Brooklyn, NY (Putnam Ave / Nostrand Ave)

When you see a neighborhood for the first time, the most important thing is often the way it looks, like its homes and its setting. Some places look the same, but they only reveal their true character after living in them for a while because they contain a unique mix of occupational or cultural groups. This neighborhood is very unique in some important ways, according to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive exploration and analysis.

Modes of Transportation

If you like to ride the train to work, this neighborhood may be for you. NeighborhoodScout's research revealed that 61.4% of the Putnam Ave / Nostrand Ave neighborhood's commuters ride the train to and from work each day, which is more than we found in 99.9% of America's neighborhoods.

Also, if your dream is to be able to ride your bike to work each day, look no further than this unique neighborhood. With 5.3% of residents in the Putnam Ave / Nostrand Ave neighborhood commuting on a bicycle to and from work daily, this neighborhood has more bicycle commuters than 98.3% of all neighborhoods in the U.S., according to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis.

Real Estate

What you'll find when you visit or move to this neighborhood is one of the most crowded neighborhoods in all of America. With an incredible 65,543 people per square mile, it is more densely populated than 99.0% of America's neighborhoods. Being a walkable neighborhood can help increase property values for the simple reason that people enjoy it and value it. To put it plainly, despite our love affair with the automobile, American's enjoy taking to the streets, sidewalks, paths, and courtyards of a place to get a coffee, relax, and take in the sights and sounds. And, according to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive and first quantitative walkable score index, the Putnam Ave / Nostrand Ave neighborhood is one of the most walkable neighborhoods in America.

In addition, corner bodegas, stores on the first floor and apartments above, former grand Victorian residences converted into apartments, three-deckers built shoulder-to-shoulder, duplexes. Such building types define the real estate of neighborhoods dominated by small 2, 3, and 4 unit apartment buildings. Many are in older core neighborhoods of Eastern and Midwestern cities, or historic town centers in their hinterlands. If you wax romantic about the look and feel of such neighborhoods, with fresh pizza, falafel and an independent florist at the corner, then you might find the Putnam Ave / Nostrand Ave neighborhood worth a close look. This neighborhood is an absolutely outstanding example of the dominance of small 2, 3, and 4 unit apartment buildings compared to neighborhoods across the nation, as they make up a substantial portion of this neighborhood's real estate stock. In fact, no less than 57.8% of the real estate here is made up of such dwellings, which is higher than 99.1% of all U.S. neighborhoods.

Furthermore, renter-occupied real estate is dominant in the Putnam Ave / Nostrand Ave neighborhood. The percentage of rental real estate here, according to exclusive NeighborhoodScout analysis, is 86.7%, which is higher than 95.9% of the neighborhoods in America. If you were to buy and live in the property you bought here, you would be almost alone in doing so.

Also of note, do you watch 'This Old House' on Public Television? Do you love the idea of fixing up a Colonial or Victorian era home, complete with the charm of yesteryear? Do you like to stroll or drive streets lined with gracious older residences? If you found yourself nodding yes to any of these questions, you are going to be interested in this unique neighborhood. The Putnam Ave / Nostrand Ave neighborhood stands out on a national scale for the sheer concentration of historic residences it contains: 75.7% of the residential real estate here was built from 1939 or earlier, some much earlier. This is a greater concentration of historic homes than 99.3% of the neighborhoods in the United States.

Car Ownership

Most American households own a car or other vehicle. Many own two cars or perhaps three. In the United States, it is useful to have an automobile not only for commuting, but also for shopping and getting to other services one needs. But NeighborhoodScout's analysis revealed that households in the Putnam Ave / Nostrand Ave neighborhood have a highly unusual car ownership. 69.9% of the households in this neighborhood don't own a car at all. This is more carless households than NeighborhoodScout found in 99.6% of U.S. neighborhoods.