Clinton Hill

Clinton Hill is one of Brooklyn's prettiest and calmest neighborhoods, sitting right between Fort Greene and Bed-Stuy. Its side streets are lined with mansions, carriage houses and brownstones built when this was one of the wealthiest corners of the borough.

Pratt Institute sits in the middle of the neighborhood, which keeps the streets full of students, galleries and small design studios. Myrtle and DeKalb Avenues carry the coffee shops, bakeries and restaurants.

Rentals are mostly floor-through apartments in brownstones plus a growing number of newer elevator buildings with laundry and roof decks. It's an easy pick for renters who want quiet without feeling far from anything.