Other home prices in Ditmars are more modest, though they have shot up in the last 18 months, brokers said. A single-family home runs from $700,000 to $775,000; a two-family from $900,000 to $1.1 million; and a three-family from $1.2 to $1.3 million, said Charles Sciberras, an agent with Realty Executives Today who has worked in Ditmars since the 1970s.

Rentals are $1,600 to $1,800 a month for a one-bedroom, $2,000 to $2,500 for a two-bedroom and $3,000 for a three-bedroom, Mr. Sciberras said. Ditmars has seen less condominium development than south Astoria, though there have been some six- and eight-unit projects, brokers said. Condos tend to run about $700 to $775 a square foot, Mr. Sciberras said.

What to Do

Astoria Park has the oldest and largest pool in the city, tennis courts, a track, trails, basketball courts and playgrounds.

Dining in Astoria, including Ditmars, attracts people citywide. Tried-and-true favorites include Trattoria L’Incontro for Italian cuisine; and Stamatis, Taverna Kyclades, Agnanti and Telly’s Taverna for Greek specialties. There are also newcomers such as TRU Astoria with Mediterranean/New European fare, and MP Taverna. A perennial favorite is the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, a gathering spot for the Czech and Slovak community.

The Schools

Public School 122 is the neighborhood’s pride and scored an A on its most recent progress report. There are also several parochial and private alternatives in the Ditmars area, including Greek and Catholic schools. The Astoria Lutheran School serves children from age 3 through Grade 7, while St. John’s Preparatory School serves Grades 9 through 12.

The Commute

The Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard stop of the N and Q subway is the end of the line, ensuring commuters into Midtown a seat for the roughly 25-minute ride. Local buses include the 69 along Ditmars Boulevard, the 101 along Steinway Street, and the 100 out to Rikers Island. The M60, a Select Bus Service from Manhattan using dedicated lanes and requiring payment before boarding, runs along Astoria Boulevard out to La Guardia Airport. The History

The Astoria Heights section of Ditmars is home to what has been called the oldest remaining dwelling in the country still used as a residence, the Lent-Riker-Smith Homestead, built around 1655 by Abraham Riker. The Ditmars area was settled by Dutch, German and later Irish immigrants, with waves of Italian immigrants from the 1920s through the 1940s, said George Delis, a founder of the Greater Astoria Historical Society. In the 1960s and 1970s, Greek immigrants moved to the area, he said.