Is Upper East Side Safe? Manhattan Livability, Crime & Rent
Upper East Side scores 7.4 median (IQR: 7–7.8): a transit-rich, tree-dense neighborhood with strong practical infrastructure, offset by noise and worsening crime trends.
Upper East Side at a glance
- Borough
- Manhattan
- Livability score
- 7.4/10
- Borough rank
- #2 of 33
- Safety verdict
- Safer Than Average
- Crimes (12 mo)
- 3,592
- Median listing
- $0
- Subway stations
- 8 (Roosevelt Island, Lexington Av/59 St, Lexington Av/63 St)
- Active listings
- 781
- Data updated
- 2026-04-05
Is Upper East Side Safe?
Upper East Side, Manhattan scores 7.4/10 for overall livability, ranking #2 of 33 Manhattan neighborhoods. Upper East Side scores 7.4 median (IQR: 7–7.8): a transit-rich, tree-dense neighborhood with strong practical infrastructure, offset by noise and worsening crime trends.
This score aggregates live NYPD crime data, 311 safety complaints, shooting incidents, and building health signals within walking distance. Safety varies by block — check a specific Upper East Side address below for a block-level breakdown.
Score Overview
Vertical line = borough median. Scale: 0-10.
Neighborhood Character
You'll find yourself walking under a dense canopy—an average of 82 trees within 200 meters, with canopy density hitting 9.5/10—that shapes the Upper East Side's quieter, greener character relative to much of Manhattan. The neighborhood clusters around five major parks (John Jay, East River Walk, Andrew Haswell Green, St. Catherine's, and Queensboro Oval), most within a 10-minute walk. Despite its reputation for refined dining and cultural institutions along Museum Mile, the street experience is defined by mid-rise and high-rise residential stock (67% and 31% respectively) that dominates the 781 tracked buildings. The transit network is exceptional: you're within reach of the Lexington Line (4, 5, 6), crosstown services (N, R, W, M, Q), and multiple station clusters that anchor commute reliability.
Analysis based on 781 properties scored across 30+ data points
Livability & Restoration
Tree Canopy
82 trees
Avg within 200m | Density: 9.5/10
10 additional trees per block correlates with health benefits equivalent to being 7 years younger (Kardan et al., 2015)
Park Access
John Jay Park
Avg 483m away | Score: 2.8/10
Living within 300m of green space associated with 30% fewer antidepressant prescriptions (Taylor et al., 2015)
Acoustic Quality
7/10
Noise proxy score (higher = quieter)
Chronic noise above 55 dB at night associated with 8% cardiovascular mortality increase (Basner et al., 2014)
Street Character
0/10
Enclosure: 0/10
What is the ART Score?
ART stands for Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989) — the framework environmental psychologists use to measure whether a place helps your brain recover from mental fatigue, or pushes it deeper into overload. Cities deplete directed attention (the effortful focus you use at work); exposure to restorative environments replenishes it.
We compute an ART score for every block by combining four signals: access to restorative zones (parks, museums, libraries), sensory load (nightlife and tourist density), street vitality (Jane Jacobs’ “eyes on the street”), and third places (Oldenburg’s informal community spaces).
In line with the Manhattan median — typical city stimulus with typical restorative access.
What drives the score
- +Restorative zones. Museums, libraries, community gardens, and parks within walking distance. “Soft fascination” stimuli (clouds, tree branches, water) let directed attention recover without effort — the Kaplans’ core mechanism.
- −Sensory load. Bar and nightclub density (5+ within 150m), firehouse siren corridors, tourist chokepoints, and very high foot traffic push the score down by up to 8 points.
- +Street vitality (Jacobs, 1961). Permitted block parties, farmers markets, and community festivals over the past 12 months — a proxy for “eyes on the street” and the informal surveillance that makes blocks feel safe and maintained.
- +Third places (Oldenburg, 1989). Cafés, public plazas (POPS), community centers — the “anchors of community life” that buffer against social isolation. Loneliness has been linked to 29% higher incident coronary heart disease risk (Valtorta et al., 2016).
