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I'm wondering which Manhattan neighborhood I should be looking into when I move to New York. I am currently living in Chicago, so I understand that even "nice" neighborhoods have crime of some sort, so please, which Manhattan neighborhood is MOST affordable for a 23 year old? I've lived in some middle-of-the-road neighborhoods in Chicago as far as crime goes, so I'm willing to put up with it, but I don't want a ghetto area with a high murder total. I'll likely be looking for a studio, and some nightlife would be nice, though is really not important as long as the neighborhood is the right price!
For a decent area, that's not too far from anything, I would look to the far east Upper East Side. Since it's off the subway, prices are lower, and there is (well, should be) construction in the area as the new subway tunnel is supposedly underway again, when the equipment works, that is. Upper Manhattan (Washington Heights/Inwood) is less expensive, but if you are going to be looking for a commute of that length, I would look across the river in Astoria, Queens as you can be in Midtown faster, and you would not have to deal with some of the social problems and criminal elements on some blocks in that area.
Inwood west of Broadway is a very different neighborhood than east of Broadway, but you will have to travel for some shopping to The Bronx (not far) or Midtown (a little further). Nightlife in that area is difficult proposition, since there are some smaller neighborhood places that should be decent, and then areas on the other side of Broadway that are different after dark.
Do you need the east side or west side? If you are working on the west side, the far east UES is going to be a bit more of a hassle, though you could always take a bus to get to the UWS as opposed to transfers on the subway.
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
I'm wondering which Manhattan neighborhood I should be looking into when I move to New York. I am currently living in Chicago, so I understand that even "nice" neighborhoods have crime of some sort, so please, which Manhattan neighborhood is MOST affordable for a 23 year old? I've lived in some middle-of-the-road neighborhoods in Chicago as far as crime goes, so I'm willing to put up with it, but I don't want a ghetto area with a high murder total. I'll likely be looking for a studio, and some nightlife would be nice, though is really not important as long as the neighborhood is the right price!
Help me if you can. Thank you.
I would look into my neighborhood which is Inwood, where I was born and raised, I have deep roots here, my family has been here for generations, it is Manhattans northern-most neighborhood, with a long history. It's very affordable for NYC terms, you could probably get a 2BR for about $1600 in a nice elevator building with a good super. Now the thing about Inwood is it is a beautiful neighborhood with the 2nd largest park in Manhattan (2nd to Central Park) but you should NOT go WEST of Broadway. Anything East is fine and dandy. Inwood does have a very large Hispanic population (Mostly Dominicans) but also a good amount of Irish-Americans and Irish immigrants, it was an Irish majority neighborhood since about the 1930s. They still have a very noticable presence, many Irish pubs, stores, an Irish Catholic Church (Good Sheppard).I'm Irish-American myself and If I had to guess I would say East of Broadway is about 60% Irish and 30% Dominican with the rest being mixed. while West of Broadway is almost 90% Dominican and 10% Irish with the remaining Irish being very poor and couldn't afford to move out. Inwood is often confused with Washington Heights, us Inwoodites take great offense to that. We are much better in OUR opinion! LOL. But Inwood is a great, affordable, quiet, safe(east of Broadway), old NYC Middle Class, neighborhood. Broadway is where you'll find many express buses to Manhattan, the A train express subway (be downtown in less then 25 minutes)., Spanish food cafes, Irish pubs, Many stores like GameStop, Footlocker, etc. If you go up to the Bronx which is only about a 5 minute bus ride on the 20 bus, they just put up a new mall with a Target, Applebees, Marshalls, Lane Bryant, Walgreens and dozens of other smaller stores. Inwood is the best kept secret in NYC. You will be amazed when you find Indian Caves in Manhattan! It also has the Columbia football field where they play College football games every Sunday during the winter. this article will tell you everything you need to know; If You're Thinking of Living In/Inwood - Away From Manhattan Without Leaving - NYTimes.com
There's no such thing as an affordable neighborhood with nightlife in Manhattan. If it’s affordable it’s way up north (Inwood or Washington Heights). Unfortunately basic amenities, like bars and restaurants are sorely lacking.
If it has nightlife, like the East Village or Chelsea, it’s expensive. In Manhattan, the better the nightlife the more expensive the neighborhood. They’re expensive because everyone wants to live in a cool neighborhood with nightlife.
For the best balance you should look at Brooklyn (Williamsburg, Green Pont, Fort Green) or Queens (Astoria).
There's no such thing as an affordable neighborhood with nightlife in Manhattan. If it’s affordable it’s way up north (Inwood or Washington Heights). Unfortunately basic amenities, like bars and restaurants are sorely lacking.
