NYC Neighborhood Comparison
Brooklyn
Manhattan
For buyers focused on affordability, Midtown East has the lower median sale price at $975K vs $1.1M in Kensington.
Investors analyzing rental yield will find Midtown East offers a stronger rent-to-price ratio based on current market data.
Commuters have more transit options in Midtown East, which is served by 7 subway lines compared to 0 in Kensington.
| Metric | Kensington | Midtown East |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $1,100,000 | $975,000 |
| Median Condo Price | $550,000 | $1,592,543 |
| Median Co-op Price | $595,000 | $600,000 |
| Median Rent | $2,800 | $5,000 |
| Active Listings | 90 | 1102 |
| Rental Inventory | 106 | 1560 |
| Days on Market | 108 | 106 |
| Price Cut Share | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| Monthly Sales Volume | 12 | 96 |
| YoY Price Change | +18.6% | N/A |
| YoY Rent Change | 0.0% | +6.4% |
| YoY Inventory Change | +13.9% | -16.8% |
| Subway Lines | N/A | 4 5 6 7 E M S |
Kensington is a residential Brooklyn neighborhood bordered by Prospect Park to the north and the landmarked Green-Wood Cemetery to the west, with Ocean Parkway running through its center as one of the borough's signature tree-lined boulevards. The housing stock includes brick rowhouses, prewar co-op apartment buildings along Ocean Parkway and Coney Island Avenue, and detached Victorian homes on the side streets, served by the F and G trains at Fort Hamilton Parkway and Church Avenue. The B and Q express trains are accessible within a short walk, providing a 30-to-35-minute commute to Midtown Manhattan.
View Full Market ReportMidtown East is a dynamic hub that is the gateway to Manhattan for many. Home to iconic landmarks like Grand Central Terminal and the Chrysler Building, the neighborhood offers unparalleled convenience for commuters and professionals. The residential landscape is a mix of high-rise luxury towers and historic side-street cooperatives, providing a wide array of options for those who want to be at the center of the city's energy.
View Full Market ReportNo subway data available
Grand Central-42 St (4 5 6 7 S) — 0.3 mi
51 St (6) — 0.3 mi
Lexington Av/53 St (E M) — 0.4 mi
5 Av/53 St (E M) — 0.5 mi
59 St (4 5 6) — 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. Kensington and Midtown East both tracked this broader NYC arc, with annual closing volume contracting sharply in 2009 and again in Q2 2020 before normalizing.
Midtown East tracked the more resilient Manhattan price path with a 10% to 15% peak-to-trough decline, while Kensington 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) | Kensington | Midtown East |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $1,100,000 | $975,000 |
| Median Rent | $2,800/mo | $5,000/mo |
| Year-over-Year Price Change | +18.6% | N/A |
| Average Days on Market | 108 days | 106 days |
| Distance to Nearest Subway | N/A | 0.28 mi |
Table values reflect current 2026 market conditions. Historical 2008-2020 commentary is sourced from Case-Shiller NYC metro composite and StreetEasy historical series.
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Data updated:
