Queens Apartments & Rentals

Queens is the most ethnically diverse urban area in the world. Almost half of the residents here were born in another country. From 100 different nations, speaking 138 different languages, they all choose this welcoming section of Long Island. Having two of the busiest airports in the world here, John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia, might not hurt immigration any, either! Find your Queens apartment or rental with Rent.com®, and join the unparalleled diversity in this New York borough.

Established in 1683, Queens is said to be named for Catherine of Braganza. The Portuguese princess married England's King Charles II and became queen at the time. The area remained under British control during the American Revolution. Until 1784, in fact, Queens was just five towns: Flushing, Hempsted, Jamaica, Newtown, and Oyster Bay. That changed over the next century. Queens became a borough of New York City in 1898. The Long Island Rail Road was electrified in 1908 and the Queensboro Bridge opened the following year. Transportation improved further, with tunnels and the subway coming online over the next decade. As the area became more accessible, the population of Queens more than doubled. Today, Queens is largest borough of New York City and the fourth most populated county in the United States. Residents here closely identify with their neighborhoods, which frequently take on ethnic personalities. Kew Gardens Hill, for example, is mostly Jewish. Rockaway Beach is Irish. Astoria has one of the world's largest Greek populations outside of Greece. In Flushing, residents are primarily Chinese and Korean. Fitting for its name, the Jamaica neighborhood is largely Caribbean and African American.

Queens has New York City's most diverse economy. Health care, retail, manufacturing, construction, transportation, and film & television production all compete to create the most jobs. If you're seeking an education, Queens College and three other City University of New York campuses are here. Among other options is Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology. Air travel is an important element of both Queens' economy and education.

Queens remains one of the cheaper boroughs of New York City, along with the Bronx. You can find everything from high-density housing to large single-family homes here. What you choose, and where in the large borough it's located, will affect your cost of living. In general, two-bedroom apartments in Queens rent for around $2,500.

There's plenty to see and do in the borough of Queens. For starters, head to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, home of the New York Mets and host of the US Open Tennis Tournament. Two world fairs went down here as well. For film buffs, Kaufman Astoria Studios is where films like The Wiz were shot. Silvercup Studios produces movies and TV shows too, such as 30 Rock and Fringe. You can also check out the New York Hall of Science or gawk at graffiti art exhibits at places like 5 Pointz, all in Queens.

Many of the seasonal events that keep Queens moving are ethnic. You can show spirit at the Colombian Independence Day Festival or at Dragon Boat Races. The Queens County Fair is one of many community events hosted by the Queens County Farm Museum. There's the US Open every Labor Day and, if you're lucky, maybe the Mets will make the playoffs, too!

If you're seeking a Queens apartment, Rent.com® can assist. Let us help you get settled in the perfect rental.