Rossville Staten Island: Complete Neighborhood Guide 2026
Living in Rossville: What to Expect in 2026
Rossville Staten Island sits on the South Shore, between the Arthur Kill waterfront and the West Shore Expressway, with Woodrow to the south and Arden Heights to the east. It is one of the quieter residential corners of the borough, where neighbors still wave from their porches and a Sunday at St. Joseph’s Church feels like a Staten Island from forty years ago.
I have helped families buy and sell in Rossville Staten Island for nearly three decades. The neighborhood keeps showing up on shortlists for the same reasons: detached homes with real driveways, two big condo communities for first-time buyers and downsizers, the express bus to Manhattan, and a piece of national history at Sandy Ground. This Rossville Staten Island guide covers prices, schools, commute, and the quirks I tell every client about before they sign.
In This Guide
Key Rossville stats at-a-glance
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| ZIP code | 10309 |
| Borough / community board | Staten Island, CB 3 |
| Population (Arden Heights-Rossville tract, 2020) | 30,683 |
| Median single-family price (April 2026) | approx. $695,000 to $745,000 |
| Median condo price | approx. $375,000 to $525,000 |
| Average price per sqft | approx. $425 to $475 |
| Days on market | 45 to 65 |
| Effective property tax rate | approx. 0.91 percent |
| Zoned elementary | PS 56 Louis DeSario School |
| Closest SIR station | Pleasant Plains |
Where Is Rossville? Location and Boundaries
Rossville Staten Island sits at roughly 40.541 degrees north, 74.217 degrees west. The Arthur Kill forms the western and southern edge, separating the neighborhood from Carteret and Perth Amboy across the water in New Jersey. Woodrow lies to the south and east, Arden Heights to the east, and salt marsh marks the northern edge. Rossville Staten Island is part of Community Board 3 and uses ZIP code 10309.
Most housing sits between Bloomingdale Road, Woodrow Road, Arthur Kill Road, and the West Shore Expressway (NY State Route 440), with quick access to the Outerbridge Crossing and Goethals Bridge. From Manhattan, the typical path is the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into the Staten Island Expressway, then the West Shore Expressway south.
I tell out-of-town buyers to picture Rossville Staten Island as where the South Shore starts to feel suburban rather than urban: sidewalks, but also backyards, mature trees, and saltwater air on a humid August evening. Our guide to the South Shore of Staten Island covers broader context.
A Brief History of Rossville
The Raritan Indians lived along this stretch of the Arthur Kill for centuries before British surveyors documented the land in 1684. For the next 150 years it was mostly farmland, with a small landing called Blazing Star Ferry carrying passengers and goods to New Jersey.
In the 1830s the neighborhood took its current name from Colonel William E. Ross, a local landowner who built a replica of Windsor Castle on a rise above the ferry landing. The house is long gone, but the name stuck.
A few miles inland, free African Americans began purchasing property in 1828 in what is now called Sandy Ground. Sandy Ground is among the oldest surviving communities in the United States founded by free African Americans before the Civil War. Many early residents came up from Maryland and worked the local oyster beds, a trade that ran strong until pollution shut it down around 1916. Sandy Ground was also a documented stop on the Underground Railroad, and the AME Zion Church built in 1897 still stands on Bloomingdale Road.
On April 20, 1963, a brush fire jumped the salt meadows and tore through the neighborhood, destroying more than 100 homes and causing over $2 million in damage. The recovery, combined with the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge opening in 1964, kicked off the suburban building boom that defines most of what you see today. Woodbrooke Estates went up between 1981 and 1987, Fawn Ridge between 1987 and 1990, and the shopping center opened in 1992.
Rossville Real Estate Market 2026
Rossville Staten Island is a smaller, lower-volume market than New Dorp or Tottenville, so a single hot listing can move the median in a given month. The numbers below are the April 2026 baseline for Rossville Staten Island.
Rossville real estate market metrics, April 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median single-family home price | approx. $695,000 to $745,000 |
| Median condo / townhouse price | approx. $375,000 to $525,000 |
| Average price per square foot | approx. $425 to $475 |
| Average days on market | 45 to 65 days |
| Effective property tax rate | approx. 0.91 percent (NYC class 1) |
| Months of inventory | roughly 3 to 4 (balanced market) |
Detached homes between Woodrow Road and Arthur Kill Road tend to anchor the higher end, especially when updated. Smaller capes and ranches near the Arden Heights border come in lower. Condo pricing varies by unit size and Woodbrooke / Fawn Ridge phase. Our Staten Island market report updates monthly for borough-level direction.
Inventory does not move in days the way it sometimes does on the North Shore. A well-priced, well-staged home sees offers within a few weeks; overpriced listings sit. I tell sellers to come out at a real number rather than a hopeful one. Chasing the market down later is the most expensive mistake you can make.
