NYC Neighborhood Comparison
Queens
Manhattan
For buyers focused on affordability, Upper West Side has the lower median sale price at $1.3M vs $1.3M in Fresh Meadows.
Investors analyzing rental yield will find Upper West Side offers a stronger rent-to-price ratio based on current market data.
Commuters have more transit options in Upper West Side, which is served by 5 subway lines compared to 0 in Fresh Meadows.
| Metric | Fresh Meadows | Upper West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $1,340,000 | $1,299,000 |
| Median Condo Price | N/A | $1,860,000 |
| Median Co-op Price | N/A | $988,000 |
| Median Rent | $2,550 | $5,100 |
| Active Listings | 6 | 1050 |
| Rental Inventory | 48 | 1509 |
| Days on Market | 246 | 96 |
| Price Cut Share | 50.0% | 12.3% |
| Monthly Sales Volume | 3 | 145 |
| YoY Price Change | N/A | +3.1% |
| YoY Rent Change | +4.1% | +5.2% |
| YoY Inventory Change | 0.0% | -18.3% |
| Subway Lines | N/A | 1 2 3 B C |
Fresh Meadows is a planned residential Queens neighborhood originally developed in the late 1940s as garden-apartment complexes with landscaped grounds, along with Cape Cod and Colonial single-family homes on curved streets. The Q65 and Q17 buses connect to the Flushing 7 train, and the QM1 express bus runs to Midtown Manhattan. Cunningham Park, a 358-acre green space with hiking trails and sports fields, borders the east side.
View Full Market ReportThe Upper West Side (UWS) is celebrated for its cultural richness and architectural grandeur. Set between Central Park and Riverside Park, the neighborhood provides direct access to green space within the urban grid. Residents enjoy easy access to Lincoln Center, the American Museum of Natural History, and a popular culinary scene. The real estate landscape is famous for its historic brownstones and iconic 'white-glove' apartment buildings along Central Park West and Riverside Drive.
View Full Market ReportNo subway data available
86 St (1 B C) — 0.2 mi
79 St (1) — 0.3 mi
81 St-Museum of Natural History (B C) — 0.4 mi
96 St (1 2 3 B C) — 0.5 mi
72 St (1 2 3) — 0.7 mi
Listing data is derived in whole or in part from the RLS at REBNY (Real Estate Board of New York) Internet Data Exchange (IDX) database. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Milton Coste | Keller Williams NYC are marked with the RLS logo. The information provided is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Data is refreshed every 15 minutes per REBNY IDX requirements.
From the 2008 financial crisis through the 2020 pandemic, the NYC metro Case-Shiller composite fell about 25% peak-to-trough between 2007 and 2012, then fully recovered by 2017 and gained another 15% through Q1 2020. Fresh Meadows and Upper West Side both tracked this broader NYC arc, with annual closing volume contracting sharply in 2009 and again in Q2 2020 before normalizing.
Upper West Side tracked the more resilient Manhattan price path with a 10% to 15% peak-to-trough decline, while Fresh Meadows moved closer to the broader NYC metro pattern of a 20% to 25% retracement before recovering through 2017.
Source: Per Case-Shiller Home Price Index, NYC metro subset, 2008-2020, cross-referenced with StreetEasy historical price data series.
| Metric (2026) | Fresh Meadows | Upper West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $1,340,000 | $1,299,000 |
| Median Rent | $2,550/mo | $5,100/mo |
| Year-over-Year Price Change | N/A | +3.1% |
| Average Days on Market | 246 days | 96 days |
| Distance to Nearest Subway | N/A | 0.15 mi |
Table values reflect current 2026 market conditions. Historical 2008-2020 commentary is sourced from Case-Shiller NYC metro composite and StreetEasy historical series.
With 25+ years of experience across all five boroughs, I can help you find the right neighborhood for your lifestyle and budget.
Data updated:
