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
East Harlem
305 East 105th Street
$2,150No Fee
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1
Gramercy Park
216 East 17th Street
$2,300No Fee
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1
Lenox Hill
1380 York Avenue
$2,247No Fee
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1
Central Harlem
253 West 134th Street
$2,300No Fee
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1
Central Harlem
48 West 138th Street
$1,900No Fee
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1
Hamilton Heights
512 West 151st Street
$2,250No Fee
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1
Hamilton Heights
627 West 142nd Street
$1,875No Fee
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1
Washington Heights
75 Fort Washington Avenue
$2,050No Fee
2 |
1
Lower East Side
110 Ludlow Street
$2,004No Fee
1 |
1
Washington Heights
918 Saint Nicholas Avenue
$1,895No Fee
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1
Hamilton Heights
503 West 144th Street
$1,975No Fee
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1
South Harlem
230 West 123rd Street
$2,250No Fee
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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
East Harlem
223 East 120th Street
$2,450No Fee
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2
Hamilton Heights
606 West 140th Street
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
Hamilton Heights
503 West 144th Street
$1,975No Fee
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1
South Harlem
230 West 123rd Street
$2,250No Fee
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1
Washington Heights
560 West 170th Street
$1,899No Fee
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1
Inwood
101 Cooper Street
$2,450No Fee
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1
East Harlem
158 East 124th Street
$2,500No Fee
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1
Central Harlem
665 Lenox Avenue
$2,450No Fee
3 |
1
Central Harlem
665 Lenox Avenue
$2,095No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
111 West 130th Street
$2,292No Fee
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1
Hamilton Heights
550 West 149th Street
$2,250No Fee
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1
Hudson Heights
209 Bennett Avenue
$2,200No 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
590 Third Avenue
$2,395No Fee
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1
Hell’s Kitchen
446 West 46th Street
$2,500No Fee
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1
Turtle Bay
330 East 43rd Street
$2,495No Fee
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1
Midtown South
9 West 32nd Street
$2,500No Fee
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1
Hell’s Kitchen
400 West 45th Street
$2,396No Fee
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1
Murray Hill
5 Tudor City Place
$2,150No Fee
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1
Hell’s Kitchen
523 West 49th Street
$2,390No Fee
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1
Sutton Place
324 East 59th Street
$2,450No Fee
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1
Murray Hill
320 Lexington Avenue
$2,400No Fee
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1
Hell’s Kitchen
421 West 56th Street
$2,475No Fee
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1
Hell’s Kitchen
412 West 56th Street
$2,423No Fee
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1
Kips Bay
223 East 32nd Street
$2,297No 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
Chelsea
150 West 21st Street
$2,800No Fee
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1
East Village
92 Third Avenue
$2,950No Fee
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1
Greenwich Village
175 Thompson Street
$2,400No Fee
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1
Chinatown
51 Canal Street
$2,800No Fee
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1
Little Italy
88 Elizabeth Street
$2,700No Fee
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1
East Village
58 East 1st Street
$2,895No Fee
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1
East Village
128 Saint Marks Place
$2,625No Fee
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1
Lower East Side
132 Allen Street
$2,795No Fee
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1
Lower East Side
95 Orchard Street
$2,495No Fee
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1
East Village
109 East 2nd Street
$2,650No Fee
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1
East Village
97 East 7th Street
$2,700No Fee
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1
NoMad
122 East 27th Street
$2,995No 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.