By Gus Saltonstall
Hold the door for a neighbor. Wave to somebody on the street. Leave a nice review of a local business. We’ve got a new reputation to uphold, as the Upper West Side was just named among the 10 friendliest neighborhoods in the United States.
A recent study from the home decor chain store Hastha Kalalu, which used data from the U.S. Census, real estate listing platforms such as Zillow, FBI crime data, and more, created a ranking of the 30 friendliest neighborhoods in the country.
The Upper West Side, which was one of the two New York City neighborhoods to make the list along with the Upper East Side, was dubbed the eighth friendliest community in the nation, as first reported by TimeOut. The UES was number 21.
“Friendly neighborhoods need more than just nice people—they emerge from a connection of affordability, safety, and community rather than just social factors alone,” Hastha Kalalu said in the study. “While most friendly neighborhoods tend to be suburban, New York’s Upper West Side proves that even expensive city areas can build strong communities when other factors line up right.”
Neighborhoods received an overall score based on multiple indicators, including: population density, the number of family households, the average house value, the number of violent crimes per 1,000 residents, and the cost of living.
The Upper West Side received a 58.09 friendliness score, which was based on the following factors, according to the study:
- # of family households: 33 percent of the community
- Median household income: $145,620
- Average house value: $777,913
- Violent crime rates, per 1K: 9.9
- Cost of living: 138 (38 percent above the national average)
Here were the top 10 friendliest neighborhoods in the United States, according to the study.
- Elkhorn, Omaha
- Kingwood, Houston
- South Side, Corpus Christi, Texas
- Northwest, El Paso, Texas
- Deer Valley, Phoenix
- Highland, Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Brickell, Miami, Florida
- Upper West Side, New York
- Maryvale, Phoenix
- Chevy Chase, Lexington, Kentucky
Let us know in the comment section if you agree with the distinction as one of the friendliest neighborhoods in the country.
You can check out the full study for yourself — HERE.
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Disagree. Upper West Siders are inconsiderate and entitled, and it’s getting worse every year. This study is beyond flawed…it’s whole-cloth fiction.
WOW …buzzkill! I will politely disagree with you
I won’t argue with you about the study being flawed. But UWSers are inconsiderate and enttitled? Twice in the last few years, my husband took a bad fall. IMMEDIATELY, he was surrounded by UWSers helping by getting him to his feet, asking if he was ok, and offering to call 911. Inconsiderate? Entitled? Yeah, right.
Yes there are nice west siders but a lot of inconsiderate and entitled people here as well.
I smashed my wrist falling off my bicycle 20 years ago and was instantly surrounded by strangers who cared and helped—even returned my bicycle to my building while I ran up the street, wrist held above my heart, to get a taxi to a proper ER and not get shanghaied to St. Luke’s-Roosevelt. It’s a happy memory of a terrible event. Thank you, neighbors!
I have a pied a’terre . We purposely choose the UWS. Our neighbors are exceptional and we find the whole vibe friendly.
Try putting a smile on your face, it works wonders.
I had a bad fall and several strangers rushed to assist me. Never felt anything but pleased with our choice. It’s not perfect, but it works for us.
Maybe you’re thinking of WSR commenters? ; )
When I saw the headline for this article, I thought, uh oh, here come the haters! I don’t know if these people who troll every article about the UWS (and the city in general) even live here, but one thing you can say for them, they are definitely reliable 🙂
I agree with Dino to a point. Because some not all upper west siders are ok.
What’s happening these people don’t care about dog feces on sidewalks and garbage everywhere.
It’s really disgusting. And our representatives don’t care either. They should be out there walking around the neighborhood not just when they want the votes.
They obviously didn’t interview Dino Vercotto
(LOL., Cyrus!) But Dino Vercotti – the fact that you took the time to honestly say what you think is pretty damn friendly in my book! You’re the kind of outspoken (cranky) Upper West Sider I’ve known and loved all my life! The hell with those entitled interlopers.
I am surprised that Park Slope or Austin aren’t higher than the UWS.
