Upper Manhattan is quite diverse, consisting of many young professionals, bright-eyed Columbia and Hunter students, and families that have lived there for generations. This area of Manhattan is the largest, stretching from 59th street all the way up to Inwood at the top of the island.
There are a variety of neighborhoods, each with their own distinct personalities and landmarks. Deciding which one to live in is a tough choice when every option has something great to offer.
The general rule for this area is that the further north you go, the more family oriented the neighborhoods become. The northernmost neighborhoods of Upper Manhattan, Inwood and Washington Heights, even have a more Suburban feel, with wider streets and more families.
Upper Manhattan moves at a calmer pace than the rest of the city, focusing more on recreation than the hustle and bustle of big business. With Central Park, Lincoln Center, and all of Harlem, there’s a big focus on art, education, and relaxation. The culinary scene up here is top-notch as well, featuring restaurants run by celebrity chefs and hole-in-the-wall joints with surprisingly delicious gems just waiting to be discovered.
Central Park splits Upper Manhattan right down the middle, which is why subway lines are split between east and west. The Q, 4, 5, and 6 trains take you up the east side while the 1, 2, 3, A, C, B, and D trains take you up the west side.
To get from the west side to the east side, you’ll either need to take a bus or walk/bike across Central Park. The park and the wider uptown roads make this one of the most bike friendly parts of Manhattan. Citi Bike docking stations can be found every few blocks.
The wider roads and proximity to the West Side Highway and FDR also make this a very car friendly area. Just be aware of the alternate side parking rules so you can avoid getting a ticket.
The whole of Upper Manhattan is extremely safe, with the Upper East and Upper West Sides being the safest neighborhoods in Manhattan. Violent crime is extremely rare, as this area is mostly made up of families, socialites, and students. Easy to navigate with a bustling nightlife, residents and tourists alike can feel safe and secure walking these streets.
Mount Sinai and New York Presbyterian’s flagship hospitals are located in this area. With some of the top doctors in the world working in the dozens of healthcare facilities found here, there’s no better place in Manhattan to have a medical emergency.
In the early days, Upper Manhattan was used as land for stately manors and farmland. One house, The Morris-Jumel Mansion (The oldest house in Manhattan) still survives from this era. The house was used as a strategic scouting point for the Americans and the British during the revolution.
Throughout the 1800’s Upper Manhattan remained largely empty save a few large houses and farms. However, the city continued to develop further north, and row houses and apartment complexes were built as transit lines crept up north in the 1880’s. Central Park was completed and opened in 1876 and a construction boom in Washington Heights, ending before WW I, attracted many new residents to the area.
The 1900’s were a time of turmoil for Upper Manhattan, with racial discrimination, high crime rates, and political corruption. Starting in the 1990’s, these scars began to heal, and Upper Manhattan transformed into one of the safest places in the entire city. Art, culture, and history are deeply respected and celebrated here to this day.
Bedrooms | Rent | Rent / sqft |
---|---|---|
Studio | $3,000 | $7.53 |
1 BR | $3,800 | $6.50 |
2 BR | $4,600 | $6.53 |
3 BR | $7,012 | $6.91 |
4+ BR | $12,250 | $6.73 |
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Upper Manhattan is located within New York County, New York. This area currently has 1,634,989 residents in 753,385 households. Out of the total population, 40.12% of the residents speak another language at home instead of English. The majority of the inhabitants in this county are currently unmarried and have a median age of 37.
When looking at residents older than 25, around 12.55% have graduated from high school, 31.80% have a bachelor's degree, and 28.64% have obtained their master's degree or above. Employment rate is typically around 62.9% and the median income in this county is $75,513.
At least 76.86% of those living in this county are renting their homes. Most residents will commute to work by public transportation with an average commute time of 31 minutes.
Geographically, New York County, New York is a part of the New York - Newark, NY - NJ - CT Urban Area. This county is currently home to 18,812,161 residents, or 6,707,347 households with a median income of $68,319. the New York - Newark, NY - NJ - CT Urban Area residents have a median age of 38 and 50.07% are currently renting their homes in the area.