Health mechanism. Directed-attention fatigue (DAF) is linked to impaired decision-making, irritability, and elevated cortisol. A meta-analysis of 60+ studies (Ohly et al., 2016) found restorative environment exposure significantly improves attention-task performance (Hedges’ g ≈ 0.32) and reduces negative affect.
Theoretical foundations. Kaplan & Kaplan (1989), The Experience of Nature; Jacobs (1961), The Death and Life of Great American Cities; Oldenburg (1989), The Great Good Place.
Transit & Commute
Subway Stations
Commute Score
9.5/10
Borough median: 8.5/10
Walk Score Proxy
0/10
Based on street geometry analysis
Financial Landscape
Median Price
$0
Price per Sq Ft
$0
Price Distribution
Price by Building Type
Investment Indicators
Avg Unused FAR
0 sqft
Development rights potential
Unused development rights valued at $30-$80/sqft in Brooklyn (Glaeser, 2011)
Avg Days on Market
0
Market velocity signal
Multi-Family Stock
0%
2-4 family buildings
Multi-family owner-occupants build 2.4x wealth vs single-family (Herbert, 2013)
Outdoor & Green Space
Avg Tree Count
82
Within 200m radius
Canopy Density
9.5/10
Normalized canopy coverage
Park Network
- John Jay Park
- East River Walk
- Andrew Haswell Green Park
- St. Catherine's Park
- Queensboro Oval
Avg distance: 483m
Practical Living
Building Types
Who Upper East Side Is For
Transit-dependent professionals
Commute score of 9.5 (well above borough median of 8.5) with dense subway access across six station clusters makes this neighborhood built for people who need reliable regional connectivity.
People prioritizing tree cover and outdoor access
At 82 trees per 200m and 9.5/10 canopy density, plus five parks within 483m average distance, you get meaningful green space without sacrificing urban density.
Residents valuing practical amenities
Practical score of 9 (significantly above borough median of 5.8) reflects strong availability of everyday services, retail, and institutional infrastructure.
Pros & Cons
Strengths
Exceptional transit access
Commute score of 9.5; six major subway stations including Lexington Av/59 St (4,5,6,N,R,W) and multiple crosstown lines (M, Q)
Dense tree canopy and park proximity
Average 82 trees within 200m, canopy density 9.5/10, five major parks within average 483m walk
Strong practical livability infrastructure
Practical score of 9 reflects reliable access to services, retail, and everyday amenities across 781 tracked buildings
Relatively safer than borough average
Safety percentile of 77% in borough indicates lower relative risk profile
Trade-offs
Very high noise complaints
5,110 noise complaints recorded; among the highest in tracked neighborhoods
Rising crime trend
Crime increased 157.1% over 12 months despite absolute safety ranking remaining in 77th percentile
Moderate rodent issues
351 rodent complaints indicate presence of pest management challenges
Limited arts/cultural livability relative to potential
Art/Livability score of 6.3 lags neighborhood's institutional offerings, suggesting gaps in accessible cultural participation
Score Any Address in Upper East Side
Get detailed livability scores based on building health, transit access, safety, noise levels, and 15+ NYC data sources.
Search an Address in Upper East SideFrequently Asked Questions about Upper East Side
1Is Upper East Side safe?
By NYPD data, Upper East Side is rated "Safer Than Average" — safer than 60% of Manhattan neighborhoods. 3,592 crime incidents and 0 shooting incidents over the past 12 months. See the safety page for the full breakdown.
2What is the average rent in Upper East Side?
Rents in Upper East Side, Manhattan vary significantly by building and apartment type. The median listing price is $0. Use DwellCheck to research specific addresses.
3How is transit access in Upper East Side?
Upper East Side has a commute score of 9.5/10. 8 subway stations serve the area: Roosevelt Island, Lexington Av/59 St, Lexington Av/63 St.
4What are the best streets in Upper East Side?
The best streets depend on your priorities. Use DwellCheck to compare specific addresses across livability, safety, transit, and environmental factors.
5What is Upper East Side known for?
