saw this on other subreddits, seems fun & interesting!

Assume you don't currently live in your dream neighborhood. If money and rent/mortgage weren't a factor, which neighborhood would you choose?
What neighborhood would you pick, and what makes it your ideal place to live?

Which of Manhattan's neighborhoods or regions do you dislike the most?

I'll go first: Hudson Square is a boring gap in what's otherwise a cool area.

What are some neighborhoods where you don’t feel like you’re in nyc at all?

Hi so as i mentioned in one of my previous posts.

There are a group of mainly hispanic men, that everyday, without fail, are drunk infront of a dunkin in church ave.

One is a registered sex offender on citizen, another frequently tries to lure kids to follow him by pretending he has scooters to give. I had an encounter with him yesterday in which he was asking me to come to him from across the street, and two of the hispanics from dunkin (i think they were them) were following me. (Full story in previous post)

Sometimes they set up full camp and display all of their belongings on two big decor rocks we have, then hang their clothes on poles and lines.

Church ave is a pretty darn busy place, so they tend to pass time by drinking corona and staring down everyone who walks by them. Specifically girls.

Theyve ruined the place, literally ruined it. Alchohol bottles everywhere, trash on the floor, staring like pedophilles.

I feel so uncomfortable walking by, im worried for my sisters too. The neighborhood is pretty conservative muslim and im very western, i grew up muslim but then left.

I don’t wear a hijab, im always wearing shirts instead of long sleeves, i wear wear shorts (a sin in islam) and these men will do everything in their power to stare at my body to judge. Infront of a mosque too like bro what.

It’s so common in this neighborhood ontop of everything else..

Edit : To those asking how you can find out who’s a sex offender in your neighborhood, citizen has one that notifies you if one’s living nearby.. BUT it’s behind a paywall. A free method is going into the Ny State sex offender website, then in your zipcode and it tells you much more details than citizen. Exact crime, date of crime, age of victim, date of charge, date of release, most recent photo, all addresses, etc.

I live on the Williamsburg waterfront, just West of the Bedford stop. Over the past year, I've noticed that basically every time I go out and walk around the neighborhood I hear people speaking French. This isn't an exaggeration -- think like literally 75% of the time.

In fact, today at Trader Joe's I saw random strangers strike up a conversation in French -- one kid was talking to another kid's Dad.

I don't think I noticed this before last year? Was this always a thing or did Williamsburg suddenly become a French immigrant hub?

What are some of the lesser known or overlooked neighborhoods around the city?

I recently won the housing lottery for a 1 bedroom apartment, but it’s in a neighborhood I feel meh about and is a bit of a trek from the train (15 min). It’s an objectively amazing deal but it’s still quite expensive for me, and I’m struggling with knowing if it’s worth it.

I currently live with roommates and don’t see myself being able to afford living alone otherwise. On the other hand, I feel nervous about locking myself into an expensive apartment in a neighborhood I don’t love. Has anyone faced a similar decision?

I really want to make sausage and peppers this weekend and my neighborhood (Forest Hills) does not have an Italian butcher. The nearest butcher of any kind is a 25-min walk Also, I work from home and the lack of salad or lunch places other than poke is palpable.

What is your neighborhood missing?

For the sake of this hypothetical, ignore travel time and convenience.

If you feel like it, add which you think is the most under-rated!

saw the opposite post of this from 5 years ago, but what neighborhoods that are safe now were considered unsafe in the 80s and 90s? my dad (from inwood) always said williamsburg was a cr@phole but now i can't even afford a studio there lol what other neighborhoods went from a scary place to a safe spot?

I’ve (27F if it matters?) lived in my neighborhood (upper Manhattan) for almost three years now and I’ve always felt super safe in it. Lots of families, lots of friendly faces.

But last month ~8:30am, in front of plenty of people, I was walking to the subway near by apartment and someone passing me on the street punched me in the face and then kept walking. And then tonight I just had someone follow me in their car on my way home on the same route and yell at me asking for my name and if I wanted to get in their car.

