Jamaica

This neighborhood in southeast Queens is minutes away from Kennedy International Airport. In recent years, the neighborhood has become a hotbed as a spate of new hotels and even luxury apartment buildings have opened up. As a result, Jamaica has been recognized as one of the five hottest up-and-coming neighborhoods.

Locals shop at Jamaica Market, which features independently owned retailers and food purveyors. Cultural centers like the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning, Jamaica Performing Arts Center and the York College Performing Arts Center as well as the borough’s central library enhance the area’s vibrancy.
The E, J and Z trains terminate at the Jamaica Center/Parsons Blvd. station and serve several other stops in the neighborhood. The F trains stops at the Parsons Blvd/Hillside Ave. The Jamaica Station is a central transfer point for Long Island Railroad and over 30 bus routes service the neighborhood.

There are 11 public high schools, including Queens High School for the Sciences at York College, one of NYC’s most highly selective. There are 12 public elementary and junior high schools. Jamaica Hospital Medical Center services the area.