NYC rent rollercoaster hits new record highs in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens

Stop us if you've heard this one before: Rents across New York City have soared to record highs, according to a new report. 

The city's ongoing affordability crisis has reached a new level, according to the latest analysis by the Elliman Report.

In Manhattan, Brooklyn, and northwest Queens, median rents have vaulted to record-smashing highs. 

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Manhattan median rents are now $4,230, up from $4,095 this time last year and 20.9% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Even with concessions, the median rental price is $4,198, with the borough's vacancy rate standing at just 2.49%. 

The good news, if you can call it that, is that the median rental price of a Manhattan studio is down 1% from last month, to a mere $3,100.

Brooklyn isn't giving any breaks either, with the median rent standing stubbornly high at $3,499, 2.9% more than in February of 2023. Prices are still a whopping 20.9% higher than they were before the pandemic. 

Finally, in Northwest Queens, median rent prices are roughly unchanged from last year but up 1.2% from January 2024, to $3.239, still 11.7% higher than before the pandemic.

RELATED: Finding an NYC apartment to rent for under $2,400 is nearly impossible: Report

The prices fit neatly with a recent report showing that renters have less than a 1% chance of finding an apartment that costs under $2,400 a month in the city, with the city's overall vacancy rate reaching a historic low of 1.4%. 

The Adams administration has created a new goal to build 500,000 new homes over the next decade, but a series of complications in Albany have prevented any significant progress. 

Real EstateHousingNew York CityManhattanBrooklynQueens