Homes for Sale in Rossville: Property Types
Single-family homes
Most single-family stock is post-Verrazzano: split-levels, raised ranches, side-hall colonials, with a smaller number of center-hall colonials built since 2000. Lots are 40 by 100 feet on average, with bigger parcels on Sharrott Avenue and Veterans Road West. Driveways and attached garages are standard. Our Rossville homes for sale page updates daily from the SIBOR feed.
Woodbrooke Estates and Fawn Ridge condos (Rossville Estates Staten Island)
Searches for “Rossville Estates Staten Island” almost always mean one of these two condo communities, the largest developments in the neighborhood and common entry points for first-time buyers and downsizers.
- Woodbrooke Estates: 629 units, built 1981 to 1987, off Bloomingdale Road. Many are two-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath layouts with assigned parking.
- Fawn Ridge: 521 units, built 1987 to 1990, with a slightly newer floor plate. Two and three bedrooms, with private outdoor space in some units.
Both communities run a board approval process, similar in spirit to a Manhattan co-op board but with a shorter package. I walk every condo client through what to expect since the timeline feels different from 30-day-close markets. See our Woodbrooke Estates listings and Fawn Ridge listings.
Townhouses
A smaller stock of attached and semi-attached townhouses dates to the late 1980s and 1990s. Most have two-car driveways, shared walls, and a small backyard. Pricing falls between condo and single-family ranges, a good fit for buyers who want more space than a condo without a full yard.
New construction (sparse)
Rossville does not see much new construction. Built out by the early 1990s, remaining parcels are small infill lots. New homes are one-off custom builds, priced well above the median. Our new construction guide covers South Shore neighborhoods with more active development.
Property type breakdown
| Property type | Typical price range (April 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Detached single-family | $695,000 to $850,000 | Updated colonials and splits trade highest |
| Smaller cape / ranch | $599,000 to $695,000 | Often near the Arden Heights border |
| Townhouse | $499,000 to $650,000 | Late 80s and 90s construction |
| Woodbrooke Estates condo | $375,000 to $475,000 | 629 units, board approval |
| Fawn Ridge condo | $425,000 to $525,000 | 521 units, slightly newer |
| New construction | $850,000+ | Rare, infill only |
Schools and Education
Rossville Staten Island falls inside NYC DOE District 31. Zoning shifts by address, so confirm with the DOE school finder before you sign.
Zoned and nearby schools
| Level | School | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary | PS 56 Louis DeSario School | Primary zoned elementary for most Rossville addresses |
| Middle | IS 75 Frank D. Paulo School | Common middle school placement |
| Middle (alt) | IS 34 Totten School | Alternate middle school placement, depending on address |
| Special needs | South Richmond High School PS/IS 25 | District 75 program serving students with significant needs |
| High school | Tottenville High School | Large zoned public high school nearby |
| High school | Susan E. Wagner, New Dorp HS | Other District 31 options |
| Catholic K-8 | St. Joseph-St. Thomas School | Parish school tied to St. Joseph’s Church |
| Catholic high school | St. Joseph by the Sea High School | Popular private option in nearby Huguenot |
Most families I work with stay in local public schools through middle school, then split between Tottenville High School and a Catholic high school. If education is your top filter, a half-day at school pickup at PS 56 tells you more than any test score chart.
Getting Around: Transportation and Commute
The Rossville Staten Island commute is longer than people expect, but the express bus changes the math.
- Local buses: S74 and S84 run along Arthur Kill Road to St. George Ferry and Tottenville; S55 covers another local route.
- Express bus: SIM25 and SIM26 run directly into Midtown and Lower Manhattan. Plan 70 to 90 minutes door to desk, longer with a Verrazzano backup.
- Staten Island Railway: no station in Rossville. Closest is Pleasant Plains; train runs to St. George for the Whitehall ferry.
- Driving: NY State Route 440 cuts the western edge. Outerbridge Crossing is five minutes, Goethals about 12, Staten Island Expressway 15 to 20 minutes north.
Most residents either park at Pleasant Plains for train-and-ferry or catch the SIM near home. SIM is simpler in poor weather; ferry is cheaper and pleasant on a clear morning. Schedules at new.mta.info. For NJ commuters, the Outerbridge gives a 10 to 15 minute hop to Woodbridge or Edison outside rush hour.
Things to Do: Parks, Landmarks, and Local Spots
Rossville Staten Island is residential first. There is no restaurant row, but the neighborhood has real anchors and plenty of green space.
- St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church (1848), the oldest standing Roman Catholic church on Staten Island.
