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If you’ve felt like your rent is creeping up faster than the express train at Union Square, you’re right. A new NYC Subway Median Rent Map from RentHop confirms what many already suspected: Rent prices increased near 87-percent of subway stations this year. That’s 412 stops where your wallet might be gasping for air, up from 84-percent last year. The citywide median is now at a soul-crushing $4,700, the highest on record.
RentHop's annual map breaks down median one-bedroom rents by subway station and this year’s edition paints a clear picture: More New Yorkers are ditching lease renewals in pricey Manhattan and heading for the outer boroughs, only to find that rent hikes followed them there.
Steinway Street in Queens tops the chart with a 14.29-percent jump, landing at $3,000. Over in the Bronx, 183rd Street saw a 14.19-percent spike to $2,278, while Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn swelled to $2,800, up 14.03-percent. Even sleepy stops like Bronx Park East (13.5-percent) and Kingsbridge Road (13.3-percent) weren’t spared.
Why the citywide spike? RentHop points to New York’s new congestion pricing program, which has boosted subway ridership by 7-percent in the first half of 2025. As more commuters opt for OMNY cards over car keys, subway adjacency remains a hot (and costly) commodity.
Developers are also part of the story. New construction in neighborhoods like Astoria, Fordham Heights and Brighton Beach brought fancy amenities—and higher rents—to outer-borough blocks. And while these buildings offer more inventory, they often lease well above the area’s median.
Still, there are a few pockets of relief. Only 40 stations—just 8-percent—saw rent drops, including parts of Williamsburg along the L and G lines and several 4 and 6 train stops in the Bronx. Ave N (F) takes the prize for biggest dip with a 5-ercent decrease.
So, what’s a renter to do? You’re likely stuck choosing between a higher rent bill or a longer commute. Either way, may the odds—and your budget—be ever in your favor.