Queens Buyers Driving Migration to Long Island Amid Rising Prices

Written by:

Steve Marcinuk

Date:

06 Feb 2026

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A new wave of migration is reshaping the New York metropolitan real estate market as buyers priced out of Queens increasingly move east to Long Island. Lower home prices and steady demand are fueling what some agents predict could become the nation’s most competitive market by 2026.

Grace Folias, owner and team lead at The Modern Approach Real Estate, works in both New York and Florida. She points to a recent report highlighting Nassau County as a potential leader in U.S. real estate activity this year. “Nassau County on Long Island is actually going to be the hottest real estate market in the entire United States this year,” Folias says.

Folias sees the migration trend accelerating. Many buyers who once focused on Queens are now looking to Long Island, drawn by more attainable prices. “A lot of buyers from Queens are actually not looking in Queens right now,” she notes. “They’re looking at Long Island, where the home prices are a little bit less.”

Queens Buyers Hit a Price Ceiling

There is a clear affordability limit for entry-level buyers in Queens. Folias explains that single-family homes typically start at around $650,000 to $700,000, but even at this price point, competition is fierce. “If you see a house on the market for $700,000, it’s probably selling for $750,000 because after you get all of those offers, everybody’s outbidding each other,” she says.

This competition is pushing buyers further east. While Queens condo prices have jumped nearly 19% in neighborhoods like Astoria, many first-time buyers now see Long Island as a better value for the same or even lower price. As a result, demand is shifting to areas that were previously secondary options.

Multiple Buyer Groups Converge on Long Island

Long Island’s current momentum is not driven by just one group. Folias says buyers are arriving from multiple directions simultaneously. “You have a lot of people moving from Long Island to Long Island, as well as everybody from Queens and everyone from Brooklyn,” she says. “Everybody’s kind of traveling out east, further away from the city, because it’s more affordable and still a short commute to Manhattan for those that work there.”

Brooklyn residents seeking more space, Queens buyers unable to compete locally, and Long Island residents relocating within the region are all targeting the same limited inventory. This convergence of migration streams is creating sustained demand that is outpacing supply.

Unlike many other regions, Long Island has not experienced a price correction since the pandemic. “We haven’t really seen a decline since COVID in the Long Island market,” Folias notes, highlighting the area’s resilience.

Long Island’s Stability Stands Out

Folias draws a direct comparison between Long Island’s steady market and Florida’s more volatile trends. “New York tends to hold its values really strongly,” she says. Buyers who purchased in New York two years ago have often gained $100,000 to $200,000 in equity, while prices in Florida have declined over the same period.

This consistency makes Long Island especially appealing to buyers concerned about market risk. While Florida may offer lower taxes and more space for the money, Folias emphasizes that “New York always has a steady increase” in values, making it a more reliable investment, even if appreciation is slower.

For Queens buyers considering a move, Long Island’s combination of price stability and relative affordability stands out. Many compare it favorably to renting or stretching to buy in Queens, where entry-level homes are now out of reach for many.

Long Island Becomes a Primary Destination

Folias’s experience indicates a fundamental shift in Long Island’s position in the regional housing market. The area is no longer just a backup plan for those priced out of the city. Instead, it has become the last accessible option within commuting distance of jobs in New York City.

“It’s more affordable and still a short commute to Manhattan for those that work there,” Folias says, underscoring the geographic advantage that is drawing buyers east.

Whether Long Island can maintain this momentum as prices rise and inventory remains tight depends on how quickly new homes can be brought to market. For now, however, the migration from Queens and Brooklyn continues to accelerate, and demand shows no sign of slowing in Nassau County.

Looking ahead, Folias expects the trend to intensify. “I think it’s going to be a powerful year for real estate,” she says, with Nassau County poised to benefit most as buyers continue to seek out affordability and stability within reach of New York City. The region’s ability to attract buyers from multiple directions suggests that Long Island is set to play a central role in the next phase of the metropolitan housing market.