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 StreetEasy Article continues below

Hudson Heights

76 Pinehurst Avenue

$2,200 base rent

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Inwood

109 Seaman Avenue

$2,000 base rent

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Inwood

1793 Riverside Drive

$2,300 base rent

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Inwood

624 West 207th Street

$1,550 base rent

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1

Fort George

1 Bogardus Place

$1,920 base rent

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1

Washington Heights

545 West 156th Street

$2,000 base rent

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1

Inwood

17 Vermilyea Avenue

$2,100 base rent

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Inwood

530 Isham Street

$2,250 base rent

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Inwood

153 Vermilyea Avenue

$2,050 base rent

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1

Central Harlem

210 West 133rd Street

$2,150 base rent

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Central Harlem

150 West 140th Street

$1,850 base rent

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East Harlem

411 East 118th Street

$2,200 base rent

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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 StreetEasy Article continues below

Hudson Heights

76 Pinehurst Avenue

$2,200 base rent

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1

Inwood

37 Payson Avenue

$2,434 base rent

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Inwood

109 Seaman Avenue

$2,000 base rent

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Inwood

1793 Riverside Drive

$2,300 base rent

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Inwood

624 West 207th Street

$1,550 base rent

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1

Central Harlem

300 West 144th Street

$2,323 base rent

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Fort George

1 Bogardus Place

$1,920 base rent

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1

Washington Heights

545 West 156th Street

$2,000 base rent

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1

Hudson Heights

4469 Broadway

$2,350 base rent

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1

Inwood

17 Vermilyea Avenue

$2,100 base rent

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1

Inwood

530 Isham Street

$2,250 base rent

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Inwood

153 Vermilyea Avenue

$2,050 base rent

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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 StreetEasy Article continues below

Hell’s Kitchen

411 West 54th Street

$2,500 base rent

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Hell’s Kitchen

419 West 56th Street

$2,350 base rent

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Turtle Bay

311 East 51st Street

$4,500 base rent

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Hell’s Kitchen

424 West 56th Street

$2,388 base rent

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Hell’s Kitchen

412 West 56th Street

$2,430 base rent

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Kips Bay

73 Lexington Avenue

$2,500 base rent

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

403 West 54th Street

$2,400 base rent

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Hell’s Kitchen

353 West 44th Street

$2,383 base rent

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Hell’s Kitchen

464 West 51st Street

$2,450 base rent

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Hell’s Kitchen

416 West 49th Street

$2,494 base rent

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Hell’s Kitchen

421 West 43rd Street

$2,400 base rent

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Hudson Yards

407 West 39th Street

$2,400 base rent

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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 StreetEasy Article continues below

East Village

225 East 5th Street

$2,795 base rent

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East Village

217 East 4th Street

$2,600 base rent

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Gramercy Park

208 East 21st Street

$2,800 base rent

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West Village

93 Perry Street

$2,350 base rent

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East Village

122 East 7th Street

$2,750 base rent

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East Village

126 East 7th Street

$2,899 base rent

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East Village

624 E 11th Street

$2,999 base rent

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Two Bridges

49 Catherine Street

$2,090 base rent

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Greenwich Village

104 Macdougal Street

$2,800 base rent

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Fulton/Seaport

150 Nassau Street

$2,900 base rent

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East Village

244 E. Houston Street

$2,899 base rent

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East Village

324 East 8th Street

$2,500 base rent

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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. 

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