90-38 170Th Street

Jamaica is a single neighborhood contained within Queens, New York City. Home to just under 77,000 New Yorkers, it is a significant neighborhood, with a cultural identity all its own. Attached by the Long Island Rail Road and the New York City Subway to the rest of the city, Jamaica is still very much a part of NYC.

Jamaica is a large enough area that you will find quite a bit of variety within the smaller neighborhoods contained within the area. The name is no coincidence either. Many of the residents of the area have connections to the Caribbean country of the same name. New York's famous John F. Kennedy International Airport is located near to the Jamaica neighborhood.

Looking for an apartment in Jamaica is not quite as stressful as it can be in many other parts of New York City. However, as in most of the city there is no time of year to search that is much easier than any other. There may be a slight advantage to looking around October or November, but the real key is just giving yourself enough time to do a thorough search for the best place.

In all neighborhoods in New York, rent is high compared to most of the country. However, rents in Jamaica are generally low compared to much of the rest of the city. Most apartments will start at around the $1400-$1500 range.

If you've never rented an apartment in New York City before, it is worth considering using a professional agency to help you with your search. An agent is useful because they know the neighborhoods, and for the uninitiated in New York, understanding which neighborhoods, or pieces of neighborhoods, might suit your needs can be very confusing.

Jamaica is attached to the unparalleled New York City public transportation system. From the Jamaica Line, you can gain access to the rest of the NYC subway system. There is also an extensive bus network in Queens. With traffic conditions as they are in NYC, and this excellent transit system typically only steps away, most Jamaica residents opt to ride instead of drive.

A historically black neighborhood, there are some cultural facilities in Jamaica celebrating the heritage of its past and present residents. The Afrikan Poetry Theatre is both a performance and a learning venue. The Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning is a cultural hub for this part of New York. If you're looking to do some shopping or grab a bite to eat with some local flavor, just start walking down Jamaica Avenue.