Renting in Astoria

What it's like

Astoria is low-rise, walkable, and full of small owner-run buildings, which is why the apartments are larger and better kept than the price suggests. Ditmars at the north end is quieter and cheaper; the blocks near Broadway and 30th Avenue are the busiest and the best served.

The food is the real argument. Greek, Egyptian, Brazilian, Bengali, all of it neighborhood-priced rather than destination-priced, which is increasingly hard to find in Brooklyn.

Who it suits

Anyone who wants a one-bedroom they can afford alone, and anyone working in Midtown East or Long Island City.

The catch

The N and W run above ground along 31st Street, and apartments facing the tracks are cheaper for an obvious reason. Some people stop hearing it in a week. Some never do.

Getting around

The N and W along 31st Street, and the R and M at Steinway and Northern. From Astoria Boulevard to 59th Street is about fifteen minutes, which beats a lot of Brooklyn.

What to check at the viewing

• If the building is on 31st, stand in the apartment while a train passes.
• Ask whether the landlord lives in the building. In Astoria they often do, and it usually shows.
• Check whether heat and hot water are included. In small buildings here they frequently are, which changes the real cost.