Jamaica Hills

Jamaica Hills is a peaceful residential area in Queens. There are lots of apartments, co-ops, and private homes on tree-lined streets. The population is extremely diverse, with a pretty good mix of Hispanic, African American, South Asian, and Caucasian residents. There is a huge Muslim Center. Prices are reasonable for New York City, but this is definitely not a cheap neighborhood so residents tend to be a little older. During the last housing boom, a lot of developers built multi-family homes and housing prices soared, but they stabilized during the foreclosure crisis. Transportation options are pretty good, with access to the subway on Hillside Avenue and the LIRR station on Sutphin Boulevard. Residents can take buses to either station. The school district in Jamaica Hills is excellent. P.S. 132 in particular is very well regarded. Middle School 216 is in Fresh Meadows, but is the zoned school for kids at PS 132 and is excellent also. While there isn't much in the way of shopping, there are stores for staples and there are more diverse shopping options in neighboring towns. The downside is that it tends to get pretty boring in Jamaica Hills as there is little to no nightlife. Still, it is a safe and quiet neighborhood that is excellent for families.

According to the people who live here, the name of their neighborhood is actually singular – even if the rest of the world (and many of the actual inhabitants) know it as “Jamaica Hills.” This neighborhood is a peaceful enclave for numerous immigrants of different backgrounds – the people-scape is quite a mixed one. There is a nice park here: Captain Tilly Park, which features the standard New York park fare of tree clusters, walkways, and a fairly good sized pond. The area is highly residential – meaning tourists won’t be able to stop at Starbucks or Chilis if for some reason they are staying out here. But for residents, the neighborhood is a nice one, thought real estate prices have been on the rise there for some time.

Jamaica Hills is a small neighborhood in the eastern central part of the former Township of Jamaica, Queens. It is surrounded by Hillcrest to the north, Jamaica Estates to the east, Jamaica to the south, and Briarwood to the west. The neighborhood was named after its very hilly terrain.

The area is primarily residential and some of the neighborhood’s homes date back to the 1920s and 1930s as a result of the subway construction at the time along Jamaica and Hillside Avenues. Jamaica Hills is a quiet neighborhood overall, and boasts many different ethnic groups. Many families in the area are from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other South Asian countries. Residents come here to find a quiet way of life close to public transportation and good schools. There is also a large Muslim Center that draws the Muslim community to this area.

Subway service can be found on Hillside Avenue and there is a Long Island Rail Road station on Sutphin Boulevard and Archer Avenue. Buses also service the area, and drivers can take Grand Central Parkway, the community’s northern boundary.

The strongest asset the neighborhood has is the highly regarded P.S. 131 on 172nd Street and 84th Avenue. Parents are very involved in their children’s schooling and have the common thread belief that education is crucial to their child’s success. As a result, scores from this school are some of the best in the nation.