Living in Fordham: rent, commute and grades

The Bronx · Updated October 2026

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Rent in Fordham

$1,239 a month

Type of homeA room in a 2-bedroom, shared by two

COverall

Grades compare NYC neighborhoods with each other. How the grades work.

A-Walkability
The average home has 4.9 of 5 everyday needs within a 10-minute walk (grocery store, restaurant, cafe, subway station, park) and about 365 places to eat or shop.
Residents: Getting around by bus and train worked fine without a car; a car became necessary only for work outside the city. Resident, Sep 2024
B+Food and shopping
Within a 10-minute walk of the average home: about 66 places to eat, 18 kinds of cuisine, 5.4 large grocery stores and 236 open storefronts.
AParks and green space
100% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park of an acre or more, with about 137 acres of parkland within 1 km and about 545 street trees within 300 m of the average home.

CCommunity
14% of households moved in since 2018, 3% are roommates sharing a home, 21% of residents are 22 to 34, and there are about 19 cafes and bars within a 10-minute walk of the average home.
B-Nightlife
About 12 bars, clubs and restaurants licensed to serve alcohol on site within a 10-minute walk of the average home.

FSafety
13.9 murders, robberies, felony assaults and burglaries were reported per 1,000 residents in 2025 (588 in all).
Residents: Living there has been rough: some streets are safe, others are ones you would not want to walk down, so choose your block carefully. Resident of 10 years, Aug 2025
City data and 7 resident threads on Reddit agree on this grade.
FQuiet
58 noise complaints to 311 per 1,000 residents in 2025, not counting helicopter complaints, and counting each address at most 12 days a year. That measures how often people complain, not how loud it is.
Residents: The area is loud, with a lot going on at all hours. Resident of 10 years, Aug 2025
City data alone would give D; what residents say in 4 Reddit threads moves it to F.
FBuilding upkeep
70.8 serious housing code violations (class B or C) were issued in 2025 per 100 rented homes, and there were 22.8 heat or hot water complaints per 100 rented homes.

QuietFordham Road itself is very busy, but side blocks off it can be quiet. Former resident, Apr 2025
WalkabilityGetting around by bus and train worked fine without a car; a car became necessary only for work outside the city. Resident, Sep 2024

QuietThe area is loud, with a lot going on at all hours. Resident of 10 years, Aug 2025
SafetyParking far from home late at night brings a worry about being mugged on the walk back. Resident, Sep 2024

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Living there has been rough: some streets are safe, others are ones you would not want to walk down, so choose your block carefully.
Resident of 10 years, Aug 2025
With heavy foot and car traffic, Fordham is a fairly safe place during the day on the sidewalk.
Not a resident, Feb 2026
Apartments on University Avenue between Fordham Road and Kingsbridge Road are a much better choice than those farther south.
Not a resident, Jan 2026

Fordham Road is an enjoyable strip for walking up and down, shopping and eating.
Former resident of nearby Southern Boulevard, Sep 2025

Driving around Fordham is stressful, with reckless drivers and the worst traffic from 2 to 8 pm on weekdays; transit and walking are easier.
Not a resident, Mar 2025

Constant parking battles and double parking at night make the area a poor fit for anyone who wants a quieter lifestyle.
Resident, Sep 2024
Loud music outside is common in summer near Fordham Road and Jerome Avenue, and complaining about it is unwise.
Not a resident, Jun 2025

By subway or bus, arriving by 9:00 on a weekday:Under 30 min30 to 45 min45 to 60 minOver an hourFordham

Fordham grew in the 1930s, when many middle- and working-class Jewish families moved in, drawn by modern housing and subway access to jobs and shopping in Manhattan. Source
Fordham Road is the longest shopping strip in the Bronx, according to Community Board 7, and keeps drawing new businesses and developments. Source
Fordham Road is the Bronx's busiest bus corridor. In July 2026 the city broke ground on offset bus lanes from Sedgwick Avenue to Boston Road for its 130,000 daily bus riders. Source
Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, built in 1812, is typical of the working-class houses of the old village of Fordham. Poe wrote "Annabel Lee" and "The Bells" there, and in 1913 the house was moved across the street into a public park to save it. Source
St. James' Episcopal Church at 2500 Jerome Avenue, a stone Gothic Revival church designed in 1863 for what was then a rural parish, stands one block north of commercial Fordham Road and is a city landmark. Source
The Kingsbridge Armory is set to become a community hub. In October 2025 the City Council approved a plan with an event venue, recreation, cultural, commercial and community space and, in a second phase, about 500 permanently affordable rental homes next to the armory. Source