I think our neighborhood is indeed very friendly. I’m not sure the comments section on WSR is! 😁
Love this comment! 🙂 I love the UWS, and I found MOST people to be nice. Griping is a NYC tradition, but one can complain AND see also what is good, not only what is not. So, I hope that those quick to point out what is not right, are doing so because in their daily lives they are tryign to be the kind ones. Right? 🙂
Wonderful❗️ 🏆
My fellow Upper Westside’ers this is something to be very proud about…👏🥂
…But of course, we would be in that category and to live in.
All the numbers add up in this study.
❤️ Happy Valentine’s Day💕
Same to you!!!
I agree 100 percent but the study’s methodology equates wealthy with friendly? I’m not sure about that. Or maybe you lose friendliness points if your neighborhood is TOO wealthy. The UWS is comfortably wealthy but not superwealthy.
This story being filed under “absurdity” made me chuckle. What a strange list!
Agree. This survey is a joke. I’ve lived in the UWS for 30 years, and my job required me to travel to hundreds of cities and towns in the Midwest and South. And without fail, the residents in 100% of those “flyover” cities were far friendlier than Upper West siders. Not even close.
Maybe it’s you.
Like others, I started chuckling over how many of the commenters here complain about the people of the UWS .
“Friendly”, well it depends with who around here. Anyone not sharing the local “progressive” values and opinions will quickly find the virtue signaling crowd unfriendly… And surely not open-minded!
It’s pretty much hate vs. love, and since we UWS’ers are all about love, maybe you should reexamine the kind of love you’re putting out into the world.
You just made my point with your moral high ground.
Even if you share some of the progressive values that they have, if you drive a car, you are seen as a worse person than someone who robs a convenience store.
This is hilarious. I lived there for 32 years. It is not a particularly warm or friendly place.
So, the glass is OVER half-full. We could do even better! That would really be something…:)
This has to be a joke. The only place I am yelled at more than the UWS is the United States Post Office.
The staff at the UWS post office are appalling! The WORST!
Not the one on Columbus Avenue on the corner of 69th Street (or is it 68th)? The employees there are unfailingly friendly
and helpful,
I guess the people who came up with this list have never experienced shopping at Fairway when it’s crowded.
Or moving the car the night before street cleaning!
I agree that the UWS is a friendly neighborhood. I live in a small building full of neighborly people.
Me agree! And friends of mine who live in bigger buildings, find that their building’s residences – on the whole – are nice, too. It is usually the few who are NOT nice that give the ‘ick vibe’ to a place, not the many neighborly neighbors.
I moved here 3 years ago from another NYC neighborhood. I am constantly struck by the friendliness. I am a senior woman and walk with a cane – I have asked folks (mostly guys) to help me across the street several times when I felt unsteady and they leapt in to help & were invariably kind and patient. I stop for a moment and sure enough someone asks if I am OK. I drop something & someones rushes to pick it up. I might add that this applies to all ethnicities – kindness abounds. I love it here!
I completely agree!
I have lived in the upper west side all my life in the Manhattan Valley area and we are definitely a friendly bunch. I always say that we are different from other NewYorkers. We have a sense of community and value our neighbors. Most of us have been here since the late 70’s and have experienced a lot. However, we still remain strong. We look out for each other no matter which social class you come from. Some way somehow, we know each other usually via family references, and that value is priceless. This community is one in itself and I am proud that we are finally being recognized for it. Thank you for the study. Maybe you can explore the Manhattan Valley area in the upper west side. I would love to see the behavioral research outcome for us. We are indeed a hidden gem.
Of course they are friendly, then they put the pod in your home. Then you wake up as one of them.
I moved to the UWS in 1980 (at 25 yo) when many of the elderly were original tenants in pre-war rent-controlled apartments. Many were immigrants, many Holocaust survivors. These beautiful people could be blunt and irascible, and some people thought they were not friendly. But their tough facade had been developed in response to life’s worst traumas. I loved them.
I don’t see how any of the factors they measured correlate with friendliness.
“Neighborhoods received an overall score based on multiple indicators, including: population density, the number of family households, the average house value, the number of violent crimes per 1,000 residents, and the cost of living.”
In other words, indicative if a nice probably upscale place to live but nothing to do with friendliness.
And I’ve never heard if this chain of stores which seems to carry some nice Indian home products and has a phone contact in Boston.
I agree!. It’s good that we scored well on these measures, but I don’t see how they’re related to friendliness. It’s likely that the store simply looked at published statistics to create a message for an attention-grabbing press release. Friendliness is a “soft” behavior and I’m not sure how it would be measured. Perhaps a random survey of residents?
