New York/Compare
Harlem vs Jackson Heights
Harlem and Jackson Heights are two official neighborhoods in New York. Jackson Heights is the calmer Part I map (90 vs 38). Harlem wins the errand count. Harlem has the lower ACS median ($1,516).
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 | Harlem | Jackson Heights |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 38 | 90 |
| Schools | 0 | 30 |
| Walk | 28 | 3 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 7 | 0 |
| Median rent | $1,516 | $1,861 |
| Median home | $1,055,447 | $563,589 |
| Population | 135,011 | 93,975 |
| Commute to Midtown | 18 min | 42 min |
| Commute to FiDi | 35 min | 48 min |
| Commute to Downtown Brooklyn | 35 min | 28 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Harlem | Jackson Heights |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 84% | 60% |
| Median age | 38.7 | 42.5 |
| Median income | $60K | $80K |
| Part I per 1k | 16.5 | 9.4 |
| Groceries / 800m | 58 | 45 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 204 | 99 |
| Parks / 800m | 91 | 68 |
| 311 last 14 days | 2,921 | 1,200 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for New York city. Up 48% since 2014. Harlem is 17% below the 2024 city median. Jackson is 2% 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 Harlem if you want the errands on foot and the shorter ride to Midtown is the point. Walk is 28 vs 3. 18 vs 42 minutes to Midtown. ACS median rent is $1,516 vs $1,861. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Jackson Heights if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 90 vs 38. Schools score 30 vs 0. Read both pages before you decide.
Harlem
Brownstones, the Apollo, and a park at the north end of the island. Not a starter-kit neighborhood — the original one.
$1,516 median rent · safety 38 · walk 28
Jackson Heights
Roosevelt Avenue, the 7 train, and the densest food in Queens. Diversity is the amenity, not a slogan.
$1,861 median rent · safety 90 · walk 3
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Harlem or Jackson Heights?
Harlem is the lower ACS median: $1,516 vs $1,861. About 84% rent in Harlem vs 60% in Jackson Heights. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Harlem more walkable than Jackson Heights?
Harlem wins the errand count (walk 28 vs 3). Groceries inside 800 meters: 58 vs 45. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Harlem or Jackson Heights?
Jackson Heights is the calmer Part I read (90 vs 38). Combined rate 9.4 vs 16.5 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Harlem or Jackson Heights?
Jackson Heights leads the school axis (30 vs 0). Nearby rating is 6.7 / 10 vs 5.8 / 10. Median age 42.5 vs 38.7. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Midtown?
18 minutes from Harlem to Midtown, 42 from Jackson Heights. Harlem is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood that is not Harlem or Jackson Heights: Long Island City. Waterfront towers, the 7 train, and a skyline that faces Manhattan. New-build default for people priced out of the island.
Harlem vs Long Island CityJackson Heights vs Long Island City
Scores are relative among official New York neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.