Living in East Harlem: rent, commute and grades

The average home has 4.8 of 5 everyday needs within a 10-minute walk (grocery store, restaurant, cafe, subway station, park) and about 393 places to eat or shop.

Residents: Around 116th and Lexington, everyday conveniences are all around. Former resident of 3 years, Sep 2026

City data alone would give A-; what residents say in 7 Reddit threads moves it to B+.

Within a 10-minute walk of the average home: about 92 places to eat, 24 kinds of cuisine, 6.3 large grocery stores and 242 open storefronts.

Residents: Most groceries and restaurant meals mean traveling to other neighborhoods. Resident, Sep 2026

City data alone would give A-; what residents say in 17 Reddit threads moves it to A.

100% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park of an acre or more, with about 568 acres of parkland within 1 km and about 436 street trees within 300 m of the average home.

Residents: Central Park is within walking distance, the one clear benefit of the area. Resident since childhood, Jun 2026

City data alone would give A; what residents say in 10 Reddit threads moves it to A-.

23% of households moved in since 2018, 6% are roommates sharing a home, 21% of residents are 22 to 34, and there are about 36 cafes and bars within a 10-minute walk of the average home.

Residents: Around 119th Street near the 116th Street station feels perfectly safe, with nice neighbors. Resident, Mar 2026

City data alone would give B+; what residents say in 3 Reddit threads moves it to A-.

About 27 bars, clubs and restaurants licensed to serve alcohol on site within a 10-minute walk of the average home.

Residents: Hanging out with friends usually means leaving the neighborhood. Resident, Sep 2026

City data alone would give B+; what residents say in 8 Reddit threads moves it to B.

11.2 murders, robberies, felony assaults and burglaries were reported per 1,000 residents in 2025 (1,396 in all).

Residents: Living at 116th Street and Third Avenue as a young woman brought no trouble at all. Former resident, Jun 2025

City data and 16 resident threads on Reddit agree on this grade.

51 noise complaints to 311 per 1,000 residents in 2025, not counting helicopter complaints, and counting each address at most 12 days a year. That measures how often people complain, not how loud it is.

Residents: Weekend block parties pack the streets, a minor annoyance. Resident, Jun 2026

City data alone would give C-; what residents say in 10 Reddit threads moves it to F.

24.1 serious housing code violations (class B or C) were issued in 2025 per 100 rented homes, and there were 8.6 heat or hot water complaints per 100 rented homes.

Residents: An apartment on 118th near Pleasant Avenue was the nicest in 30 years of city living. Former resident, 2014 to 2018, Jun 2026

City data and 5 resident threads on Reddit agree on this grade.