NYC’s 5 most affordable neighborhoods for college grads

When it comes to jobs for recent college graduates, New York City is the land of opportunities, but it’s also incredibly difficult to secure housing at a price that is affordable, especially if you’re stuck with an entry-level salary for a while. To manage the city’s super-high cost of living, many people, from students to graduates to professionals, opt to shack up with a roommate, but what if you really just want a place to truly call your own?

While it’s not easy, it’s not impossible either. Real estate listing site StreetEasy has created an interactive map that shows where recent grads (or anyone for that matter) can afford to live roommate-free at various salary levels. To no surprise, pickings are slim in Manhattan but there are still plenty of neighborhoods where rent will eat up no more than 30 percent of your income. Based on a median entry salary level of $47,630/year, the most affordable neighborhoods were found to be Bushwick, Crown Heights, Astoria, Washington Heights, and Bed-Stuy (h/t Brick Underground).

To make things even easier, we’ve taken the liberty to spot a few places that are on the market for each of the five aforementioned neighborhoods, giving an idea of what to expect (don’t expect a doorman or anything high-end). Here’s what we found:

Bed-Stuy

Believe it or not, there is still some relative affordability to be found in Bed-Stuy if you know where to look.

Brick & Galo Realty Corp.

↑A modest studio on the top floor of a walkup building at 495 Quincy Street is renting for $1,400/month. Granted, it’s not exactly a steal for a studio but it’s about as low as things go on the market right now for the neighborhood.

Bushwick

The current selection of affordable homes are a little on the pricier side but can be manageable depending on your salary situation.

MySpaceNYC.

↑This one-bedroom offers virtually no frills and the kitchen is tiny but rent is just $1,650 and for once, you get more than a studio for that price. It also receives a great deal of sunlight and a fair amount of storage space.

Astoria

Though Astoria is seeing a lot of changes in the form of several new developments as of lately, there are still chances to score an apartment at a price that isn’t completely outrageous.

Otto Nielsen Realty.

↑There’s this 300-square-foot studio that’s going for $1,350/month. Yes, it’s small but from the looks of things, the space receives a fair amount of sunlight and the kitchen features full-sized appliances.

Crown Heights

There’s plenty of options available in Crown Heights for affordable studios and one-bedrooms. The best part is that many of those on the market are pretty spacious for their going price.

Urban Pads.

↑Score this lovely prewar studio, filled with sunlight, for $1,475/month. The apartment appears spacious and there’s even some nice details in place that includes a decorative mantles, bay windows, and shiny hardwood floors.

Washington Heights

↑Rent this renovated 650-square-foot apartment for $1,475/month. You’ll get to enjoy a kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a full bathroom, and a decent sized living room.