Upper East Side sits in Manhattan and ranks #2 of 33 Manhattan neighborhoods on DwellCheck's livability score (7.4/10). It's served by 8 subway stations (Roosevelt Island, Lexington Av/59 St, Lexington Av/63 St), with a median listing price of $0. Upper East Side scores 7.4 median (IQR: 7–7.8): a transit-rich, tree-dense neighborhood with strong practical infrastructure, offset by noise and worsening crime trends.
6What is it like to live in Upper East Side?
Living in Upper East Side, Manhattan weights against six livability dimensions: practical (HPD-violation density), commute (subway proximity), arts/culture (venue density), outdoor (parks + trees), financial (price level), investment (price trend). Upper East Side's composite is 7.4/10. Upper East Side scores 7.4 median (IQR: 7–7.8): a transit-rich, tree-dense neighborhood with strong practical infrastructure, offset by noise and worsening crime trends. For the block-by-block view, run any specific Upper East Side address through DwellCheck.
7Is Upper East Side expensive?
Median listing price in Upper East Side, Manhattan is $0 based on 781 active listings as of 2026-04-05. Whether that reads "expensive" depends on the comparison: it's lower than Manhattan averages and varies considerably by building. Rent-stabilized units in Upper East Side can run 20-40% below the median; check DHCR rent history for any specific address to verify.
8Can you walk around Upper East Side at night?
Upper East Side is classified as "Safer Than Average" by NYPD CompStat data. Over the past 12 months it recorded 0 shooting incidents and 3,592 total crime incidents. Walking at night carries the same risk profile as anywhere in NYC: stay on commercial corridors with foot traffic, avoid empty side streets after midnight, and prefer subway lines that run 24/7.
9Is Upper East Side dangerous?
By NYPD data, Upper East Side is rated "Safer Than Average" — safer than 60% of Manhattan neighborhoods. 3,592 crime incidents over 12 months. Block-level risk varies; check the address-level safety score for any specific street or building.
10What parts of Upper East Side should I avoid?
NYPD CompStat reports incidents at the precinct level, not block-by-block, so a granular "avoid this street" answer isn't possible from public data alone. The most reliable signal at the block level is DwellCheck's address-level safety score, which weights NYPD incidents within a 250m radius of a specific building. As a general rule across NYC: industrial blocks with no foot traffic are higher-risk than residential blocks; subway-station-adjacent commercial corridors are lowest-risk.
11Is Upper East Side a good place to live?
Upper East Side scores 7.4/10 for overall livability and ranks in the 60th percentile for safety in Manhattan. Upper East Side scores 7.4 median (IQR: 7–7.8): a transit-rich, tree-dense neighborhood with strong practical infrastructure, offset by noise and worsening crime trends. Whether it's a good fit depends on what you weight: families, solo renters, and remote workers each prioritize different factors (noise, transit access, parks, building quality).
12What is the average DwellScore in Upper East Side?
The median composite score is 7.4, with an interquartile range of 7–7.8. Scores are driven by exceptional commute (9.5) and practical (9) ratings, partially offset by moderate financial (5), art/livability (6.3), and outdoor (5.5) scores.
13How walkable is the neighborhood to parks?
Five major parks (John Jay Park, East River Walk, Andrew Haswell Green Park, St. Catherine's Park, and Queensboro Oval) are located an average of 483 meters away, placing most within a 6-minute walk.
14Is Upper East Side safer than other Manhattan neighborhoods?
Yes—it ranks in the 77th percentile for safety across the borough. However, crime complaints increased 157.1% over 12 months, indicating a worsening trend despite the current higher absolute safety ranking.
15What transit options serve Upper East Side?
Six major subway stations provide access to the Lexington Line (4, 5, 6), crosstown lines (N, R, W, M, Q), and the Roosevelt Island Tramway (M), delivering a commute score of 9.5.
16What is the building stock like?
Of 781 tracked buildings, 67% are mid-rise and 31% are high-rise residential. Walk-ups represent only 1% of the stock, reflecting the neighborhood's modern apartment-focused character.
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