashy, but the public anchors here feel established and well-used.
Healthcare22 places
Mount Sinai Hospital Queens anchors the healthcare scene here, alongside a few other medical facilities serving the neighborhood. Pediatric care is reasonably covered with a few family health centers scattered around, and urgent care options exist — CityMD and a couple of independent walk-in clinics keep late-week emergencies from becoming Bronx odysseys. Dentists? There's a deep bench along the 37th Ave corridor and Northern Blvd, so booking a cleaning won't require a trek either.
Compare with nearby neighborhoods
Best schools in Jackson Heights
Schools in Jackson Heights
17
- GARDEN SCHOOL
- I.S. 145 Joseph Pulitzer
- I.S. 230
- JACKSON DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER JACKSON
- JACKSON DEVELOPMENTAL CNTR ANNEX
- LEXINGTON SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
- MONSIGNOR MCCLANCY MEMORIAL HS
- OUR LADY OF FATIMA CATHOLIC ACADEMY
- P.S. 069 Jackson Heights
- P.S. 148 Queens
- P.S. 149 Christa McAuliffe
- P.S. 212
- P.S. Q222 - Fire Fighter Christopher A. Santora School
- PS280Q: Home of the Lionhearts
- Renaissance Charter School
- ST JOAN OF ARC SCHOOL
- The Hector Figueroa School
Early education in Jackson Heights
32
- 82Nd Street Academics
- A CHILD'S PLACE ACADEMY
- A Child's Place Too, Inc (Acpt) Site #3
- Atonement Preschool
- Children of America
- CHILDREN OF AMERICA (QUEENS), LLC
- CHILDREN'S BIG APPLE
- Children's Big Apple, Inc.
- EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE ATONEMENT
- Garden School
- GARDEN SCHOOL
- GARDEN SCHOOL - QBJQ
- Garden School, Inc.
- Jackson Children's Services
- JACKSON CHILDREN'S SERVICES
- JACKSON CHILDREN'S SERVICES,INC.
- JACKSON HEIGHTS EARLY LEARNING CENTER ANNEX
- Jackson Heights Learning Center Annex
- JHELC- ST MARKS
- LEXINGTON SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
- OUR LADY OF FATIMA CATHOLIC ACADEMY
- P.S. 069 Jackson Heights
- P.S. 148 Queens
- P.S. 149 CHRISTA MCAULIFFE
- P.S. 212
- P.S. 398
- P.S. Q222 - Fire Fighter Christopher A. Santora School
- PS280Q: Home of the Lionhearts
- Renaissance Charter School
- RENAISSANCE CHARTER SCHOOL UPK
- ST JOAN OF ARC SCHOOL
- The Hector Figueroa School
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Jackson Heights a good neighborhood for families?
- Jackson Heights scores 61/100 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 Jackson Heights for families?
- For families, Jackson Heights stands out for many families with children, with homes and schools close by; quick weekday-morning transit to the city's main job centers; and cleaner air and better child-health measures. None of its Family Fit scores is below average; its lowest is Peace of Mind (41/100). 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 Jackson Heights safe?
- Jackson Heights scores 41/100 on safety — near the middle of the pack 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 Jackson Heights?
- Jackson Heights has 17 schools mapped inside its boundary and scores 50/100 for schools — near the middle of the pack citywide.
- How do middle and high school admissions work from Jackson Heights?
- Middle school: families in Jackson Heights apply in 5th grade through the citywide middle school application. District 30's 31 middle school programs admit by method: 11 zoned, 8 screened, 8 unscreened and 4 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 Jackson Heights affordable?
- Jackson Heights scores 45/100 for affordability on Motley — mid-range on cost for the city.
- Which borough is Jackson Heights in?
- Jackson Heights is a neighborhood in Queens, New York City.
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