Bushwick Neighborhood Review - Brooklyn Moving Guide 2024

If you want Williamsburg's artist vibe, energy, and youthfulness but don't want the cost, head over to Bushwick.
A neighborhood perpetually teetering between genuine Brooklyn grunginess and gentrification, Bushwick has all the ingredients for a proper "hip" Brooklyn area.
Where else can you find many graffiti art studios, galleries, or a new coffee shop or bar opening every week?

This Bushwick neighborhood review will examine public transportation, restaurants, average apartment rent, and home sale prices.

Bushwick is a massive neighborhood, more significant than most. It covers territories that border East Williamsburg, Ridgewood, Queens, Bed-Stuy, Ocean Hill, and Cypress Hills, meaning there will be many different vibes in each section.
You get a mix of industrial and a few different residential areas, which vary from very busy with a combination of retail to more quaint and almost suburban.

Fun Fact: Once considered a separate town in Kings County, Bushwick became part of Brooklyn in 1869.

Real Estate in Bushwick

Bushwick has quickly become one of New York City's most sought-after neighborhoods due to its affordability compared to other parts. While remaining affordable, it still provides access to the same amenities as more expensive neighborhoods in Brooklyn, such as Williamsburg and Park Slope.

It's trendy among young working professionals, students, and artists looking to save money but can easily hop on the L, J, M, or Z trains to get to the city.

Bushwick has become a surprisingly popular place to buy. One of the reasons is not just that it's cheaper than buying in Williamsburg or Greenpoint, but tons of new developments have popped up in Bushwick.

That means getting a beautiful modern condo with luxury finishes is possible for a fraction of what you might pay in pricier Brooklyn neighborhoods.

Condo and loft apartments are what you may predominantly find, with the occasional townhouse.

Public Transportation in Bushwick

The J, Z, and L trains run near the borders of Bushwick, with the L coming in from the northern corner, passing around the eastern edges and wrapping down to the southern tip.
The J/Z line runs from the western corner straight down Broadway to the southern corner, while the M train runs east and west along Myrtle to Ridgewood and back.

Plenty of buses travel across Bushwick almost in a grid-like manner.

While you may find people on bicycles, this is not one of the most bike-friendly areas where bike lanes are scarce, and other bike routes are nonexistent.

Bushwick Restaurants

Bushwick is home to a thriving restaurant and bar scene, particularly in the northern areas near East Williamsburg and neighborhoods bordering Ridgewood, following the L line, with the trendier and pricier establishments being to the northern border.

Tons of excellent restaurants have popped up around the neighborhood over the last couple of decades, like the famous Roberta's for pizza on the northern border of East Williamsburg.
The scrumptious vegan Ethiopian place--Bunna Cafe is where you can feast on authentic teff flour-based injera bread and gorgeously tasty vegan dishes. Partake in their traditional sacred coffee ceremonies.
If you are hankering for authentic Mexican tacos, look no further than Tortilleria Los Hermanos--a small family-run tortilla-making factory, expanded to a taco joint.
Ichiran will sate those ramen hankerings, and Momo Sushi Shack won't disappoint when you're in the mood for really good sushi!
Bars and coffee shops number even higher. If you want to try an enjoyable alternative coffee, check out Brooklyn Kava.

If you want to trip up your coffee, head to the Caffeine Underground, one of the few places in the city serving cannabis-infused coffee.

Public & Charter Schools

As Bushwick has a lot of ground cover in Brooklyn, there are bound to be many schools serving the area.

While this area has been seen as a hipster haven in the past decade, it's still home to numerous families with school-age children.

The entirety of the neighborhood is contained within school geographic district 32. District 32 has generally suffered with low test scores and poor performance.

However, stats show that the performance has steadily risen over the past several years. Bushwick's most notable public options are PS 376 (K-5) and IS 383 Phillipa Schuyler.

How Safe is the Bushwick Neighborhood?

Bushwick is generally considered a safe neighborhood due to its increasing presence of police patrol and community-oriented policing. Bushwick is known for its strong sense of community, with neighbors looking out for each other and helping to keep the streets clean.

Bushwick is served by one police precinct and two housing security stations dedicated to keeping Bushwick safe. The Bushwick area has been subject to gentrification in recent years, which has improved safety levels as more businesses have opened up.

There is also an increased emphasis on crime prevention, with street lighting being improved throughout the neighborhood and surveillance cameras being installed in public places.

The Bushwick Inlet Park has added a layer of safety by providing open space for residents and visitors alike.

Bushwick is now considered a much safer neighborhood than a decade ago.

Residents report feeling secure walking around day or night, and few reported crimes are happening in Bushwick today.

The Bushwick Community Safety Alliance works closely with local law enforcement officers to prevent crime in the area and promote peaceful coexistence among residents.

Security initiatives such as the Bushwick Watch Program have helped keep people informed about potential threats in their vicinity through email alerts, text messages, or phone calls when appropriate.

Through this program, volunteers can become "neighborhood eyes and ears" to help maintain security levels in Bushwick.

Bushwick also benefits from having several private security companies operating within the neighborhood that offer professional services such as alarm monitoring systems, patrols of residential buildings, and commercial establishments throughout Bushwick's central business district.

All these measures make Bushwick one of the safest neighborhoods in New York City today - offering an enjoyable quality of life backed up by tight security measures, both public and private.