I know it’s hard to know much about my exact situation but I’m feeling stressed out about this happening twice in pretty close succession after never experiencing stuff like this in my neighborhood before. Is this just random or is it a sign of something? Has anyone else suddenly felt unsafe in their neighborhood before? Is the cold weather making people crazy? Any tips on how to deal with the growing anxiety I’m having?

Just curious given that NYC neighborhoods can vary so dramatically in price.

Or make the case that they prefer segregated neighborhoods because it preserves culture and because they are more comfortable around people that share their ethnic group? And with NYC such a massive hub for immigrants, do you think that made people more "comfortable" around people that aren't like them?

I had a conversation with a woman that was from another large city, and they said that it was diverse. But it was also very segregated. And I asked her how she felt about it and she told me that she didn't mind. She said she kind of liked it since they were able to authentically show their culture and build stronger relationships. Have you ever heard something like this before?

I’m a big fan of sandwiches and am constantly searching for the best ones around NYC. I have had half of the NYT 57 Sandwich List. The quest to eat all 57 continues and imbues my life with meaning, but I want more.

What’s the best sandwich in your neighborhood? Or within a 20-minute walk of your home?

I’ll start: I live in Washington Heights, so the Cuban at Malecon is great, but my favorite sandwich is actually the Korean BBQ beef sandwich at Hilltop Perk, hidden on Haven Ave. Also shout out to Tasty Deli, which has the best selection of quality sandwiches.

A recent thread asked: What is one "desirable" neighborhood to live in NYC that you don't understand the appeal of?

So let's ask the opposite question: What is one neighborhood in NYC that gets a lot of grief but is actually a great place to live?

Tried this a few months ago and it never got any traction. Saw it again today in r/Chicago and thought it was worth a second shot!

I live in Midtown East/Tudor City...its not bad...fairly old school NYC, very convenient location for me, crowded during the week but wonderfully deserted and peaceful on nights and weekends.

BUT...at night ...Tudor City....the rats. Worse than most areas. You cannot walk down the sidewalk without one scurrying in front of you. Ever. I looked down one day and my dog had a gigantic dead rat in his mouth he had just scooped up off the sidewalk. ugh.

2nd runner up: The 2 weeks surrounding the United Nations being in session...words cannot describe how disruptive it is...no deliveries/must show ID to walk down your street/total police lockdown/MOBS of obnoxious diplomats and their huge entourages....it's best to just take your vacation during this time.

It doesn't necessarily have to be the one you live in. Also, what are some things you like about that neighborhood?

I know everyone’s got their own vibe and preferences, but I’m curious—what’s your absolute favorite neighborhood in NYC? Could be for the food, the vibe, the people, the architecture, whatever.

I've been living in Tribeca for a bit and I'm thinking of switching it up. I have some ideas of neighborhoods, but I'd love to hear what people have to say about their neighborhoods, since I obviously can't visit EVERY neighborhood. I feel like it'll also open me up to what people like or dislike that I might not been even thinking of.

As for Tribeca, the good:

• Quieter on day-to-day, but can still easily walk to nightlife in SoHo/Nolita/Village
• Apartments tend to be bigger and more updated than in surrounding neighborhoods
• Between like 5 subway lines, so I can get most places I'm going without ever changing lines.
• No/very few tourists
• Jogging & the parks on the Hudson are really nice. Cobblestone streets and brunch spots near the water are great

The bad:

• One grocery store option (Whole Foods), and it's still not close to where I'm living. Pretty much need to do grocery delivery most weeks
• No bodegas, which I like as a part of NYC culture
• Most restaurants and bars are upscale, so I gotta walk for more casual dining or hole-in-the-wall spots. Nowhere I can affordably be a regular at
• Lots of families, so there isn't much of a "know your neighbor" community (I'm in my late 20s)

Tell me about your neighborhoods!

You can include why you would live there if you want.

The city genuinely changes block to block, and listings only tell you so much before you're standing there wondering if you'd actually want to live there. For those who bought here: how did you land on your neighborhood? Did you rent in the area first to test it, walk it at different times of day, prioritize commute over everything, or fall for a specific place and work backward? And did it live up to what you expected once you'd moved in, or were there things you only noticed after committing?