From Bargain to Bank-Breaking: The NYC Rent Heat Map

New York City has never been a bargain for renters - but the latest data shows just how wide the gap has become between the city’s most and least expensive neighborhoods.

At the very top of the market sits Lower Manhattan, where the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is a staggering $4,928. Not far behind is North Brooklyn at $4,029, while West Queens commands an average of $3,489. Even Upper Manhattan, often considered a relative bargain compared to downtown, averages $2,900 for a one-bed.

For renters searching for something a little more attainable, the Bronx offers the lowest borough-wide average at $2,242, followed by Staten Island at $2,442. Queens ($2,651) and South Brooklyn ($2,666) also fall below the citywide average of $4,028, though “affordable” remains a very relative term in today’s market.

If you’re currently trying to figure out where your budget might stretch far enough for a lease, the NYC Rent Heat Map is a handy tool for house hunters. This interactive map visualizes apartment rental charges across the city, making it easy to see which neighborhoods might still be within financial reach - if any.

The map draws on StreetEasy data from 13,942 market-rate listings, combining active properties with apartments rented over the past four months. Updated quarterly with fresh data, it provides a near real-time snapshot of the city’s fast-moving rental landscape.

Users can filter the map by nine regions, toggle subway stations to weigh commute options, and switch between heat maps for one-, two-, or three-bedroom apartments depending on their needs. An inset panel shows the average rent across these regions, helping users quickly compare different parts of the city.

Whether you’re planning a move, daydreaming about life in a new neighborhood, or simply curious about how rents vary across New York, the NYC Rent Heat Map provides a clear, data-driven way to understand just how far your housing budget will go.