Brownstone Guide · Market insights
Last updated: November 9, 2026 · By Katie Keate Johnson, Decode Real Estate
A Brooklyn brownstone's median sale price ranges from $1.65M in Crown Heights to $6.77M in Brooklyn Heights, a 4.1 times spread across 12 neighborhoods. The median house takes 49 days to sell, and about a third of buyers (32%) pay all cash. Over ten years, prices rose from 10% in Boerum Hill to 79% in Fort Greene.
Jump to: Prices by neighborhood · Ten-year growth · Top of the market · How fast they sell · Cash vs financed · How long owners hold · Developer flips · Renovation · Report card · FAQ
How much does a brownstone cost in Brooklyn?
It depends almost entirely on the neighborhood. Brooklyn Heights sits alone at the top with a $6.77M median; Cobble Hill and Park Slope follow at $4.68M and $4.10M. At the other end, Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Bed-Stuy all sit near or below $2M.
Median townhouse sale price by neighborhood
| Neighborhood | Sales since 2023 | Median price | Median $/sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Heights | 84 | $6.77M | $1,494 |
| Cobble Hill | 89 | $4.68M | $1,392 |
| Park Slope | 312 | $4.10M | $1,167 |
| Boerum Hill | 111 | $3.75M | $1,230 |
| Carroll Gardens | 196 | $3.43M | $1,214 |
| Fort Greene | 120 | $3.33M | $1,031 |
| Prospect Heights | 64 | $3.24M | $1,068 |
| Clinton Hill | 144 | $2.61M | $913 |
| Windsor Terrace | 169 | $2.03M | $935 |
| Bedford-Stuyvesant | 545 | $2.02M | $710 |
| Prospect Lefferts Gardens | 175 | $1.87M | $682 |
| Crown Heights | 442 | $1.65M | $605 |
Source: REBNY closed townhouse sales, 2023 to present, n = 2,451.
Price per square foot tells a slightly different story: Carroll Gardens and Boerum Hill sell for more per square foot than Park Slope, because their houses are smaller. For what that square footage looks like, see how wide is a Brooklyn brownstone.
How much have Brooklyn brownstone prices grown in ten years?
Every neighborhood is up, but not evenly. Fort Greene leads with 79% growth in its median price over the past decade, followed by Park Slope and Windsor Terrace at 59%. Clinton Hill (12%) and Boerum Hill (10%) grew the least. The top end has moved even more in some neighborhoods; see below.
Ten-year growth in median townhouse price
Source: REBNY closed townhouse sales, median price ten years ago vs today.
How much has the top of the Brooklyn brownstone market risen?
The median only tells half the story. Plenty of houses that come to market still need major work, which holds the median down, while fully renovated houses keep setting new highs. One way to see the top end is the price where the most expensive 10% of sales begins in each neighborhood.
In 9 of the 12 neighborhoods, the top end rose faster than the median. Clinton Hill's median grew 12% over ten years, but the price where its top 10% of sales begins rose 48%, from about $3.3M to $4.8M. In Boerum Hill, the median rose 10% and the top end 34%. Fort Greene, Park Slope and Windsor Terrace are the exceptions, where the whole market moved up together.
| Neighborhood | Top 10% began at, 2015 to 2016 | Top 10% begins at, 2025 to 2026 | Change | Median change, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Heights | $1.7M | $2.8M | +64% | +22% |
| Bedford-Stuyvesant | $2.0M | $3.1M | +58% | +52% |
| Prospect Heights | $3.8M | $6.0M | +57% | +29% |
| Cobble Hill | $6.3M | $9.7M | +54% | +45% |
| Park Slope | $4.4M | $6.7M | +53% | +59% |
| Fort Greene | $3.7M | $5.6M | +52% | +79% |
| Clinton Hill | $3.3M | $4.8M | +48% | +12% |
| Carroll Gardens | $3.7M | $5.4M | +44% | +27% |
| Brooklyn Heights | $9.1M | $12.7M | +40% | +32% |
| Windsor Terrace | $2.2M | $3.1M | +40% | +59% |
| Prospect Lefferts Gardens | $2.0M | $2.7M | +38% | +34% |
| Boerum Hill | $4.7M | $6.2M | +34% | +10% |
Source: RealPlus closed townhouse sales, 2015 to 2016 vs January 2025 to November 2026. The top-10% line is estimated from the count of sales above set price points. Median change is the ten-year growth shown above.
At the very top, Brooklyn Heights' priciest townhouses traded around $10 million ten years ago. In 2026, 192 Columbia Heights closed at $24.5 million.
How fast do Brooklyn brownstones sell?
