If ever there was a doubt that the borough had reached icon status, just notice how many neighborhoods around the country are referred to as “the Brooklyn of…,” shorthand for trendy, gentrified, and hipster-friendly. It wasn’t that long ago, however, that Brooklyn was still an outlier. Yes, there were artists in DUMBO or Greenpoint fleeing Manhattan’s escalating rents, but many neighborhoods were still comprised predominantly of families who had lived in the same ethnic enclave for generations. Certainly, no one was calling Brooklyn “hot.”

Today Brooklyn has sprinted past “hot” and moved straight to “incendiary” as the borough of choice, not only for artists and other trendsetters, but young professionals and families looking for the livability—shopping, dining, recreation, and entertainment—on offer here. Its proximity to Manhattan is also a selling point but the truth is that these days, amenities are so plentiful that many Brooklynites don’t see much of a reason to venture out of their own back yard.

With more than 30 unique neighborhoods, Brooklyn offers something for nearly everyone. Park Slope, with its elegant brownstones, has long been a haven for affluent yuppies, while the more affordable Bay Ridge exudes a small-town vibe. A waterfront location and gritty industrial-maritime feel are the draw in Red Hook, while Williamsburg has overtaken Manhattan’s Village and SoHo among artists and young professionals seeking to live and work in lofty spaces that command (slightly) lower prices. And while visitors to New York City are still overwhelmingly drawn to Manhattan, Brooklyn is fast becoming a tourist destination in its own right.