brooklyn heights is by far most convient to subways, nice area expect to pay $1600-1800 for 1 decent size one bedroom
cobble hill and boerum hilll is also nice, price is approx the same, 2 subway lines (depending on where you located)
williamsburg is a little to hipster for me, cool to visit but I cant imagine living there, plus you are limited to one subway line, you can get a loft space of $1500 and up
i used to live in bed stuy, cool up and coming are near PRATT, i had a 1200 loft space in a great building for $1500, but you are limited to one subway line (took me 45 min to get to manhattan)

brooklyn is a great deal if you are looking for space at a resonable price, unfortunitely in nyc you have to choose either space is convenience, you cant have both

I agree with Traced but I think Willaimsburg is much more expensive now. Bed-Stuy and Bushwick are good deals but not the best neighborhoods if you are planning on living alone and working late I would consider other areas. Personally I like the neighborhoods around Prospect Park like Park Slop, Windsor Terrace, Prospect Heights, and Crown Heights. Park Slope would be considered the central area with all the restaurants and shops and subsequently the highest rent 1400-1800 for a one bed. The other neighborhoods are cheaper and about a 5-15 minute walk to the park and the buisness district of Park Slope. Check out sites like curbed.com and hellobrooklyn.com for real esate info and photos.

click on neighborhood in left margin for info

I have a friend who lives in Boerum Hill & likes it a lot... she pays $650 I think for a big room in a two bedroom, but her roomate has lived there a while (she moved in this year). Sh'es right near the subway and I think it takes her about 15 minutes to get to her work in Manhattan (Broadway). Fairly quick trip to Williamsburg as well.

You might want to check out Greenpoint. Fairly nice area however metro train with G, is not frequent but you can always take the L train from Williamsburg within reasonable walk. Long Island City is another place to consider if you prefer living near Manhattan and artsy hood. Around Queens, Sunnyside is reasonable area to live.

All of the above suggestions are good. I really like the Park Slope, Windsor Terrace area. You can find decent rent prices if you really look and are willing to live with other people. If you are near a subway stop, lower Manhattan is only 40min. It is a safe area and worth looking into.

Check out the Greenwood Cemetery area (4th and 5th aves. in the high teens and low 20s) and Sunset Park. Rents are cheaper here than in places like Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Boerum Hill, etc.

The key to a short commute in these areas is living near an express stop. That will make all the difference, if you're commuting into Manhattan.

redhook yo!!!!!

ive heard only good things

that is if you prefer to be perfectly isolated

I know Williamsburg is supposed to be one of the expensive non-Manhattan neighborhoods, but it's surely got to be much better than actually living in Manhattan, right? Okay, maybe not MUCH better, but better nonetheless. Plus, I've been told it has a nice nightlife of it's own. Have most of the loft spaces been claimed? Thanks for the input everyone, but what's the vibe like in these places? What's the neighborhood like? Some of you have touched on issues of safety and transportation, but what kind of place is it? For example, one can say UES is predominantly a tony rich area. LES, more bohemian. You get my drift.

bedford stuyvesant the livest one.

I'm in Greenpoint in a loft building.. I have to say the G train thing sucks, but you get used to it. The neighborhood is great and not as expensive as Williamsburg. Manhattan is very accessible so long as you're not going above 50th street. It's only a matter o time before greenpoint becomes jsut liek williamsburg. A yoga center just opened on the corner.... I knwo the polsih and puerto ricans are like WTF!

vibe in these places:

Williamsburg: Too cool for school. You have to always be traveling in groups of 5 or more with like minded hipsters down bedford waxing on about the latest Arcade Fire show.

Bushwick/Bed Stuy: Accentuate your whiteness.

Park Slope: Break out the double wide stroller and golden retriever, be sure to move your Volvo plastered with Moveon.org bumper stickers on alternate side days.

Brooklyn Heigths: When will they open a J. Crew already?

Red Hook: Lots of noisey trucks but where are the people? Not to worry IKEA is coming.

the rest of the neighborhoods (Carrol Gardens, Bourem Hill, Fort Green, Greenpoint) are variations on the above.

OK, my 2 cents

1. Williamsburg - is the new East Village. basically as rents got too expensive there the entire neighborhood moved across the East River..replete with great music venues and tons of funky boutiques. I lived there for about 5 years and just moved out recently as the rents have gone through the roof. the lofts are pretty much fully condo-ized, although there are still quite a few out on the edge of bushwick that are still going. don't even think about anything near to the river without a serious trust fund.
2. brooklyn heights, cobble hill - Since I now live in Cobble Hill I have to say it is a nice area, but It has pretty much been consumed by Brooklyn heights and is therefore pretty much expensive. think really nice tree-lined streets with brownstones...very Cosby show...Tons of small parks, great (somewhat pricey) restaurants..very few good bars, no music venues (i hate that part of it).
3. park slope - near park requires marriage certificate and a pre-requisite of at least one kid and a car. dogs are a highly recommended accessories. further away from park, the better the prices and the better chance of actually finding a good restaurant or bar.
4. carroll gardens - still can find some deals, but as its mostly single family row houses and brownstones...don't focus here...too little supply, too much demand.
5. red hook - no transport, but cool area. no grocery stores, generally bad housing, not fully developed loft culture...think williamsburg without any amenities and a really long walk
6. bed stuy - nice, difficult transportation. still hit or miss housing stock. quickly diminshing authenticity as fort greene and williamsburg squeeze in on both sides.
7. greenpoint - bad transportation, but great food and cheap living. nicer community feel than nearby williamsburg, but very limited housing stock as its mostly polish and mostly single family rowhouses...
8. the out reaches - as stated greenwood cemetary, sunset park, windsor terrace are all still on the verge - prices are still low but increasing (as is all of brooklyn) each has its own great ethnic food and transport issues, but the whole 4th ave. corridor is really becoming a great line for access to manhattan. can't say much for nightlife in any of the areas unless you like the idea of going down to the local norteno watering hole for a little two-step.

Prospect Heights is among my favorite neighborhoods in Brooklyn. It's a short walk to Fort Greene, Park Slope, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, and Prospect Park, the rents are generally cheaper than any of the fancy areas, and there's a vibrant mix of people (and relatively few hipsters or yuppies, which I consider a good thing.) It also has great access to transportation, being served by a number of trains.

As much as a like visting Williamsburg, it feels far too much like college in that everyone is hipper-than-thou.

Thanks JG, this is what I was looking for.