The median townhouse takes 49 days to sell, and 46% close at or above the last asking price. Time is the tell: how long a brownstone sits is closely tied to what it sells for relative to asking.
| Time on market | Sold at or over ask | Typical sale vs last ask |
|---|---|---|
| Under 15 days | 72% | At ask |
| 15 to 30 days | 71% | +2.0% |
| 31 to 60 days | 44% | -1.4% |
| 61 to 90 days | 23% | -3.1% |
| 91 to 180 days | 22% | -4.3% |
| 180+ days | 16% | -5.6% |
Source: REBNY per-listing records, closed sales 2023 to present, compared with the last asking price.
| Neighborhood | Median days on market | Sold at or over ask |
|---|---|---|
| Windsor Terrace | 35 | 59% |
| Prospect Heights | 35 | 51% |
| Park Slope | 37 | 57% |
| Boerum Hill | 38 | 38% |
| Cobble Hill | 39 | 55% |
| Carroll Gardens | 44 | 43% |
| Prospect Lefferts Gardens | 46 | 46% |
| Crown Heights | 50 | 44% |
| Fort Greene | 55 | 38% |
| Bedford-Stuyvesant | 55 | 35% |
| Brooklyn Heights | 77 | 32% |
| Clinton Hill | 82 | 46% |
Source: REBNY closed sales with a recorded days on market, n = 1,277.
The fastest neighborhoods, Windsor Terrace, Prospect Heights and Park Slope, also have the highest share selling at or over ask. Brooklyn Heights and Clinton Hill take the longest, which is where there is the most room to negotiate on a house that has sat.
How many Brooklyn brownstone buyers pay cash?
About a third. 32% of Brooklyn townhouse purchases close all cash, and the share climbs with price: 17% under $2M, 34% from $2M to $4M, and 40% at $4M and up. Buyers at the top of the market are often bidding against cash.
Share of buyers paying all cash, by neighborhood
Source: ACRIS deeds matched to a purchase mortgage recorded on the same tax lot around the sale date; no mortgage means a cash purchase.
How long do people own Brooklyn brownstones?
These houses rarely change hands. About 3 in 10 Brooklyn townhouses (29%) have not sold in 20 years or more, or have no deed on record at all. The market is split: about half have traded in the last ten years, while a real tail has stayed with one owner for 30, 40 or 50 years. Prospect Heights, Windsor Terrace and Prospect Lefferts Gardens have the longest holders.
| Neighborhood | Sold under 5 yrs ago | 5 to 10 yrs | 10 to 20 yrs | 20+ yrs or no deed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prospect Heights | 21% | 16% | 17% | 46% |
| Windsor Terrace | 18% | 17% | 24% | 41% |
| Prospect Lefferts Gardens | 20% | 21% | 24% | 35% |
| Park Slope | 27% | 15% | 25% | 33% |
| Clinton Hill | 27% | 19% | 23% | 31% |
| Carroll Gardens | 23% | 24% | 24% | 29% |
| Brooklyn Heights | 28% | 14% | 30% | 28% |
| Cobble Hill | 20% | 23% | 31% | 26% |
| Fort Greene | 24% | 27% | 23% | 26% |
| Crown Heights | 28% | 22% | 25% | 26% |
| Bedford-Stuyvesant | 30% | 22% | 23% | 25% |
| Boerum Hill | 21% | 33% | 22% | 24% |
Source: ACRIS deed history by tax lot, n = 2,279 buildings. Years since the last priced sale over $50,000, or the last deed of any kind where no priced sale exists.
A long hold means more history to untangle at closing. Read what a title expert told me on the Certificate of Occupancy page.
How common are developer flips in Brooklyn?
Some brownstones are bought, gut-renovated and resold within a few years. They cluster in a few neighborhoods: Bed-Stuy sees about 41 a year and Crown Heights about 33. The developer premium exists, but it is not a trump card. In Park Slope, Carroll Gardens and Clinton Hill, a renovated flip sells for about the same as the typical house.
| Neighborhood | Estimated flips per year | Developer flip median | Neighborhood median | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford-Stuyvesant | 41 | $2.29M | $2.00M | +14% |
| Crown Heights | 33 | $1.81M | $1.60M | +13% |
| Park Slope | 19 | $4.04M | $4.05M | 0% |
| Carroll Gardens | 12 | $3.40M | $3.38M | +1% |
| Clinton Hill | 12 | $2.53M | $2.55M | -1% |
| Fort Greene | 10 | $3.95M | $3.29M | +20% |
| Prospect Lefferts Gardens | 9 | $1.95M | $1.85M | +5% |
| Brooklyn Heights | 8 | $7.15M | $6.60M | +8% |
| Windsor Terrace | 8 | $2.21M | $2.02M | +9% |
| Prospect Heights | 3 | $4.03M | $3.20M | +26% |
Source: REBNY closed sales 2023 to 2026. A flip is a house bought less than 5 years after its previous sale and sold by a business entity.
