By: Myrtle Wilson

A growing number of Brooklyn residents are packing their bags and heading across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, with Staten Island emerging as the top destination for those priced out of Kings County. A new PropertyShark analysis first reported by the New York Post found that 12% of Brooklyn homebuyers in the first five months of 2025 opted for Staten Island — the largest cross-borough migration in the city this year.

According to the report, out of 2,669 Brooklynites who purchased property between Jan. 1 and May 31, 315 chose Staten Island. The trend underscores the affordability crisis facing Brooklyn, where the median home sale price has surged to $850,000. By comparison, the median Staten Island home went for $708,000 over the same period — a full 17% less. That gap has made the “forgotten borough” a lifeline for families seeking more space without leaving New York altogether.

As the New York Post noted, while Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island residents mostly buy within their own boroughs, Brooklyn stands out. Nearly one in ten Brooklyn buyers are looking elsewhere, with 6% heading to Queens, 4% to Manhattan, and a substantial share — 12% — to Staten Island.

For many, the move is about more than price. Wallace Wong, a 47-year-old father of two who left Bath Beach for Staten Island’s New Dorp last month, told the New York Post that the decision was driven by both affordability and quality of life. “Brooklyn is just super expensive,” Wong said. “For just over $1 million, we were able to get a detached, four-bedroom home with a private backyard. It’s bigger, quieter, and feels less crowded, but still close to the city.”

Realtors say this is part of a broader pattern that began during the pandemic, when space-starved Brooklynites trapped in apartments flocked to Staten Island’s larger single-family homes. Staten Island realtor Tom Crimmins explained to the New York Post that Brooklyn buyers accounted for 26% of Staten Island sales in 2020, jumped to 31% in 2021, and though the figure has since declined, it still remains high at 21% this year.

“People came for the space and privacy during COVID, and many never left,” Crimmins said. “They realized Staten Island has beautiful, tree-lined streets, strong communities, and much better value. People come here and they stay.”

The migration is also heavily concentrated in certain Brooklyn neighborhoods. According to PropertyShark data cited by the New York Post, 52% of Brooklynites who moved to Staten Island this year came from just four communities: Sunset Park, Bensonhurst, Borough Park, and Bay Ridge — all areas where housing pressures and family needs often collide.

Location still matters, though. Nearly a quarter of Staten Island home sales handled by Crimmins this year went to former Brooklynites who specifically wanted to live near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, making the commute back to the city quicker and maintaining ties to their old borough.

As the New York Post emphasized, borough loyalty remains strong across New York — but Brooklyn’s soaring prices are forcing cracks in that tradition. Staten Island, once overlooked, is suddenly gaining momentum as the affordable alternative for families who want more space without sacrificing their New York identity.