- Rossville A.M.E. Zion Church (1897), the historic church of the Sandy Ground community, on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Sandy Ground Historical Society Museum on Crabtree Avenue, organized in 1980.
- Rossville shopping center on Veterans Road West (1992): groceries, pharmacy, casual dining, dry cleaner, salon.
- For dining beyond the basics, Hylan Boulevard through Annadale and Eltingville covers old-school Italian and newer farm-to-table spots. See our Annadale and Eltingville guides.
- Witte Marine Scrapyard along the Arthur Kill, one of the largest marine scrapyards on the East Coast. FDNY fireboat Abram S. Hewitt ended its service there.
- Salt meadows along the Arthur Kill plus Wolfe’s Pond Park a short drive south.
FDNY Engine Company 168, opened in 2005, improved South Shore emergency response. The Huguenot Park Library is relocating to 1231 Woodrow Road with completion expected summer 2026.
Sandy Ground: The Historic Heart of Rossville
Sandy Ground is the part of Rossville’s story most national media miss, and it deserves its own section.
In 1828, free African Americans began purchasing land along the inland edge of what is now Rossville. Sandy Ground is among the oldest surviving communities in the United States founded by free African Americans prior to the American Civil War. Many founders came up from the Eastern Shore of Maryland and worked the local oyster beds. They built homes, churches, schools, and a community that endured.
Sandy Ground was a documented stop on the Underground Railroad. The Rossville A.M.E. Zion Church, founded in the 1840s and rebuilt in 1897, still stands. Five buildings tied to Sandy Ground are designated New York City landmarks. The Sandy Ground Historical Society runs a museum on Crabtree Avenue with rotating exhibitions.
The oyster trade ran into trouble around 1916, when pollution made the Arthur Kill beds unsafe to harvest. The community persisted, and descendants of the original families still live in the neighborhood today.
Visit the museum if you are buying here. Hours at sandygroundmuseum.org. Robert says understanding the history of where you live makes you a better neighbor.
Cost of Living: Property Taxes, Utilities, Day-to-Day
Single-family homes and most condos fall under NYC property tax Class 1, with an effective rate of roughly 0.91 percent of market value. The city’s assessed value is often well below true market value, so actual bills run lower than the headline rate suggests. Our Staten Island property taxes post walks through how to read your bill.
Typical monthly numbers for a Rossville single-family household:
- Property taxes: $5,500 to $7,500 per year
- Water and sewer: $90 to $140 per month
- Electric and gas combined: $200 to $350 per month
- Internet: $70 to $120 per month
- Condo common charges at Woodbrooke or Fawn Ridge: $350 to $600 per month
Local prices run in line with the rest of the South Shore: cheaper than Manhattan or Brooklyn, slightly higher than Central New Jersey.
Is Rossville a Good Place to Live? Pros and Cons
Same answer I give clients over coffee:
Pros
- Quiet, residential feel with detached homes and real backyards
- Lower entry price than Tottenville or Annadale
- Two large condo communities for first-time buyers and downsizers
- 75.2 percent family households per the most recent Census
- Direct SIM25 / SIM26 express bus to Manhattan
- Close to NJ via the Outerbridge Crossing
- Local history at Sandy Ground and St. Joseph’s Church
- Lower crime profile than many parts of the borough
Cons
- Long commute to Manhattan (70 to 90 minutes)
- No SIR station in the neighborhood (closest is Pleasant Plains)
- Limited walkability outside the shopping center
- Smaller restaurant scene than Hylan Boulevard
- Thin inventory means the right listing takes patience
- Older condo stock often needs cosmetic updates
I have placed buyers here who tried two or three other South Shore neighborhoods first and chose Rossville because the math worked: a real house with a real driveway in their budget, and a commute they could live with three days a week.
Rossville vs. Nearby Neighborhoods
Comparing Rossville Staten Island to its neighbors:
| Feature | Rossville | Woodrow | Arden Heights | Huguenot | Annadale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median single-family price (April 2026) | $695,000 to $745,000 | $725,000 to $785,000 | $675,000 to $735,000 | $775,000 to $895,000 | $750,000 to $850,000 |
| Condo stock | Yes (Woodbrooke, Fawn Ridge) | Limited | Some | Some | Limited |
| SIR station in neighborhood | No | No | No | Yes (Huguenot) | Yes (Annadale) |
| Express bus to Manhattan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Restaurant scene | Limited | Limited | Limited | Stronger | Strongest of group |
| Walkability | Low | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate |
| Best for | Value-focused buyers, first-timers, downsizers | Detached homes near top schools | Larger lots, lower price per sqft | Train commuters who want lifestyle | Train commuters who want dining |
Our guides to Woodrow, Arden Heights, Huguenot, and Annadale go deeper. For the very southern end of the borough, see our Tottenville guide.
