Between 155th and 190th Street is the energetic residential neighborhood of Washington Heights. Now ranked as Manhattan's 4th safest neighborhood, many families have resided in this area for generations. As one popular musical states, "the streets are filled with music" in this uptown neighborhood full of friendly faces, great food, and beautiful architecture.
Named for Fort Washington, which was constructed to fend off the British during the American Revolutionary War, Washington Heights was largely farmland, with several stately manors peppering the hilly area. One such manor, the Morris-Jumel House, still stands today as the oldest building in Manhattan.
As the city expanded after the revolution, more and more structures were built in the Heights to house the growing population. The development of apartment complexes and row houses led to an influx of Irish immigrants in the 1900′s, followed by a large Jewish population in the 1930s-40′s. The area was a Greek neighborhood starting in the 1950’s and slowly gave way to the rising Dominican and Lantinx population that resides here today.
Apartment buildings in this area sport gorgeous pre-war architecture and spacious five and six room apartments that seem downright palatial for Manhattan standards. The "Heights" is an area full of hills and side streets, meaning interesting architecture can be found in some hidden places. The row houses, apartment buildings, and businesses that are here are pretty short. High rise buildings are hard to find in this area, and that’s how the locals like it.
Sitting on the highest point in upper Manhattan, the subject of the hit Broadway musical “In the Heights” is a vibrant world of its own. The predominantly Dominican area now ranks as Manhattan’s 4th safest neighborhood, which makes sense given it’s suburban, family friendly feel.
The area attracts many young professionals with its extremely affordable rents. Between an array of fantastic eateries and mom & pop shops, you’ll find prestigious draws like the medical centers of Columbia University, the indoor New Balance Track and Field Center (home to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame), and the stunning Fort Tryon Park.
As mentioned above, Washington Heights is the 4th safest neighborhood in all of Manhattan. Violent crime is extremely rare, it’s close to a lot of schools and educational opportunities, and the neighborhood has easy access to one of the best hospitals in the city. When you factor the cheap rent and spacious apartments in the mix, it’s no wonder why so many families choose to call Washington Heights home.
The New York subway system provides many great train options to take you through Washington Heights. The 1, A, C, B, and D trains all have stops in this neighborhood, making it easy to get to anywhere you need to go.
Biking is also very popular in the Heights. While finding a bike lane is hit or miss, the streets are wide and easy to navigate. Additionally, there are a ton of Citi Bike docking Stations, making bike rental very easy.
Driving is also relatively popular in this neighborhood. It has easy access to the West Side Highway and FDR, the traffic is never bad, and there’s ample parking. Just be sure to pay attention to the alternate side parking rules to avoid getting a ticket.
Bedrooms | Rent | Rent / sqft |
---|---|---|
Studio | $2,295 | $8.14 |
1 BR | $2,510 | $4.24 |
2 BR | $2,911 | $3.36 |
3 BR | $3,500 | $4.26 |
4+ BR | $4,395 | $3.29 |
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Washington Heights 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.