Jamaica is a middle-class neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 12, which also includes Hollis, St. Albans, Springfield Gardens, Baisley Pond Park, Rochdale Village, and South Jamaica. The NYPD's 103rd, 113th & 105th Precincts patrol Jamaica.
It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica". Jamaica was the county seat of Queens County from the formation of the county in 1683 until March 7, 1788, when the state government reorganized the town and the county seat moved to Mineola (now part of Nassau County). In 1814, Jamaica became the first incorporated village on Long Island. When Queens was incorporated into the City of Greater New York in 1898, both the Town of Jamaica and the Village of Jamaica were dissolved, but the neighborhood of Jamaica regained its role as county seat. Today, some locals group Jamaica's surrounding neighborhoods into an unofficial Greater Jamaica, roughly corresponding to the former Town of Jamaica, including Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, St. Albans, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens, Hollis, Laurelton, Cambria Heights, Queens Village, Howard Beach and Ozone Park.
Jamaica is the location of several government buildings including Queens Civil Court, the civil branch of the Queens County Supreme Court, the Queens County Family Court and the Joseph P. Addabbo Federal Building, home to the Social Security Administration's Northeastern Program Service Center. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Northeast Regional Laboratory as well as the New York District Office are also located in Jamaica. Jamaica Center, the area around Jamaica Avenue and 165th Street, is a major commercial center, as well as the home of the Central Library of the Queens Borough Public Library. The New York Racing Association, based at Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, lists its official address as Jamaica (Central Jamaica once housed NYRA's Jamaica Racetrack, now the massive Rochdale Village housing development). John F. Kennedy International Airport and the hotels nearby also use Jamaica as their address.
reviews (41)
Unfriendly neighborhoods mainly do to the increase in crime less protection from police less interaction and increase in New younger people moving in
It has parks for young children and libraries for all. There are also many stores for people of all ages to be interested in. It can be age unfriendly at times because of crime.
Age friendly because it is in a suburbia area...I give it a 5 because people are willing to give you correct directions and you can take the train, bus or care services
Age friendly. All ages & ethnic groups live here. Old & young in various neighborhoods. We have medium, low & moderate income folks in the neighborhood who own their homes or rent
Everyone in the community is typically from the same ethnic groups which makes it easy to live here because it very much like where you came from. Clinics, adult day care, hospital , and transportation is easily obtained for everyone. And family is always close by to fine a helping hand.