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

Central Harlem

465 Lenox Avenue

$1,617 base rent

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1

South Harlem

155 West 120th Street

$2,195 base rent

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1

East Harlem

462 East 115th Street

$1,651 base rent

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Inwood

88 Seaman Avenue

$1,695 base rent

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1

Central Harlem

10 West 135th Street

$2,128 base rent

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1

Hamilton Heights

13 Hamilton Terrace

$2,195 base rent

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1

Washington Heights

467 West 164th Street

$2,292 base rent

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1

Washington Heights

508 West 167th Street

$2,275 base rent

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1

Central Harlem

2903 Frederick Douglass Boulevard

$2,200 base rent

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1

Lincoln Square

248 West 64th Street

$1,988 base rent

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1

Washington Heights

541 West 156th Street

$2,300 base rent

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South Harlem

55 East 110th Street

$1,925 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

Central Harlem

465 Lenox Avenue

$1,617 base rent

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1

South Harlem

155 West 120th Street

$2,195 base rent

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1

East Harlem

462 East 115th Street

$1,651 base rent

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1

Inwood

88 Seaman Avenue

$1,695 base rent

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1

Central Harlem

10 West 135th Street

$2,128 base rent

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1

Hudson Heights

518 Ft Washington Avenue

$2,368 base rent

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1

Hamilton Heights

13 Hamilton Terrace

$2,195 base rent

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1

Central Harlem

136 West 129th Street

$2,500 base rent

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1

Washington Heights

467 West 164th Street

$2,292 base rent

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1

Washington Heights

508 West 167th Street

$2,275 base rent

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1

Central Harlem

225 West 146th Street

$2,500 base rent

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1

Central Harlem

2903 Frederick Douglass Boulevard

$2,200 base rent

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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 StreetEasy Article continues below

Kips Bay

246 East 26th Street

$2,350 base rent

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1

Turtle Bay

45 Tudor City Place

$2,500 base rent

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

692 Ninth Avenue

$2,081 base rent

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1

Turtle Bay

133 East 45th Street

$1,875 base rent

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

428 West 46th Street

$2,495 base rent

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Hell’s Kitchen

457 West 46th Street

$2,495 base rent

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1

Murray Hill

25 Tudor City Place

$2,400 base rent

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

444 West 49th Street

$2,338 base rent

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Hell’s Kitchen

444 West 49th Street

$2,338 base rent

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

412 West 56th Street

$2,453 base rent

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1

Hell’s Kitchen

305 West 45th Street

$2,300 base rent

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1

Midtown

135 East 54th Street

$2,450 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

Gramercy Park

304 East 20th Street

$2,750 base rent

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1

West Village

634 Hudson Street

$2,850 base rent

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East Village

510 East 5th Street

$2,790 base rent

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East Village

232 East 2nd Street

$2,700 base rent

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East Village

542 East 11th Street

$2,695 base rent

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1

Two Bridges

15 Monroe Street

$2,850 base rent

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Chelsea

309 West 21st Street

$2,825 base rent

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West Village

5 Jane Street

$2,404 base rent

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Lower East Side

203 Chrystie Street

$2,799 base rent

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East Village

185 Avenue C

$2,725 base rent

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East Village

430 East 13th Street

$2,495 base rent

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East Village

261 East 10th Street

$2,800 base rent

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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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