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
Fort George
75 Ellwood Street
$2,250No Fee
2 |
1
Yorkville
321 East 89th Street
$2,250No Fee
Studio |
1
Central Harlem
25 West 126th Street
$1,900No Fee
Studio |
1
Inwood
70 Post Avenue
$2,050No Fee
1 |
1
Washington Heights
141 Wadsworth Avenue
$2,250No Fee
2 |
1
Little Italy
164 Mott Street
$2,250No Fee
Studio |
1
Hamilton Heights
24 Saint Nicholas Avenue
$2,295No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
48 West 138th Street
$2,100No Fee
Studio |
1
Yorkville
416 East 83rd Street
$2,150No Fee
Studio |
1
Central Harlem
229 West 136th Street
$2,099No Fee
Studio |
1
East Harlem
311 East 109th Street
$2,200No Fee
1 |
1
East Harlem
311 East 109th Street
$2,000No Fee
1 |
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
Inwood
184 Nagle Avenue
$1,900No Fee
1 |
1
East Harlem
215 East 110th Street
$2,145No Fee
1 |
1
South Harlem
2166 Fred Douglas Boulevard
$2,300No Fee
1 |
1
Fort George
75 Ellwood Street
$2,250No Fee
2 |
1
Hamilton Heights
614 Saint Nicholas Avenue
$2,383No Fee
1 |
1
Washington Heights
651 West 169th Street
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
25 West 126th Street
$1,900No Fee
Studio |
1
Inwood
70 Post Avenue
$2,050No Fee
1 |
1
Central Harlem
66 West 138th Street
$2,475No Fee
1 |
1
Hudson Heights
69 Pinehurst Avenue
$2,400No Fee
1 |
1
Washington Heights
141 Wadsworth Avenue
$2,250No Fee
2 |
1
Hamilton Heights
24 Saint Nicholas Avenue
$2,295No 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
692 Ninth Avenue
$2,379No Fee
Studio |
1
Hell’s Kitchen
540 West 47th Street
$2,400No Fee
1 |
1
Hell’s Kitchen
437 West 54th Street
$2,395No Fee
Studio |
1
Kips Bay
229 East 29th Street
$2,475No Fee
Studio |
1
Hudson Yards
445 West 36th Street
$2,100No Fee
Studio |
1
Turtle Bay
45 Tudor City Place
$2,350No Fee
Studio |
1
Hell’s Kitchen
309 West 55th Street
$2,450No Fee
Studio |
1
Kips Bay
137 East 30th Street
$2,495No Fee
Studio |
1
Midtown
39 West 46th Street
$2,350No Fee
Studio |
1
Hell’s Kitchen
532 West 50th Street
$2,050No Fee
1 |
1
Kips Bay
97 Lexington Avenue
$2,350No Fee
Studio |
1
Hell’s Kitchen
410 West 56th Street
$2,383No 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
$2,795No Fee
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1
Lower East Side
76 Forsyth Street
$2,700No Fee
1 |
2
East Village
517 East Fifth Street
$2,650No Fee
Studio |
1
Lower East Side
166 Suffolk Street
$2,450No Fee
Studio |
1
Two Bridges
83 Henry Street
$2,395No Fee
Studio |
1
Chelsea
335 West 29th Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
Two Bridges
164 Henry Street
$2,475No Fee
Studio |
1
West Village
177 Waverly Place
$2,900No Fee
1 |
1
Little Italy
164 Mott Street
$2,250No Fee
Studio |
1
Lower East Side
25 Clinton Street
$2,625No Fee
Studio |
1
Fulton/Seaport
88 Fulton Street
$2,769No Fee
Studio |
1
Financial District
80 John Street
$3,000No 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.