Locality · in Manhattan
Washington Heights and Inwood
Manhattan's northern tip, on the A, C and 1 lines, with large hilltop and riverside parks. Rents are well below the Manhattan average, more than four in ten residents were born abroad, and almost all households rent.
Washington Heights and Inwood cover the north of Manhattan above about 155th Street. The NYU Furman Center, which profiles 59 New York City neighborhoods, estimates 182,736 residents for 2024, making it the city's 13th largest neighborhood by population.
Key figures for 2024 (NYU Furman Center, incomes and rents in 2025 dollars):
- Foreign-born residents: 42.5%
- Median household income: $68,550
- Homeownership rate: 12.3%
- Households with children under 18: 19.9%
- Mean commute to work: 41.1 minutes
A residential area where almost all households rent and a much higher share of residents were born abroad than in Manhattan as a whole (42.5% compared with 27.9%). Its location between the Hudson and Harlem rivers gives it large green spaces: Inwood Hill Park, Highbridge Park and Fort Tryon Park.
- A
- C
- 1
- A trains stop at 175 St, 181 St, 190 St, Dyckman St and Inwood–207 St.
- 1 trains stop at 168 St, 181 St, 191 St, Dyckman St, 207 St and 215 St.
- C trains (and the A) stop at 168 St, and the C also at 163 St–Amsterdam Av.
- The average commute was 41.1 minutes in 2024, compared with 31.4 minutes for Manhattan as a whole.
Almost all households rent: the homeownership rate was 12.3% in 2024. The median rent paid by all renters was $1,670, and households that had recently moved paid a median of $2,190, far below the Manhattan median of $3,290 for recent movers. However, 30.2% of renter households were severely rent-burdened. Rent-stabilized apartments are common in buildings with six or more units built before 1974; request a rent history to check a specific apartment.
About one in five households has children under 18. Children attend their zoned public school from kindergarten to grade 8. Parks include Inwood Hill Park (about 196 acres), Highbridge Park (about 130 acres), Fort Tryon Park (about 67 acres) and J. Hood Wright Park.
Mixed evenings
Restaurants and bars line the main commercial streets, while many side streets are residential. Check the specific block before you sign a lease.
Honest trade-offs newcomers mention. They are not reasons to avoid a place.
- Rents for recent movers are much lower than the Manhattan median, but rent burdens are high.
- If you need step-free access, check the elevators at your nearest station.
- Commutes are about ten minutes longer on average than for Manhattan as a whole (41.1 vs 31.4 minutes in 2024).
Useful links
Sources
Facts on this page come from these sources. Neighbourhoods change — check current details before deciding.
- NYU Furman CenterWashington Heights/Inwood – neighborhood profile
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026 - NYU Furman CenterManhattan – neighborhood profile
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026 - Metropolitan Transportation Authority (data.ny.gov)Official sourceMTA Subway Stations (open data)
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026Manhattan stations north of latitude 40.835 and their daytime routes.
- NYC Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Open Data)Official sourceParks Properties (open data)
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026 - NYC Mayor's Public Engagement UnitOfficial sourceRent Stabilization
(Opens {{site}} in a new tab) Accessed 8 Oct 2026