Despite Manhattan’s tiny landmass of just 23 square miles, New Yorkers have developed virtually endless ways to divide up the island. With monikers that sound more like futuristic texting lingo than neighborhood names (NoLita? FiDi? NoMad?), it’s no wonder NYC explorers might feel they need an annotated neighborhood guide. Beyond these nuanced neighborhood distinctions lies a more fundamental question: What counts as Uptown, Downtown, and Midtown in Manhattan? Let us explain.
Manhattan Rentals Under $2300 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Central Harlem
40 West 135th Street
$2,125No Fee
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1
Central Harlem
10 West 135th Street
$2,163No Fee
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1
Murray Hill
320 East 42nd Street
$2,100No Fee
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1
Lincoln Square
235 West 63rd Street
$2,167No Fee
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1
Fort George
10 Hillside Avenue
$1,950No Fee
1 |
1
Inwood
172 Sherman Avenue
$2,000No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
124 West 139th Street
$2,100No Fee
1 |
1
East Harlem
304 Pleasant Avenue
$1,895No Fee
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1
Central Harlem
3 West 128th Street
$2,250No Fee
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1
Hamilton Heights
536 West 143rd Street
$2,000No Fee
1 |
1
South Harlem
355 West 123rd Street
$2,200No Fee
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1
Fort George
55 Hillside Avenue
$2,053No Fee
1 |
1
Uptown Manhattan & Upper Manhattan: What’s the Difference?
If you need a visual reference for the start of uptown, head to 59th Street, where you’ll find Columbus Circle traffic, abundant food carts, and the southern end of Central Park. “Uptown” generally means anything parallel to or north of Central Park. So, the Upper East Side and Upper West Side are both “Uptown” — above 59th Street — and to the east and west of the park, respectively.
Yet while “Uptown” means north of 59th Street, Upper Manhattan means something else entirely. Neighborhoods north of Central Park, such as Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood, make up Upper Manhattan. Upper Manhattan starts at 110th Street at Central Park on the West Side and 97th or 98th Street on the East Side. In other words, where East and West Harlem begin. The best part, rental deals are plentiful in both Uptown and Upper Manhattan neighborhoods compared to areas further south.
Upper Manhattan Rentals Under $2500 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
South Harlem
241 West 113rd Street
$2,462No Fee
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1
Central Harlem
40 West 135th Street
$2,125No Fee
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1
Central Harlem
10 West 135th Street
$2,163No Fee
Studio |
1
Fort George
10 Hillside Avenue
$1,950No Fee
1 |
1
Fort George
475 West 186th Street
$2,336No Fee
1 |
1
Inwood
172 Sherman Avenue
$2,000No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
10 West 132nd Street
$2,499No Fee
1 |
1
Central Harlem
124 West 139th Street
$2,100No Fee
1 |
1
Manhattanville
3333C Broadway
$2,451No Fee
Studio |
1
East Harlem
304 Pleasant Avenue
$1,895No Fee
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1
West Harlem
370 West 127th Street
$2,492No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
3 West 128th Street
$2,250No Fee
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1
Midtown Manhattan: Where It Starts and Ends
Midtown is Manhattan’s bustling, concrete heart, full of skyscrapers, office buildings, and transit centers. But if you’re looking for a more precise descriptor, it’s roughly between 30th Street and 59th street. Midtown Manhattan houses many distinctive — and incredible — neighborhoods. For example, the bright lights of Times Square provide a completely different vibe than the prewar buildings and countless eateries of Hell’s Kitchen. Midtown East neighborhoods like Kips Bay and Murray Hill seamlessly blend historic landmarks like Grand Central Terminal with numerous sports bars. Also good to know: Midtown is home to the luxurious high-rises of Billionaire’s Row.
Midtown Rentals Under $3000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Murray Hill
320 East 42nd Street
$2,100No Fee
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1
Hudson Yards
445 West 36th Street
$2,450No Fee
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1
Murray Hill
304 East 38th Street
$2,300No Fee
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1
Hudson Yards
449 West 37th Street
$2,495No Fee
1 |
1
Turtle Bay
231 East 50th Street
$2,495No Fee
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1
Kips Bay
219 East 26th Street
$2,500No Fee
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1
Murray Hill
114 East 39th Street
$2,450No Fee
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1
Turtle Bay
303 East 46th Street
$2,250No Fee
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1
Midtown
134 West 46th Street
$2,400No Fee
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1
Murray Hill
320 East 42nd Street
$2,500No Fee
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1
Turtle Bay
358 East 51st Street
$2,450No Fee
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1
Murray Hill
304 East 41st Street
$2,295No Fee
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1
Downtown Manhattan: Where It Starts and Ends
At StreetEasy, we consider Downtown Manhattan to be everything south of 30th Street. Of course, famous neighborhoods such as Tribeca, SoHo, and the West Village usually anchor Downtown Manhattan. These areas typically carry higher median asking prices and are home to numerous celebrities living in luxury apartments.
Where Is Lower Manhattan?
And while “Downtown” seems like it could encompass anything south of Midtown, most people refer to the southernmost part of the borough as “Lower Manhattan.” It includes neighborhoods like the Financial District, Two Bridges, and the Lower East Side.
Downtown Manhattan Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
East Village
173 Avenue C
$2,225No Fee
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1
East Village
608 East 9th Street
$2,799No Fee
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1
Noho
302 Mott Street
$2,950No Fee
1 |
1
Gramercy Park
307 East 14th Street
$2,095No Fee
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1
East Village
416 East 9th Street
$2,950No Fee
1 |
1
Fulton/Seaport
77 Fulton Street
$3,000No Fee
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1
East Village
223 Avenue B
$2,925No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
320 East 6th Street
$2,350No Fee
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1
Lower East Side
170 Rivington Street
$2,700No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
153 Avenue A
$2,884No Fee
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1
Gramercy Park
151 East 20th Street
$2,600No Fee
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1
East Village
81 Saint Mark’s Place
$2,883No Fee
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1
Uptown and Downtown Are Relative
If you find all this confusing, let us remind you that residents use “Uptown” and “Downtown” in directional terms too. Any time you’re heading north in Manhattan, you’re going uptown. Anytime you’re heading south, you’re heading downtown. So if you hear someone at 145th Street say they’re running “downtown” to 76th Street, don’t try to inform them that 76th Street is, in fact, uptown.