Lower East Side

The Lower East Side is an authentic New York City neighborhood in the realest sense. There is nothing polished or polite about it and its chaotic energy appeals to anyone who thrives on late nights and a live-and-let-live lifestyle.

At a Glance

The narrow streets of the Lower East Side were once lined with tenement buildings, shirt factories and bialy shops. Although a few vestiges of the neighborhood’s heritage remain, many of the tenement buildings have been updated and now offer relatively affordable rental options for New Yorkers looking to live in the thick of Downtown Manhattan. And there’s no getting around it: the LES is a major nightlife destination where last call is late. On weekend nights, the neighborhood is packed as crowds hit the local bars and take to the streets in search of a late-night falafel fix. During the day, the LES chills out as residents head to work, play sports at one of the area’s many fields and basketball courts, or stop by a trendy juice bar or coffee shop.

The Mood

Eclectic, noisy and both edgy and irreverent, the Lower East Side mixes highbrow and lowbrow.

Heart of the Neighborhood

Once a bodega, Arlene's Grocery is a dive bar and music venue that's come to define the Lower East Side's nightlife scene.

Neighborhood Quirk

The LES is one of the city's oldest neighborhoods and has been home to many different groups of immigrants including Eastern European Jews and later many Latinos who dubbed the area "Loisaida."

Best Perk

The Lower East Side is truly a 24/7 kind of place. Whether you're looking for a last-minute concert, a nightcap or a slice of pizza for breakfast - the LES has you covered.

Biggest Downside

The Lower East Side is not a place to go for beautiful tree-lined blocks as the area severely lacks in green space.

Prices shown are base rent only and don't include any fees. Visit each listing to see a complete cost breakdown.

$1.1M

Median Sale

View All Sales

$4,950

Median Base Rent

View All Rentals

The Mood

Eclectic, noisy and both edgy and irreverent, the Lower East Side mixes highbrow and lowbrow.

Heart of the Neighborhood

Once a bodega, Arlene's Grocery is a dive bar and music venue that's come to define the Lower East Side's nightlife scene.

Neighborhood Quirk

The LES is one of the city's oldest neighborhoods and has been home to many different groups of immigrants including Eastern European Jews and later many Latinos who dubbed the area "Loisaida."

Best Perk

The Lower East Side is truly a 24/7 kind of place. Whether you're looking for a last-minute concert, a nightcap or a slice of pizza for breakfast - the LES has you covered.

Biggest Downside

The Lower East Side is not a place to go for beautiful tree-lined blocks as the area severely lacks in green space.

What’s close by

Rental prices shown are base rent only and don't include any fees.

1. East Village

Median Sale: $1.1M Median Base Rent: $5,000

2. SoHo

Median Sale: $3.2M Median Base Rent: $6,595

3. Financial District

Median Sale: $990K Median Base Rent: $4,965

4. Williamsburg

Median Sale: $1.5M Median Base Rent: $4,980

By the Numbers

Housing stock in the LES is primarily comprised of tenement-style apartment buildings. As such, the properties tend to be walk-ups with unique, if outdated, layouts. Prices for these types of units were once on par with their quality, but the neighborhood has grown increasingly expensive.

Sales
Rentals

Median Price

Price History

Neighborhood Borough Median

Rental prices shown are base rent only and don't include any fees.

Median Base Rent

Price History

Neighborhood Borough Median

*Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 ACS

Although artsy pop-up shops and galleries now fill the storefronts, the LES was once predominantly a neighborhood of immigrants with many businesses catering to Jewish and Puerto Rican residents.

The Lower East Side has a street style all its own, embracing anything bold, original and unorthodox.

For those looking for a conventional neighborhood, the LES is not it. It's gritty and dirty with a rough-around-the-edges beauty to its rusting fire escapes and pulsing street life.

The LES is full of surprises and incongruities. Trendy sandwich shops stand next to traditional cobblers and hosieries and there are several historic shops still open on Orchard Street.

Although it's always a busy neighborhood, the LES really comes to life after the sun goes down when young people pour in from all over the city.

View Gallery 10 photos

Food & Drink

The Lower East Side is one of the city’s best and most diverse neighborhoods for eating and drinking. Your options will run the gamut from super-trendy restaurants with celebrity chefs to hole-in-the-wall dive bars.

Lower East Side

At a Glance

The Mood

Heart of the Neighborhood

Neighborhood Quirk

Best Perk

Biggest Downside

Median Sale

Median Base Rent

The Mood

Heart of the Neighborhood

Neighborhood Quirk

Best Perk

Biggest Downside

What’s close by

By the Numbers

Median Price

Price History

Median Base Rent

Price History

Food & Drink

Sweet Chick

Wassail

Barrio Chino

Similar Neighborhoods

Bushwick

East Village

Astoria

Greenpoint

Lower East Side

At a Glance

The Mood

Heart of the Neighborhood

Neighborhood Quirk

Best Perk

Biggest Downside

Median Sale

Median Base Rent

The Mood

Heart of the Neighborhood

Neighborhood Quirk

Best Perk

Biggest Downside

Active Listings

Active Listings In Lower East Side

What’s close by

By the Numbers

Median Price

Price History

Median Base Rent

Price History

Food & Drink

Sweet Chick

Wassail

Barrio Chino

Similar Neighborhoods

Bushwick

East Village

Astoria

Greenpoint