An Outsider’s Guide to Living in Manhattan Neighborhoods

Congrats, you’re moving to Manhattan! That either means you just graduated college, you got a shiny new job, or your significant other has dragged you there…either way, welcome.

Now it’s time to find an overly expensive apartment in the heart of it all! Your next decision could honestly make or break your entire Manhattan experience. Choosing the right neighborhood to park your hiney is definitely something you want to get right. It may take a few apartments, a few thousand dollars on moving guys, and a few broken lamps to land in the right spot, but eventually you will.

I am here to give you a lighthearted look into the various Manhattan neighborhoods, so you can get a better idea of which street you want to ultimately smell garbage on every day.

So let’s get started!

Washington Heights/Anything above W 96th Street
This area would be great for any Columbia University folks, proving a short commute to their campus. I would argue that this location beckons those who want to pretend they do not live in Manhattan, or enjoy long commutes to work. Very pretty in the summer, and overall a quiet place to live (if you don’t mind not having many grocery stores around)!