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
462 East 115th Street
$1,450No Fee
Studio |
1
Hell’s Kitchen
453 West 50th Street
$2,250No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
2166 Frederic Douglas Boulevard
$2,000No Fee
Studio |
1
Beekman
400 East 50th Street
$2,195No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
2 West 120th Street
$2,000No Fee
1 |
1
Hudson Heights
359 Fort Washington Avenue
$2,000No Fee
1 |
1
East Harlem
2276 Second Avenue
$2,275No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
206 West 132nd Street
$1,875No Fee
Studio |
1
Central Harlem
137 West 137th Street
$1,820No Fee
Studio |
1
Hudson Heights
353 Fort Washington Avenue
$2,200No Fee
1 |
1
Hell’s Kitchen
305 West 45th Street
$2,200No Fee
Studio |
1
Central Harlem
137 West 137th Street
$2,200No Fee
2 |
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
462 East 115th Street
$1,450No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
227 Lenox Avenue
$2,450No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
2166 Frederic Douglas Boulevard
$2,000No Fee
Studio |
1
South Harlem
2 West 120th Street
$2,000No Fee
1 |
1
Hudson Heights
359 Fort Washington Avenue
$2,000No Fee
1 |
1
East Harlem
2276 Second Avenue
$2,275No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
206 West 132nd Street
$1,875No Fee
Studio |
1
Central Harlem
137 West 137th Street
$1,820No Fee
Studio |
1
East Harlem
118 East 103rd Street
$2,350No Fee
1 |
1
Washington Heights
610 West 174th Street
$2,400No Fee
1 |
1
Hudson Heights
353 Fort Washington Avenue
$2,200No Fee
1 |
1
Central Harlem
137 West 137th Street
$2,200No Fee
2 |
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
Hell’s Kitchen
453 West 50th Street
$2,250No Fee
Studio |
1
Beekman
400 East 50th Street
$2,195No Fee
Studio |
1
Hell’s Kitchen
305 West 45th Street
$2,200No Fee
Studio |
1
Turtle Bay
335 East 51st Street
$2,300No Fee
Studio |
1
Sutton Place
345 East 54th Street
$1,950No Fee
Studio |
1
Hell’s Kitchen
400 West 45th Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
Turtle Bay
45 Tudor City Place
$2,250No Fee
Studio |
1
Midtown South
11 East 32nd Street
$2,295No Fee
Studio |
1
Turtle Bay
330 East 49th Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
Kips Bay
142 East 33rd Street
$2,395No Fee
Studio |
1
Hudson Yards
451 West 36th Street
$2,350No Fee
1 |
1
Sutton Place
326 East 58th Street
$2,495No Fee
Studio |
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
413 East 9th Street
$2,541No Fee
Studio |
1
East Village
71 First Avenue
$2,495No Fee
Studio |
1
Chelsea
221 West 15th Street
$2,695No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
324 East Sixth Street
$2,850No Fee
Studio |
1
West Village
47 Jane Street
$2,800No Fee
Studio |
1
East Village
131 East 7th Street
$2,500No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
248 East 2nd Street
$2,600No Fee
1 |
1
Chelsea
307 West 29th Street
$2,950No Fee
Studio |
1
East Village
543 East 5th Street
$2,950No Fee
2 |
1
Gramercy Park
210 East 21st Street
$2,850No Fee
Studio |
1
Gramercy Park
335 East 21st Street
$2,226No Fee
Studio |
1
Lower East Side
337 Grand Street
$2,300No Fee
Studio |
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.