What buyers compete hardest for is a house that keeps its prewar charm and original detail but comes with updated mechanicals and a move-in-ready finish.
How many brownstone buyers renovate?
Most buyers do not start out expecting to, but 45% of Brooklyn townhouse buyers file a renovation permit after closing. The median permit takes 14 months from filing to sign-off, and that does not count the planning time before you file. Fort Greene and Prospect Heights lead at 54%; Crown Heights is lowest at 30%.
Share of buyers filing a renovation permit after buying
Source: NYC DOB NOW alteration filings after each sale. Counts houses with at least one filing.
Brooklyn brownstone report card: every neighborhood, every metric
All the numbers in one table, for comparing neighborhoods side by side.
| Neighborhood | Median price | $/sq ft | Median width | All cash | Held 20+ yrs | Renovated | Garden rent covers | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Heights | $6.77M | $1,494 | 24.7 ft | 49% | 28% | 51% | 15% | 77 |
| Cobble Hill | $4.68M | $1,392 | 21.0 ft | 46% | 26% | 53% | 20% | 39 |
| Park Slope | $4.10M | $1,167 | 20.0 ft | 37% | 33% | 49% | 25% | 37 |
| Boerum Hill | $3.75M | $1,230 | 20.0 ft | 35% | 24% | 42% | 26% | 38 |
| Carroll Gardens | $3.43M | $1,214 | 20.0 ft | 36% | 29% | 50% | 27% | 44 |
| Fort Greene | $3.33M | $1,031 | 20.0 ft | 35% | 26% | 54% | 26% | 55 |
| Prospect Heights | $3.24M | $1,068 | 19.2 ft | 33% | 46% | 54% | 27% | 35 |
| Clinton Hill | $2.61M | $913 | 20.0 ft | 36% | 31% | 53% | 29% | 82 |
| Windsor Terrace | $2.03M | $935 | 19.8 ft | 29% | 41% | 43% | 30% | 35 |
| Bedford-Stuyvesant | $2.02M | $710 | 20.0 ft | 27% | 25% | 44% | 33% | 55 |
| Prospect Lefferts Gardens | $1.87M | $682 | 20.0 ft | 33% | 35% | 41% | 35% | 46 |
| Crown Heights | $1.65M | $605 | 20.0 ft | 24% | 26% | 30% | 40% | 50 |
Sources: REBNY, ACRIS, NYC DOB and NYC PLUTO. Held 20+ years includes houses with no deed on record. Garden rent covers is the share of the monthly mortgage on a median multi-family that one garden-floor tenant pays.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a brownstone cost in Brooklyn?
The median Brooklyn townhouse sold since 2023 ranges from $1.65M in Crown Heights to $6.77M in Brooklyn Heights, based on 2,451 closed sales in 12 neighborhoods. That is a 4.1 times spread from the least to the most expensive neighborhood.
Which Brooklyn neighborhood has the cheapest brownstones?
Crown Heights, with a median townhouse price of $1.65M and $605 per square foot. Prospect Lefferts Gardens ($1.87M) and Bed-Stuy ($2.02M) are next.
How fast do Brooklyn brownstones sell?
The median townhouse takes 49 days to sell. Speed and price move together: 72% of houses that sell in under 15 days go at or above the asking price, compared with 16% of houses that sit more than 180 days.
How many Brooklyn brownstone buyers pay cash?
About a third. 32% of Brooklyn townhouse purchases close all cash, rising from 17% under $2M to 40% at $4M and above. Brooklyn Heights is the most cash-heavy neighborhood at 49%.
How long do people own Brooklyn brownstones?
Many hold for decades. About 3 in 10 Brooklyn townhouses (29%) have not sold in 20 years or more, or have no deed on record. Prospect Heights has the longest holders: 46% have not traded in at least 20 years.
How much have Brooklyn brownstone prices gone up?
Over the past ten years, median townhouse prices rose anywhere from 10% in Boerum Hill to 79% in Fort Greene. The top end rose faster than the median in 9 of 12 neighborhoods. In Brooklyn Heights, the priciest townhouses traded around $10 million ten years ago; in 2026, one closed at $24.5 million.
Get the full guide, or talk it through
Decoding the Brooklyn Brownstone is my 18-page data guide built from 2,451 townhouse sales in 12 neighborhoods. Request a copy and I will email it to you, or book a call and we can look at the houses you are considering.
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