Every city is a mix of pros and cons and NYC is no different! Even with its high cost of living, pricey housing options, and problematic subway system, people keep moving to the city in hordes. So, it shouldn’t surprise you to know that NYC houses over 8 million people across its five boroughs! With each borough hosting several neighborhoods with numerous offerings, residents and visitors always look forward to more and find the city irresistible. At the same time, no matter what neighborhood you choose to call home, it may or may not have everything you’ve envisioned in a locale, whether it’s the location, rent, type, or size of the housing. As long as it has most of what you need, you have no reason to worry.
While NYC has more neighborhoods than one can count, let’s explore the top 10 for you to make an informed decision about where you fit in.
Complete guide to the 10 best NYC neighborhoods:
1. Lower East Side
The Lower East Side is a hip neighborhood backed by a rich history and high rental prices. Plenty of European immigrants called it home in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and it houses a Jewish community as well. Here, you’ll find several low and high-rise walk-ups. The area’s highlight consists of the Essex Crossing megaproject that’s building nine structures consisting of hundreds of apartments to draw more potential residents to the area. So, this seems like an amazing place for you to rent a room in NYC if it meets your budget.
The community houses tons of bars, clubs, live music locales, and art galleries. If you’re the partying kind, you’ll find yourself at home here with its thriving nightlife scene. But if you prefer tranquility, you’ll have to set your sights on another area.
You’ll experience the Jewish influence in the food found in the neighborhood. Russ & Daughters Cafe is an eatery serving delectable caviar and smoked fish. Katz Delicatessen is popular for its pastrami. So, while you’re there, be sure to try the food at these places. Sam’s Spring Roll serves delicious Asian fusion food if you’re in the mood. Do you ever get tired of pizza? Don’t answer that question! Head over to Scarr’s Pizza for slices of cheese-filled heaven!
If you want to skip meat in your meal, head over to Dirt Candy for vegetarian cuisine. The Lower East Side is a place for foodies, so try a bit of everything and relish your meals! Essex Market has an underground food hall called the Market Line where you get to try assorted food items from vendors in and around the area and the city, so find time to check it out.
The locale hosts many festivals, the Lower East Side Film Festival being one of them, so catch a couple of movies if you happen to be around when it’s held. Should you be interested in the immigrant history of the community, drop by the Tenement Museum on Orchard Street. Some other cultural hotspots include the New Museum and the International Center of Photography Museum, both of which you’ll find in the vicinity. The surrounding neighborhoods include Little Italy, SoHo, and Chinatown, so you can commute to these places if the explorer in you isn’t satisfied yet! The neighborhood has many public transit options for residents to choose from, so that should work for you.
In the end, the crime rate in the area is 21 percent lower than the national average, So it is counted amongst the safest neighborhoods in NYC.
2. Upper East Side
The Upper East Side is an upscale neighborhood with parts of it being reasonably-priced. It is considered an affordable neighborhood in NYC, as the area houses upscale townhouses and affordable apartments. Based on your budget you can take your pick, if you want a bigger place but need someone to split the rent with, consider getting a roommate in NYC. The crowd here is refined, with most residents having post-undergraduate degrees, so you’ll have many brainy folks to mingle with. The residents here are a combination of wealthy people, professionals, and blue-collar workers.
You’ll discover a blend of fancy restaurants existing side by side with regular eateries in Upper East Side. So, you have Michelin-starred restaurants and cocktail bars as well as burger joints and sports bars in the area. As far as food options go, you’ll be spoilt for choice! The nightlife scene welcomes you with its numerous bars, pubs, and lounges!
Central Park is close by, so you have a place to go to if you wish to spend time with nature. The park’s massive 843-acre area should be more than enough for you to take a walk and give you the much-needed exercise. Be sure to drop by the Museum Mile on Fifth Avenue and tour the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Jewish Museum. If you love music in any form, visit the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic, which conducts classical music concerts. Those interested in shopping will find lots of boutiques to splurge on!
With the crime rate less than 71 percent of the national average, you could say that the locale is safe.
3. East Village
East Village is a vibrant neighborhood with traces of creativity found everywhere. It’s a pricey neighborhood, so explore the rental prices before deciding to rent a house or a room in NYC here. The locale has seen massive development in the last 10 to 20 years with a number of restaurants, bars, shops, concert venues, and theaters coming up, much to the delight of the residents!
