The Best Neighborhoods of Manhattan, New York City

Everyone has a different idea of what their ideal neighborhood is. Some like city living, some like green grass and a large back yard and some would prefer to own a condo or co-op. If there is one place where you can choose from all of the choices it is within the five boroughs of New York City. You can choose to live in Manhattan, right in the middle of all the action or in one of the outer boroughs and still be within less than a half hour commute to downtown Manhattan. These Manhattan Neighborhoods represent some of the best places to live in Manhattan, each one with its own style and class.

Manhattan Neighborhoods

Upper East Side
The Upper East Side of Manhattan is one of the most up scale neighborhoods anywhere. It is home to many of New York's famous museums, borders the east side of Central Park and is the home of the official residence of the mayors of New York City. It is an easy walk to the shopping district on Fifth Avenue. There are restaurants of every kind in the Upper East Side of Manhattan from pizza parlors to the most expensive Italian and French restaurants in the city. If you are going to live in the Upper East Side of New York, you will get to choose from renting an apartment and renting or owning a condo. There is a combination of old brownstone houses and new high rise construction. Expect to spend from, $3,000,000 for a two bedroom to a high of $70,000,000 for a penthouse condo. There are houses available from time to time and a brownstone will go for something like $40,000,000. A 2 bedroom will rent for about $8,000 and a three bedroom penthouse for $1,700,000.

Chelsea

Chelsea is a beautiful neighborhood just north of Greenwich Village, bordered on the west by the Hudson River and on the east by Broadway, 15th street on the south to 39th street on the north. It got its name from the neighborhood of Chelsea in Great Britain and is an old and historic neighborhood. Clement Moore lived here when he wrote. "The Night Before Christmas." Today Chelsea is a neighborhood of beautiful historic row houses and new high rises. There are sill some industrial areas over by the Hudson River, but also on the Hudson River is Chelsea Piers, which is now a city park that houses free concerts all summer long, has some great places to host parties and mush more. It is a huge park. Chelsea is a place to live if you happen to love art. There are more than 200 art galleries in this one small section of Manhattan. There is a good mix of restaurants in Chelsea, with prices more in the moderate range. A townhouse in Chelsea will cost you about $4,000,000 to $5,000,000, a large 5 bedroom condo between $4,000,000 and $5,000,000, a studio condo about $300,000 and a two bedroom for about $600,000.

Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island is located in the East River, between Manhattan and Queens and is considered a part of the borough of Manhattan. Up until 1935, Roosevelt Island was the home of mental hospitals and jails and known as Welfare Island, a place to stay away from. What a difference today. Name for President Franklin Roosevelt, the island today is one of the most desirable places to live. It is connected to Manhattan itself by a tram and subway to and Queens by subway and bridge. Roosevelt Island is a neighborhood of high rise apartment buildings, with a few local shops and restaurants, but the residents usually go to Manhattan or Queens, each only minutes away for a night out or for major shopping. For instance, Queens Center Mall, not the largest in size, but in volume of business in the country, is only about 15 minutes away. Two bedroom condo on Roosevelt Island will cost in the neighborhood of $800,000 and a 3 bedroom over $1,000,000. F you prefer to rent, a huge 5 bedroom will rent for more than $6,000 a month, a 3 bedroom for $4,000 to $5,000, a 2 bedroom for $2,500 and a one bedroom for $1,000 to $2,000.