New York/Compare
Astoria vs Long Island City
Astoria and Long Island City are two official neighborhoods in New York. Astoria is the calmer Part I map (76 vs 33). Astoria wins the errand count. Astoria has the lower ACS median ($2,197).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · NYPD Oct 2025 – Jun 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Scores
Fit axes among official New York neighborhoods.
| Axis | Astoria | Long Island City |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 76 | 33 |
| Schools | 47 | 37 |
| Walk | 44 | 22 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 98 |
| Vibe | 30 | 12 |
| Median rent | $2,197 | $2,560 |
| Median home | $935,946 | $810,536 |
| Population | 110,662 | 59,515 |
| Commute to Midtown | 41 min | 28 min |
| Commute to FiDi | 50 min | 39 min |
| Commute to Downtown Brooklyn | 32 min | 22 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Astoria | Long Island City |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 81% | 82% |
| Median age | 37.3 | 34.8 |
| Median income | $102K | $127K |
| Part I per 1k | 9.9 | 19.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 90 | 45 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 177 | 180 |
| Parks / 800m | 73 | 80 |
| 311 last 14 days | 2,399 | 1,559 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for New York city. Up 48% since 2014. Astoria is 21% above the 2024 city median. LIC is 41% above the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Astoria if the quieter map matters more than the scene and you want the cafes and the night. Safety is 76 vs 33. Vibe is 30 vs 12. Walk is 44 vs 22. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Long Island City if the shorter ride to Midtown is the point. 28 vs 41 minutes to Midtown. Read both pages before you decide.
Astoria
30th Avenue, Ditmars, and the last neighborhood where a one-bedroom still sometimes behaves. Greek, Egyptian, Brazilian, and a beer garden.
$2,197 median rent · safety 76 · walk 44
Long Island City
Waterfront towers, the 7 train, and a skyline that faces Manhattan. New-build default for people priced out of the island.
$2,560 median rent · safety 33 · walk 22
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Astoria or Long Island City?
Astoria is the lower ACS median: $2,197 vs $2,560. About 81% rent in Astoria vs 82% in Long Island City. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Astoria more walkable than Long Island City?
Astoria wins the errand count (walk 44 vs 22). Groceries inside 800 meters: 90 vs 45. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Astoria or Long Island City?
Astoria is the calmer Part I read (76 vs 33). Combined rate 9.9 vs 19.1 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Astoria or Long Island City?
Astoria leads the school axis (47 vs 37). Nearby rating is 7.2 / 10 vs 6.9 / 10. Median age 37.3 vs 34.8. Long Island City has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Midtown?
41 minutes from Astoria to Midtown, 28 from Long Island City. Long Island City is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood that is not Astoria or Long Island City: Jackson Heights. Roosevelt Avenue, the 7 train, and the densest food in Queens. Diversity is the amenity, not a slogan.
Astoria vs Jackson HeightsLong Island City vs Jackson Heights
Scores are relative among official New York neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.