While you’re in the area, be sure to check out Veselka for blintzes, a Jewish sweet and pierogi, a European sweet dish. If you’re interested in tacos and margaritas, drop by Empellon al Pastor for some lip-smacking cheeseburger tacos and spicy cucumber margaritas during happy hour. In other words, if you live to eat and drink, this is the place for you!
St. Marks Place is a famed locale housing shops, nightlife options, bars, and street vendors aplenty. New York University is in the vicinity, so there’ll always be many students, not to mention young professionals hanging out with their friends. Make sure you visit Tompkins Square Park because it comes with a large dog park where you can take your furry friend if you have one. If you don’t, you can always mingle with lots of pet owners and end up making a friend or two!
Overall, It’s a pretty safe neighborhood.
4. West Village
West Village has cobblestone streets peppered with lots of trees that remind you of Europe. You’ll find a plethora of lovely 19th-century rowhouses, mid-rise apartments, and walk-ups here although the rental prices are high because of limited space. The area has a casual vibe and numerous coffee shops that will appeal to you.
There are plenty of entertainment options here in the form of shopping venues, jazz clubs, piano bars, restaurants, and cabernets. To sum up, check out Palazzo Chupi on W 11th Street, a beautiful residential condominium building built atop a former horse stable in the Venetian palazzo style. Shop until you drop on Bleecker Street!
5. Greenpoint
A premier neighborhood with Polish roots, Greenpoint’s coming up in a big way. Traces of its Polish influence can be found in the Old Poland Bakery, which offers baked items to die for! Several other bakeries, including Syrena Bakery, line the neighborhood. It’s a tightly-knit community and people are always there for each other. Several rentals and condos are under construction, so you’ll have plenty of choices should you want to rent in the neighborhood.
Several of these housing projects form a part of the Greenland Landing megaproject. The project aims to add 5000 apartments and many waterside parks to the community to benefit residents and those keen on moving here! The rental prices are affordable, so this might be an excellent locale for you to rent a house. Greenpoint’s becoming a tech hub with many tech companies setting up offices here, besides startups. In fact, Kickstarter, a public-benefit organization, has an office in the area as well.
Greenpoint doesn’t house only bakeries but tons of cafes, boutiques, and green spaces, which both residents and visitors make the most of! It also has a nightlife scene to explore in case you’re into clubbing and pub hopping.
With a crime rate 49 percent below the national average, it seems like a relatively safest neighborhood to live in NYC
6. Williamsburg
Williamsburg is an excellent neighborhood for the hipster crowd. The area’s upscale, so the rents may be on the higher side. Find out whether you can afford a rental house or room in here.
The area houses plenty of independent and pleasant coffee shops and trendy boutiques. Depanneur is an interesting store that sells hand-made house and food items, not to mention coffee and sandwiches too. In other words, if you want to grab a bite and purchase gifts for your loved ones, you can do both here! The area has a roaring nightlife scene much like Manhattan.
The culinary scene in Williamsburg isn’t just the best in the city but the United States too! You’ll find fancy restaurants and bars galore, so you’ll have many food and drinking options to choose from. Live music thrives in this locale with multiple venues such as the Music Hall of Williamsburg and National Sawdust. Live bands play indie music at the Music Hall while National Sawdust entertains string quartets, experimental artists, and well-known musicians such as David Bryne. Then there’s the Knitting Factory, and last but not least, we have the Williamsburg Music Center, a jazz club that came into existence in the 1980s.
In a word, the crime rate is pretty low, so the neighborhood is a safe place to live in.
7. Astoria
Astoria is a reasonably-priced neighborhood, so you may find apartments that meet your budget. In fact, pretty much everything you find here from shopping to dining to drinking options is affordable! Find out the rental prices if you want to rent in the area. The neighborhood is dotted with independent and family-owned shops.
One of the great things about Astoria is its numerous new eateries and beer gardens that draw huge crowds. Among its beer gardens, we have Bohemian Hall. A great place to have brunch is The Bonnie, so if you find yourself skipping breakfast and starving close to lunchtime, make sure you head over to The Bonnie! If you’re interested in Greek cuisine, you’ve come to the right place! Also, there are many international shops if you wish to explore global merchandise and buy something for yourself or your family.