If it has nightlife, like the East Village or Chelsea, it’s expensive. In Manhattan, the better the nightlife the more expensive the neighborhood. They’re expensive because everyone wants to live in a cool neighborhood with nightlife.
For the best balance you should look at Brooklyn (Williamsburg, Green Pont, Fort Green) or Queens (Astoria).
Forest Hills in Queens too. There's nightlife on Austin Street.
I would look into my neighborhood which is Inwood, where I was born and raised, I have deep roots here, my family has been here for generations, it is Manhattans northern-most neighborhood, with a long history. It's very affordable for NYC terms, you could probably get a 2BR for about $1600 in a nice elevator building with a good super. Now the thing about Inwood is it is a beautiful neighborhood with the 2nd largest park in Manhattan (2nd to Central Park) but you should NOT go WEST of Broadway. Anything East is fine and dandy. Inwood does have a very large Hispanic population (Mostly Dominicans) but also a good amount of Irish-Americans and Irish immigrants, it was an Irish majority neighborhood since about the 1930s. They still have a very noticable presence, many Irish pubs, stores, an Irish Catholic Church (Good Sheppard).I'm Irish-American myself and If I had to guess I would say East of Broadway is about 60% Irish and 30% Dominican with the rest being mixed. while West of Broadway is almost 90% Dominican and 10% Irish with the remaining Irish being very poor and couldn't afford to move out. Inwood is often confused with Washington Heights, us Inwoodites take great offense to that. We are much better in OUR opinion! LOL. But Inwood is a great, affordable, quiet, safe(east of Broadway), old NYC Middle Class, neighborhood. Broadway is where you'll find many express buses to Manhattan, the A train express subway (be downtown in less then 25 minutes)., Spanish food cafes, Irish pubs, Many stores like GameStop, Footlocker, etc. If you go up to the Bronx which is only about a 5 minute bus ride on the 20 bus, they just put up a new mall with a Target, Applebees, Marshalls, Lane Bryant, Walgreens and dozens of other smaller stores. Inwood is the best kept secret in NYC. You will be amazed when you find Indian Caves in Manhattan! It also has the Columbia football field where they play College football games every Sunday during the winter. this article will tell you everything you need to know; If You're Thinking of Living In/Inwood - Away From Manhattan Without Leaving - NYTimes.com
You're wrong. West of Bway is where all the white folks are. Look at 10th, Post, Sherman, Vermylia etc is almost entirely Dominican and has a much higher crime rate than west of Bway. Maybe you live in way upper Inwood but the Inwood that I frequently visit from Dyckman to 207th, east of Bway is trouble.
East of Broadway is the train yard, a bus garage, and congested streets in Inwood, along with housing projects over on 10th. The nicer areas are to the west, which is the same with Washington Heights, and Kingsbridge, where toward the river the blocks are more stable and less congested.
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
Sure, Washington Heights, Inwood, and most of Harlem are "affordable." But there not places where I'd recommend a recent Manhattan transplant live due to "block by block" crime/poverty situations.
What's affordable to you?
If you have $1250+ to share an apartment or $1600+ to live on your own, you should be able to find an apartment on the Upper East Side (look along 1st and York Avenues for most affordable options) or Clinton/ Hell's Kitchen (West 50's, west of 8th Avenue). Also, along 1st Ave in the East 30's (Murray Hill) there are affordable apartments, although the area is mostly NYU Hospital-centered.
Hell's Kitchen and Murray Hill are closest to nighlife options and both are better for public transit than the Upper East Side. Upper East Side is safest and prettiest (in my opinion).
Yeah I think Coolchris must have either meant to say go West of Broadway...or wants to hype east of Broadway :-P
I haven't lived in NYC for a while but I found the Yorkville section (upper east just south of East Harlem) to be reasonably affordable, as it's not at the moment right near a subway line. But close enough to the 6 to walk. East 90s around 1st and 2nd. But Inwood would be my first choice and if I ever move back that's where I'll go next time.
You're wrong. West of Bway is where all the white folks are. Look at 10th, Post, Sherman, Vermylia etc is almost entirely Dominican and has a much higher crime rate than west of Bway. Maybe you live in way upper Inwood but the Inwood that I frequently visit from Dyckman to 207th, east of Bway is trouble.
Yeah my bad. You are correct, I can't I believe I said that... embarrasing for a lifelong resident of Inwood =\....I was rushing when I typed this. Yeah Seaman is where I live, Cooper, Park Terrace, Indian Road, Beak, Payson Ave are all West. Lol
But Cooper is really the only street in West Bway where the trouble is, its a notroious drug block.
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