Manhattan
Geography
The Borough of Manhattan is located on Manhattan Island, which is bordered by New Jersey and the Hudson River on the west; Brooklyn, Queens, and the East River on the East, and the Harlem River on the north. New York Harbor lies at Manhattan’s southern border. The borough also includes several small islands in the east river and in New York Harbor. The island is about 23 square miles in area, about 13 miles long, and about 2 miles wide at its widest point.
Streets
Manhattan’s streets are laid out in a strict grid, with avenues running north-south and numbered streets running east-west. Fifth avenue runs down the center of Manhattan, and divides the island into the East Side and West Side. Manhattan is divided into three, roughly equal sections, Downtown in the south, Midtown in the middle, and Uptown at the north end. Exact boundaries for these sections are fuzzy, but 59th street and 14th street are commonly cited boundaries. Many streets don’t strictly follow the grid pattern, the most famous of which is Broadway, which runs diagonally north from Bowling Green to the Bronx.
Neighborhoods
Manhattan has dozens of neighborhoods, including the Upper East and Upper West Sides, East Village, Harlem, SoHo, Chinatown, TriBeCa, Greenwich Village, Chelsea, and Washington Heights. In addition, Manhattan has two business districts, the Financial District located at the southern tip, and Midtown Manhattan.
Demographics
Manhattan’s population was spread out with 16.8% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 38.3% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.
- 1,537,195 residents, or 66,940 people per square mile
- Only 17% of households have children, 25% are married couples.
- 17% of residents are under 18
- 10% are 18 to 24
- 38% are 25 to 44
- 23% are 45 to 64
- 12% are 65+
- The median age is 36.
- median income is $47,030 and per capita income is $42,922.
- 20% of the population lives below the poverty line
- 54% White
- 27% Hispanic of any race
- 17% Black
Manhattan ZIP code 10021 has one of the country’s largest concentrations of wealth, with over 100,000 people with a per capita income over $90,000
Culture
Since the 20s, Manhattan has been an important architectural center, and is home to dozens of important and famous skyscrapers such as Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and the GE Building (originally called the RCA Building. Until September 11, 2001, the twin towers of the World Trade Center were among New York’s most famous structures.
Manhattan is at the epicenter of many cultural movements, from Art Deco architecture and the Harlem Renaissance to American Pop Art, Broadway Theatre , and the Metropolitan Opera. The neighborhood of Chelsea alone has over 200 art galleries. Manhattan’s art museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Guggenheim Museum house some of the largest collections in the world. The New York Knicks, Rangers, and Liberty all play at Madison Square Garden. Manhattan is the only borough without a pro baseball franchise, although the Giants, Yankees, and Mets have all called Manhattan home at some time. In Football, both the New York Giants and Jets have played in Manhattan.
Manhattan is also the home of numerous major media companies, including The New York Times, Daily News, and Post; the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Amsterdam News. All four major television broadcast networks call Manhattan home, as do many cable channels. Manhattan also has most of the country’s major publishing houses.
History
Manhattan was settled by the Dutch in 1614 and was originally named New Amsterdam. The area was conquered by the British in 1664 and New Amsterdam was renamed New York. It was the center of British operations during the Revolutionary War, and the first capital of the United States afterward. Throughout the 1800s, Manhattan became the primary point of arrival for millions of immigrants. The 20s saw a tremendous influx of black residents as part of the Great Migration.
Beginning in the 60s, crime, race riots, and industrial decay began to destroy the city. By the end of the 70s, New York in general, and Manhattan in particular, had become icons of Urban Dystopia. Things began turning around in the 80s, as Wall Street once again became an important financial center. Crime peaked in 1982, with a total of 102 police-recorded crimes per thousand residents. Despite improvements, many crimes continued to rise, most notably homicides. In 1990, the city saw 2,262 murders. The early 90s were a major turning point, as the city dramatically increased its police force and improved its crime tracking, reporting, and monitoring system. New York City now has the lowest crime rate among the ten largest cities in the U.S., at a rate comparable to that of Boise, Idaho.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Hey there! Love the site. My family and I are looking to move to New York in the next year or so, due to a potential job transfer. We’d like to be as close to (or in!) Manhattan as possible, but I’m not sure if we can.
I’ll be making a decent salary, but it’s under $100,000 a year. We have six people in our household – four children and two adults. Is it even possible to find an apartment that size? Is there single unit housing in NYC?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
October 10th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Dave, there are sing unit households although anything in Manhattan is going to be either very expensive (think several million) or in rougher neighborhoods. If you are serious about living in a single family dwelling then you’ll have to look at the outer boroughs and probably pretty far out.
As far as finding an apartment for a family of your size, they do exist but again real estate is so competitive there are going to be some real trade offs. I know of one family in a similar situation that makes due in a large two bedroom up in Inwood/Washington Heights which is a neighborhood on the northern tip of Manhattan. The commute from there to Wall Street (if you work downtown) is still about an hour.
I don’t have kids so I can’t speak to which schools are best, but I would look in Washington Heights (Manhattan), Long Island City (Queens–still part of the NYC), and Brooklyn.
