Community guide ยท Brooklyn

Bensonhurst

A big, deeply rooted southern Brooklyn neighborhood in ZIPs 11214 and 11204 - Italian-American and Asian-American at its heart, block after block of solid brick homes, two of the best shopping streets in the borough, and the D and N trains at your door. Here is what it is actually like to live here.

Street view of Bensonhurst, a neighborhood served by Joseph Ranola
BensonhurstStreet-level look
11214 / 11204
ZIP codes
Brooklyn
Borough
$700K - $1.6M+
Typical home range
D + N trains
How people commute
Living here

The Brooklyn that feels like a neighborhood, not a listing.

Bensonhurst is one of those places where families put down roots and never leave. The housing stock leans single and two family, and it is overwhelmingly brick - the sturdy, low maintenance rowhomes and semi detached houses that southern Brooklyn does better than anywhere. Generations live within a few blocks of each other, the Italian-American history runs deep, and a large, vibrant Asian-American community has made the neighborhood its own too.

The center of gravity is the shopping. 18th Avenue and 86th Street are two of the busiest, most useful commercial strips in Brooklyn - bakeries, groceries, restaurants, everything you need without a car. In between are quiet residential streets, strong demand, and some of the best value for a real house in the borough.

Why people love Bensonhurst

  • Single and two family brick homes built to last
  • Deep Italian-American and Asian-American community
  • 18th Avenue shopping and food a few blocks away
  • 86th Street under the tracks for everyday errands
  • The D and N trains running right through
  • Strong, stable family demand year after year
What is around you

The Bensonhurst highlights

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18th Avenue

Cristoforo Colombo Boulevard - the classic Bensonhurst main street lined with bakeries, delis, restaurants, and shops.

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86th Street

The bustling strip under the elevated tracks, packed with groceries, retail, and everyday errands within walking distance.

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D and N Trains

Two subway lines running through the neighborhood, carrying you into Downtown Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan, and Midtown.

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Brick Homes

Blocks of single and two family brick houses - the durable, classic southern Brooklyn housing families come here for.

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Food Everywhere

Old school Italian bakeries and pork stores alongside a wave of Asian markets and restaurants - a true food neighborhood.

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Parkway Access

Quick reach to the Belt Parkway and Gowanus Expressway for drives out to the rest of Brooklyn and beyond.

Market snapshot

What Bensonhurst homes are doing

Bensonhurst is a steady, driven by demand market. Most homes trade between about $700,000 and $1.6 million and up, with the number set by whether it is a single or two family, the lot and building size, condition, and how close you are to the trains and the shopping. Larger and fully renovated two families sell above that. Because family buyers and investors both compete here, well priced, well presented homes tend to move and often draw more than one offer.

Those are ranges, not your number. The only way to know what a specific Bensonhurst home is worth today is a real read on the exact house and the most recent sales on its block.

Good to know

Bensonhurst questions people ask

What is Bensonhurst known for?

Bensonhurst is a large southern Brooklyn neighborhood in ZIPs 11214 and 11204, known for its deep Italian-American roots and growing Asian-American community, the busy shopping strips along 18th Avenue and 86th Street, blocks of single and two family brick homes, and easy access to the D and N subway lines.

How much do homes cost in Bensonhurst?

Most homes trade in a broad range from about $700,000 to $1.6 million and up, depending on whether it is a single or two family, the lot, condition, and location. For a current price on a specific home, request a free valuation.

Is Bensonhurst a good place to live?

It is one of the most established family neighborhoods in southern Brooklyn. Residents value the strong sense of community, the food and shopping on 18th Avenue and 86th Street, the sturdy brick homes, and the direct D and N trains into Manhattan.

How is the commute from Bensonhurst?

Bensonhurst is served by the D and N subway lines running through the neighborhood into Downtown Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan, and Midtown. Local buses and easy access to the Belt Parkway and Gowanus Expressway round out the commute.

Or ask me anything else.

Real answers, free, no form. Even when the answer is: don't sell yet.

Your Bensonhurst move

Thinking about buying or selling in Bensonhurst?

I work this market every day. Whether you are pricing your home or chasing the right one, let's talk about your block specifically.