Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY
About the Upper East Side, Manhattan
The Upper East Side is a large neighborhood bounded by Central Park and the East River, between Midtown East and East Harlem. The wealthy and upscale neighborhood is home to New York society elite. It has also long been a destination for young professionals. Homes range from expansive apartments in classic, prewar buildings, to more modern dwellings in white brick towers, to historic townhouses.
Home to upper class families, young professionals, and many members of the New York establishment, the neighborhood has a quietly luxurious mood. Madison Ave is lined with high-end shopping and restaurants, with 2 and 3 Aves host a more energetic bar crowd.
The History of the Upper East Side
Originally home to Lenape fishing camps, the area was redeveloped first as farms serving lower Manhattan, then as a tony estates for the City’s affluent families. Beginning in the 1870s, Fifth Avenue and the blocks near the newly-build Central Park were a prized locale for mansions funded with new Gilded Age fortunes. Beginning in the 1910s, many of these homes were replaced with stately apartment buildings. Further east, apartment buildings for middle class workers rose around the 2 and 3 Ave elevated trains, which opened in the 1870s. After these Els were torn down, modern apartment highrises replaced many of the older tenements.
Upper East Side Demographics
The Upper East Side is home to just over 200,000 residents. About three-quarters of the population is white. The median income and proportion of high-income earners is much higher on the Upper East Side than average for Manhattan or New York City.
Transportation on the Upper East Side
The 4/5/6 and Q subways allow for quick commutes to Midtown and Lower Manhattan. Numerous bus lines add service crosstown and to other nearby neighborhoods. The new Second Avenue Subway (Q) opened at 72, 86, and 96 Sts. in 2017 (after nearly a century of planning). The next phase of construction will extend the line north to 125 St. The new line added a convenient subway option for residents on the eastern half of the Upper East Side and helped relieve crowding on the once-jammed Lexington Ave. Line (4/5/6).
Housing on the Upper East Side
The large neighborhood has a diverse array of building styles. Homes on the Upper East Side range from historic mansions with ornate stylings, to classic pre-war apartments, to modern-era high-rise apartments. Numerous smaller apartments in the neighborhood are popular with young professionals and offer good values for first-time buyers.
Neighborhood Life on the Upper East Side
Avenues are lined with small businesses, upscale boutiques, and neighborhood restaurants: Madison Ave. is a shopping destination, with 2 and 3 Aves are packed with bars and restaurants. Most cross streets are quiet and residential. Central Park's rich greenery offers residents lots of outdoor amenities. The Met and the many other museums along Fifth Ave. offer a cultural wealth for residents and also draw a bustle of tourists and families from across the city.
### Neighborhoods Similar to the Upper East Side
Upper East Side Real Estate Trends
The large stock of buildings, diversity of housing types, and relatively low turnover has meant the Upper East Side has seen more steady home prices than other neighborhoods in New York. Although the area is famous for its exorbitant luxury homes, the price-per-square-foot shows there are better values in the Upper East Side than trendy downtown neighborhoods. An array of available studio apartments makes this one of the most affordable neighborhoods for first-time buyers. The local market has been cooling; since peaking in 2018, home prices in the Upper East Side have been falling and the average time on the market is well above the Manhattan average.
UES Median Sale Price (USD):
Studio 530,000
1bd 750,000
2bd 1,600,000
3bd 3,000,000
4bd 5,400,000
UES Median Rent Price (USD):
Studio 2,500
1bd 3,000
2bd 5,000
3bd 8,700
The Truth You Should Know About The Upper West Side
How Safe is the Upper East Side?
Crime rates are below city averages across the entire neighborhood. There are generally people out and about at all hours, especially along the avenues and main streets.
Are Schools Good on the Upper East Side?
The Upper East Side's public schools are generally very highly rated. Great Schools rates the neighborhood’s PS 290/Manhattan New School, PS 6/Lillie D Blake, PS 267/East Side Elementary School, PS/183 Robert L Stevenson, PS 77/Lower Lab School, and Eleanor Roosevelt High School at 10/10.
The neighborhood is also home to numerous prestigious private schools including Regis High School, Brearley School, Dalton School, The Chapin School, The Spence School. Nightingale-Bamford School, Marymount School of New York, and Convent of the Sacred Heart.
Popular Eateries on the Upper East Side?
What to Do on the Upper East Side?
Shop designer brands and boutiques on Madison Ave.
Walk through Central Park, run around the Reservoir, or row a boat out on the Lake.
Take a class at the 92 St Y.
Attend a Summer Sounds concert in Carl Schurz Park.
Visit the Met, the Guggenheim, Cooper Hewitt, the Museum of the City of New York, or other destinations on the Upper East Side’s famed Museum Mile.
Have a drink beneath the artistic walls of Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel.
Is the Upper East Side Dog Friendly?
The Upper East Side has lots of pet-friendly apartment buildings, as well as businesses to serve pampered pets. There are just two dog parks in the neighborhood, both near the East River, at E. 62 St and E. 86 St. There are no enclosed dog runs inside Central Park, but there are several designated dog-friendly areas. Dogs are allowed off-leash inside Central Park before 9AM or after 9PM.
Is the Upper East Side Good for Cycling?
The Upper East Side is a good neighborhood for fitness cyclists and bike commuters. Easy access to the Central Park loop road and the East River Greenway offer easy options for recreational bikers at all levels. Bike lanes along the length of 1 and 2 Aves make for easy rides to Midtown or lower Manhattan.
2 Things to Know Before Moving to the Upper East Side
A waste transfer station on E 91 St. is now operating 24 hours a day, 6 days a week
The area around the new 86 St Q stop is still seeing a boom in new apartment construction.