Because you make a decent salary but your needs are very specific you may want to look into working with a Broker. There are lots of brokerages but Corcoran and CitiHabitats are two brokerages that I know of that have units all over the city. While you do end up paying a hefty brokerage fee, you don’t pay them until AFTER they’ve found a place for you to live so you aren’t losing anything by contacting them.
October 17th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Very useful information. Thanks!
June 19th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
I’ve been thinking about different architects that adorned their talents in NYC. The TWA terminal in JFK airport by Saarinen and of course my favorite the Guggenheim museum by world renowned US architect Frank Lloyd Wright. He’s a genius.
February 2nd, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Thanks for very useful information.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
how do u make friends with ppl in ny if ur movin on ur own
February 28th, 2010 at 2:36 am
Hi Roisin,
Making friends in manhattan is really easy… check out the neighbourhoods guide on http://www.moving2manhattan.com for where to go and what to do. Its all about hanging around in the right coffee shops and bars. New Yorkers love to socialise and meet new people so you shouldnt have any trouble!
March 6th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
I want to move to Manhattan but I am 20 years old. I currently leave on my own in Miami. Finding a place in Manhattan isn’t a worry but finding a great career is! And a good university around the area that I can afford. Where can I find this type of information? Ideally, I am going with a mindset of living with a roomate so getting to kow people won’t be so hard but just the job opportunities that I am concerned with.
March 12th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Because you already took inventory, look at the list and decide the value of your processions. Consider getting comprehensive insurance through your moving company. Insurance will protect the value of all your belongings.
March 26th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Hi, I really like the layout of your site. What theme are you using?
April 12th, 2010 at 10:34 am
Thanks! It is a custom CMS theme.
February 14th, 2011 at 11:48 am
This article is junk…. The Sears Tower is not in Manhattan… it’s in Chicago’s Loop. Also… Manhattan really didn’t fall into total urban disrepair in the ’60s and ’70s… In fact, Manhattan was one of the few urban centers in America that faired reasonably well through those rough decades.
July 10th, 2011 at 8:19 am
Hi! I’m 20 years old and I’m currently living in FL. I’ve always dreamed of living in NYC. In a year or so I will be graduated as a DA, I’ve heard they pay more up north in NYC (I’m guessing because it’s a way more expensive lifestyle). I was thinking I save up money and head up there. I have some questions though like; which neighborhoods in Manhattan you recommend are not so expensive but not so far from downtown? I’m not so picky about size rather location and price. Any websites that I should know about that can help me find legit places to live and more info on the neighborhood? Also, a good location near shops, art scene, libraries, etc. Hope to hear back, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
September 26th, 2011 at 7:43 am
NYC is probably more expensive then where you’re living in FL (although I’m told the cost of living in FL can vary tremendously). “Not so expensive” and “far from downtown” are pretty relative in Manhattan. Nothing close to downtown is going to be cheap although the Upper West Side and south Harlem are probably your best bet. Occasionally you can find affordable places on the Lower East Side, although there are (relatively) fewer transportation options there so keep in mind where you’ll be working. If you’re working in Clinton, for example, you could give yourself a needlessly long commute living in the Lower East Side IHMO.
April 14th, 2012 at 5:32 am
Hi, my husband and I are moving to New York in the fall, he will be attending Columbia. We’re looking to spend around 1,500-2,000 on a 1 bedroom apartment, preferably near the university or within easy access, but also in a good area for a family (close to a good hospital, park, grocery stores, etc). Can you give us an idea of where would be a good place. And also how much time we should allocate to looking for an apartment. Would 1,500-2,000 be enough for a decent apartment; 1 bedroom (2 if possible), washer and dryer included or at least in the building, doorman. Also any tips, advice on moving to New York? Thanks so much for your help!
April 14th, 2012 at 8:35 am
Hi Jeannette, I would recommend talking to Columbia first. I have a family member who works for Columbia and the University gave them subsidized housing. The Morningside Heights neighborhood (the area right around Columbia) is very nice. I don’t believe one and two bedrooms in that area with washer/dryer and doorman have gone for close to what you’re looking for many years, though you may be able to find a one bedroom with laundry in the building.
You can look in Harlem or Washington Heights and get more space. Depending on what you’re used to those neighborhoods can be an adjustment. I’ve lived in them and felt safe but they are cheaper because they are farther from mid/downtown and because until the last ten years-or-so they were pretty rough and sometimes it still shows. Typically the area of Washington Heights West of Broadway along riverside park is a little nicer (and pricier than East of Broadway) with easy access to Columbia via the 1 line. That may be a good compromise for your family.
I haven’t been on an apartment hunt personally for several years now but I feel like what you’re asking for is less than the going rate for the area you want and finding a “deal” can take time. If you are willing to pay a broker’s fee (10-20% of the annual rent of the apartment or about 1 month) then getting a broker involved should cut down on your time and stress. A good broker will work with your budget.
I still say talk to Columbia first. If their prices sound high then you may need to adjust expectations. Hope that helps!
April 29th, 2012 at 4:08 am
Great site, super useful information.
I am an immigrant coming from Romania to NY in July. I will have some savings – $10K that I will put in the bank as soon as I arrive. I am a single woman. I will be looking for an affordable and safe studio. I need all the help and suggestions I can find