NYC Explained

What Is Uptown & Downtown in Manhattan?

By Erika Riley November 10, 2021

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.

Lenox Hill

488 East 74th Street

$2,250 No Fee

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1

Chinatown

54 Elizabeth Street

$2,000 No Fee

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1

Hamilton Heights

294 Convent Avenue

$2,200 No Fee

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1

East Harlem

2060 Second Avenue

$2,250 No Fee

2 |

1

Hamilton Heights

1726 Amsterdam Avenue

$2,195 No Fee

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1

Fort George

97 Arden Street

$2,025 No Fee

1 |

1

East Harlem

137 East 110th Street

$2,300 No Fee

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1

East Harlem

234 East 116th Street

$2,275 No Fee

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1

Central Harlem

17 West 125th Street

$1,995 No Fee

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1

Central Harlem

137 West 137th Street

$2,300 No Fee

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1

Hudson Heights

56 Bennett Avenue

$2,121 No Fee

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1

Murray Hill

144 East 40th Street

$2,300 No 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.

Fort George

618 West 182nd Street

$2,350 No Fee

3 |

1

Hamilton Heights

294 Convent Avenue

$2,200 No Fee

1 |

1

East Harlem

2060 Second Avenue

$2,250 No Fee

2 |

1

Hamilton Heights

1726 Amsterdam Avenue

$2,195 No Fee

1 |

1

Fort George

97 Arden Street

$2,025 No Fee

1 |

1

East Harlem

137 East 110th Street

$2,300 No Fee

1 |

1

East Harlem

234 East 116th Street

$2,275 No Fee

1 |

1

Central Harlem

17 West 125th Street

$1,995 No Fee

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1

Central Harlem

137 West 137th Street

$2,300 No Fee

2 |

1

Hudson Heights

56 Bennett Avenue

$2,121 No Fee

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1

Central Harlem

137 West 137th Street

$1,850 No Fee

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1

Central Harlem

150 West 140th Street

$1,900 No 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.

Hell’s Kitchen

725 Ninth Avenue

$2,350 No Fee

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1

Hudson Yards

449 West 37th Street

$2,395 No Fee

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1

Murray Hill

144 East 40th Street

$2,300 No Fee

1 |

1

Midtown

12 West 44th Street

$2,300 No Fee

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1

Midtown

12 West 44th Street

$2,500 No Fee

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1

Sutton Place

1066 Second Avenue

$2,350 No Fee

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

353 West 44th Street

$2,292 No Fee

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

548 West 50th Street

$2,350 No Fee

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1

Kips Bay

238 East 25th Street

$2,475 No Fee

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1

Murray Hill

535 Third Avenue

$2,495 No Fee

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1

Turtle Bay

240 East 46th Street

$2,300 No Fee

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1

Turtle Bay

348 East 49th Street

$2,500 No 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.

East Village

534 East 14th Street

$2,650 No Fee

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1

East Village

206 East 10th Street

$2,700 No Fee

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Soho

429 Broome Street

$2,999 No Fee

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2

Chinatown

54 Elizabeth Street

$2,000 No Fee

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1

Chinatown

55 Bayard Street

$2,600 No Fee

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1

Chinatown

119 Baxter Street

$2,404 No Fee

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1

Financial District

66 Pearl Street

$2,995 No Fee

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1

West Village

14 Morton Street

$2,700 No Fee

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1

Gramercy Park

328 East 15th Street

$2,850 No Fee

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1

East Village

103 East Second Street

$2,775 No Fee

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1

East Village

518 East 5th Street

$2,800 No Fee

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1

Lower East Side

146 Orchard Street

$2,895 No 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.

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