Some community events worth a mention include the Queens Street Fairs and Farmers Markets. These festivities happen from spring to fall every year, so there’s plenty going on and no scope for boredom!
Take the subway to Manhattan if you miss its entertainment options or have run out of things to do here. Overall, Astoria is a pretty safe neighborhood.
8. Chelsea
Chelsea is home to a major chunk of the LGBTQ+ community and is located in Lower Manhattan’s western part. What was once a warehouse locale is now a community with a massive artistic influence. If there’s an artist in you that craves creativity, be sure to hunt for housing options here and find a room rent in NYC.
The area’s lined with shops, restaurants, gay bars, and galleries owned and run by gays. If you have any interest in drag shows and want great deals on drinks, drop by Barracuda and have fun! Should you wish to dance through most of the night, Rebar is the place to be, while Eagle is a fantastic gay leather bar you may want to explore. The area has plenty of art galleries, so drop by a few and spend some time admiring various art forms. Finally, drop by the Rubin Museum of Art and don’t miss the High Line, an elevated park made from an old railroad!
9. Jackson Heights
Jackson Heights is unique in terms of the number of different communities it houses worldwide. Not only is around 60 percent of the population born outside the country, but they also speak 167 languages! Calling it incredible would be an understatement now, wouldn’t it? You’ll find mostly South and Central American folks from countries such as Columbia, Peru, Mexico, and Bolivia, and South Asian people too. South Asian residents comprise folks from India, Nepal, Tibet, Pakistan, and Bangladesh! The neighborhood has low-budget housing, so you could look up a house for rent here if your budget allows it.
Interestingly, the locale runs the Queens Pride parade in June every year. In addition, it offers shelter to the biggest LGBTQ+ community in NYC! For a host of dining and drinking options, head over to Roosevelt Avenue. Whether it’s Indian, Tibetan, or Colombian cuisine you have cravings for, the area has it all! Make sure to drop by some of its fantastic taquerias if you have a thing for Mexican food.
Another highlight of the area is 37th Avenue, a family-friendly place where you can find Indian cuisine comprising dosas and arepas. The place also has shops selling Uruguayan sweets and several Brazilian boutiques. Keep exploring the area and soaking up the sights and sounds of many independent family-owned shops here. Plenty of parks and green spaces find a home here, so if you want to seek solace in the lap of nature, find a park! There’s a great public school here in case families wish to move to the area. To conclude, Jackson Heights is a friendly and inclusive community.
10. Harlem
Harlem is a laid-back neighborhood renowned for its African American influence since the 20th century. You have affordable apartments here if you’re thinking of moving to the neighborhood and finding a rental house. It was the Harlem Renaissance, a movement to restore African American music, literature, art, fashion, politics, and theater, which put the neighborhood on the map and drew more people to the area. If you find time to visit Harlem, you should learn more about the community’s history. The New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture can certainly help you out. Here, items that belonged to artists and activists of the movement can now be seen by the public per the center’s Home to Harlem initiative. The National Jazz Museum also does its bit to keep its history alive in the exhibits.
For starters, you could tour Langston Hughes’ former home, which features on the National Register of Historic Places. Minton’s Playhouse is another place to drop by. Famous jazz musicians like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday have graced the venue at some point in their lives. Finally, let’s not forget the notable Apollo Theater, where you can go on tours or watch exhibits on intriguing topics like Black Cinema. If you’re a nature lover, visit Marcus Garvey Park.
We haven’t forgotten about the food, so don’t fret! Drop by Sylvia’s for some mouth-watering soul food. Red Rooster Harlem, owned by chef Marcus Samuelsson, specializes in comfort food with a creative touch. Lots of places in the locale serve Caribbean and Latin American cuisine should you be interested. How would you feel about biting into a lip-smacking chocolate chip walnut cookie? Levain Bakery has a store in Harlem for your sweet cravings! 67 Orange Street serves amazing cocktails if you want to grab a drink. On the whole, young professionals will love the neighborhood!
Conclusion
Have you found the perfect neighborhood for yourself in NYC from the ones we’ve shared? If you are a young professional, we hope that the information here will give you an insight into the kind of community you see yourself living in. Whether it’s jobs, food, adventure, entertainment, affordable housing, you’ll find not a little but a lot of everything necessary for comfortable living in NYC. And let’s not forget, the best part about the city is its big heart, which accommodates all kinds of people from around the world!
