Bowery is a unique neighborhood in Manhattan that's tough for most people to define. The street itself is the oldest in the city, and is the eastern border of the neighborhood, the western border being Allen Street. Stretching from Hester Street up to about 4th, this neighborhood is eclectic, artistic, and thriving.
Before the Dutch colonized the land for themselves, the Bowery was already in use by the Lenape people who lived in the area. When the Dutch arrived, the street was widened and farmland was placed around it, making the area very popular for trading purposes. The Dutch christened the street, “bouwerij.”
The British conquered the settlement in 1664 and kept Bowery as the main route in and out of the city. The area was home to a variety of farms and manors up until around the American Revolution. The population of the city was expanding fast, and the estates and farms that made up the area were sold off to the city for things like breweries and slaughterhouses. This expansion ramped up in the 1800’s, which is also when the street was officially named, “The Bowery.”
Around this time, the Bowery became the neighborhood to be for music, theater, and other forms of entertainment. The surrounding residential neighborhoods had a population explosion, and these fresh faces opened brothels and bars in the high traffic area. The crime rate of the neighborhood rose after the 1850’s, and wouldn’t really decline until around WWII. Teddy Roosevelt even said the neighborhood was “haunted by demons.” We assume he didn’t mean that literally.
That’s all changed today, however. Since the 1970’s, the city has had a vested interest in preserving the history of the area while also revitalizing it. Luxury apartments have been built and share the same streets with preserved theaters and hotels from a seedier age. Now, the Bowery is a good place to be.
The Bowery is a mix of old and new. Preserved buildings from the 1800’s are neighbors with luxury mid and high rise apartment buildings. Though still mostly flat, the neighborhood is still seeing an increase in newer, taller architecture.
The vibe of The Bowery is a lot more relaxed than it was in the old days. Largely residential and squished between The Lower East Side and Little Italy, people enjoy living in this area because it’s close to great food, bars, and a variety of entertainment.
That said, Bowery has some fun claims to fame as well. There are plenty of great bars and restaurants in the area, as well as several art museums. The neighborhood is full of historic landmarks, but it still feels fresh when you walk the streets here.
The Bowery is not the rough and tumble neighborhood its been portrayed as in the media. The crime rate has plummeted since the 1990’s and violent crime is almost unheard of. With easy access to a lot of activities, schools, and hospitals, the Bowery is a good neighborhood to raise a family in.
The New York City subway system provides access to Bowery via the B, D, F, J, and Z trains.
Biking is very popular in this area due to the miles of bike lanes and generous access to Citi Bike docking stations.
While driving can be complicated in the Bowery, due to small streets and a lack of parking, it’s still doable since traffic isn’t usually bad.
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| Bedrooms | Rent | Rent / sqft |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,899 | $11.10 |
| 1 BR | $3,500 | $7.00 |
| 2 BR | $4,750 | $6.60 |
| 3 BR | $6,200 | N/A |
| 4+ BR | $9,333 | $4.46 |
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Bowery is located within 10002. This area currently has 78,096 residents in 33,327 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 zipcode are currently unmarried and have a median age of 41.
When looking at residents older than 25, around 20.25% have graduated from high school, 22.88% have a bachelor's degree, and 11.27% have obtained their master's degree or above. Employment rate is typically around 50.9% and the median income in this zipcode is $35,594.
At least 86.19% of those living in this zipcode are renting their homes. Most residents will commute to work by public transportation with an average commute time of 33 minutes.
Geographically, 10002 is a part of New York County, New York. This county is currently home to 1,634,989 residents, or 753,385 households with a median income of $75,513. New York County, New York residents have a median age of 37 and 76.86% are currently renting their homes in the area.
Finally, New York County, New York is a part of the greater New York - Newark, NY - NJ - CT Urban Area. For those unfamiliar with the area, The New York - Newark, NY - NJ - CT Urban Area is currently home to a population 18,812,161 across 6,707,347 households. Those living in this urban area have a median income of $68,319 and median age of 38. In general, at least 50.07% of the residents are currently renting their homes in this area.
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