Buying a Home in Rossville: What Buyers Should Know
A few things make Rossville Staten Island a slightly different transaction from some South Shore neighborhoods. None are dealbreakers, but they are worth knowing before you write an offer.
Condo board approvals. Woodbrooke Estates and Fawn Ridge require a board approval step after contract. The package is shorter than a Manhattan co-op’s but similar in spirit. Build the extra weeks into your timeline.
Attorney review. New York runs an attorney-driven closing. Use a real estate attorney with Staten Island experience, ideally both condo and single-family work. Our home buying timeline covers the typical 60 to 90 day path.
Inspection priorities. For older single-family homes, focus on roof age, oil-to-gas conversion, basement moisture, and underground oil tank history. Many pre-1980 homes had oil heat; removed tanks need documentation, active tanks need a separate sweep. For condos, focus on the unit plus the reserve study and pending special assessments.
Property taxes. NYC Class 1 caps assessed value increases year to year, so recently sold homes carry surprisingly low bills that adjust over time. Do not assume the seller’s current bill will be yours in five years.
Financing. Conventional, FHA, and VA loans all work here. Confirm Woodbrooke and Fawn Ridge FHA approval status at contract. Our first-time homebuyer guide covers local programs.
Selling. Selling a home in Rossville Staten Island rewards patience and good staging. Buyers here are detail-oriented; a tired listing sits.
About the Author
Robert DeFalco is a third-generation Italian-American Staten Islander and the founder of Robert DeFalco Realty. He has been licensed in New York for over 30 years and has personally guided hundreds of Staten Island families through buying and selling on the North, Mid, and South Shores. Robert grew up in the borough, raised his family here, and runs the brokerage from offices on Hylan Boulevard. To work with Robert or one of our agents, reach out to our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rossville a good place to live?
For families who want a quiet South Shore neighborhood with detached homes, two big condo communities, and a direct express bus to Manhattan, Rossville is a strong choice. The trade-off is a longer commute and a smaller restaurant scene than Hylan Boulevard neighborhoods.
What is Rossville, Staten Island known for?
Three things: Sandy Ground (one of the oldest surviving communities in the United States founded by free African Americans before the Civil War), Woodbrooke Estates and Fawn Ridge condos, and St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church (1848), the oldest standing Roman Catholic church on Staten Island.
What zip code is Rossville, Staten Island?
Rossville Staten Island uses ZIP code 10309. That same ZIP also covers parts of Woodrow and Pleasant Plains, so a 10309 search on Realtor.com or Zillow returns listings from all three neighborhoods. For a Rossville-only search, filter by neighborhood name on the Rossville homes for sale page.
Is Rossville safe?
Rossville is generally one of the lower-crime neighborhoods on Staten Island. FDNY Engine Company 168, opened in 2005, improved emergency response times. Conditions vary block to block, so a walk-through at different times of day is the best way to get a feel.
What schools serve Rossville?
PS 56 Louis DeSario School for elementary, IS 75 Frank D. Paulo or IS 34 Totten School for middle, and Tottenville High School for high school. Catholic options include St. Joseph-St. Thomas School and St. Joseph by the Sea High School. Confirm zoning by exact address with the NYC DOE school finder.
What is Rossville Estates?
Most searches for “Rossville Estates Staten Island” mean Woodbrooke Estates (629 condo units, built 1981 to 1987) or Fawn Ridge (521 condo units, built 1987 to 1990), the two large condo communities in the neighborhood.
Is Rossville expensive?
Rossville is among the more affordable detached-home neighborhoods on the South Shore. Single-family medians in April 2026 sit around $695,000 to $745,000, with condos at Woodbrooke and Fawn Ridge running $375,000 to $525,000. Compared to Huguenot, Annadale, or Tottenville, Rossville trades at a discount.
How long is the commute from Rossville to Manhattan?
Plan on 70 to 90 minutes door to desk on the SIM25 or SIM26 express bus. The ferry-and-train option via Pleasant Plains SIR runs about the same time but cheaper.
What is Sandy Ground?
A historic sub-community within Rossville settled in 1828 by free African Americans who purchased land along what is now Bloomingdale Road and Crabtree Avenue. Sandy Ground was an Underground Railroad stop and is among the oldest surviving communities in the United States founded by free African Americans before the Civil War. The Sandy Ground Historical Society Museum, organized in 1980, preserves the community’s history.
Are there condos in Rossville?
Yes. Woodbrooke Estates has 629 units (1981-1987) and Fawn Ridge has 521 units (1987-1990). Both run board approvals. There is also a smaller stock of attached townhouses. Active listings are at Rossville homes for sale and the broader Staten Island homes feed.