Well, Crocodile Dundee reckoned: “Imagine seven million people all wanting to live together. Yeah, New York must be the friendliest place on earth.” Th UWS has some of the most densely-inhabited zip codes in the US, so we must be the friendliest of the friendliest.
Upper west side average house value is less than $800k…?
I spend a fair amount of time there & –though I never thought about it that way–this seems true!
I don’t travel much, but I met a woman who said she was moving from the UWS to Florida. She had gone there for a while to see how she would like it. She said she made more friends down there in 6 weeks than she had here in 30 years. She said the only strangers who will talk to you here are beggars and the insane.
The survey-takers clearly didn’t set foot on Columbia’s campus.
No argument here – the wonderful exchanges I have so often have become part of my way of life. Not casting aspersions, but living north of 96th St, I think, even improves things. I moved here from Brooklyn because this is like the Brooklyn of my youth.
As far as I’m concerned – and this is only one person’s opinion – I would not live anywhere else in Manhattan
We’ve come along way baby!!! Remember during Covid when special interest groups and a few very vocal advocates called us awful names because neighbors expressed concern about crime and quality of life? Perhaps in the end their chalking and lessons about brotherly love worked?
ON the UWS
Did you look at the other top 9? OK I love the UWS but this study is hilarious. Now get me a bagel and leave me alone
I totally agree. I’ve lived here a long time and it’s what keeps me in the crazy city. The Upper West Side is the best!
I’ve lived on the UWS for over 30 years and yes it is friendly especially when you consider that we live in a crowded city and most of us are in apartments where we come into contact with other people every day on the streets which forces us to be polite and friendly more than say the people who live in suburbs who are either in their homes or in their cars and shop online. It’s easier to be considered friendly when you don’t have to interact with anyone. For people who live on top of each other like us, I’d say we’re plenty friendly. More often than not someone will help another person who’s in need whether it’s carrying groceries or after tripping and falling. It’s a nice community.
Agree!! So many helpful people!! And I think the West Side Rag makes a big contribution to the friendliness factor on the UWS! Spotlighting good deeds by neighbors and local businesses and community activities to enjoy! It’s a great contribution! Thank you!! (And I have no connection whatsoever to anyone there. 😁)
This says a lot about how miserable and unfriendly the rest of the country is!!!
Mr. Saltonstall offered the following statistic: “The Upper West Side received a 58.09 friendliness score.” OK, then. Some of us see the 58% friendly side more than the complement; others see the 42% more often, and some of us see a balance. These comments reflect that perfectly. Homogeneity is boring; the diversity among the commenters here is refreshing.
Best Neighborhood, In The Best City, Filled With The Best People! NYC Is All That Matters! The Less I Have To Leave This City The Better! I ❤️ NY.
If they discounted landlords and real estate developers we would probably be #1.
This is pure nonsense. New Yorkers are self centered ladder climbers. Cut throat and in a hurry. There’s barely a crumb of community. I live here I would know.
Marius dicpetris – Those aren’t Native New Yorkers or Upper West Siders – Those are the wannnabe carpetbaggers from the rest of the country & the world who come to NYC with all their insecurities & but arrogant & trying to prove they’re as good as New Yorkers…
I have lived here 23 years. In that time, I have had my wallet, a credit card and my drivers license all returned to me. This is 3 seperate incidents. The egregious e- bike riding is completely inconsiderate and diminishes our quality of life. Other than that, i feel safe and my neighbors are very friendly and helpful. Upper Best Side!
Brickell, not Bricknell, Miami
Hey, I’ll take it! We’re not perfect, and we don’t need to be, but we are good enough, and that to me, is humanity. I find the UWS to be a very nice place to live, and there are the many neighborhood connections that make it so. I do see people holding doors for each other, walking slowly across the crosswalk to match their step to that of an elderly or otherwise less-quick-stepped neighbor, stop and chat on the street, know their mail carrier and UPS person by name, return misdelivered packages to their intended next-building neighbor (speaking from experience, on both ends), and generally be decent people to each other. Are we ALWAYS nice? No. Is EVERYONE considerate? Sadly, no. But the vibe, to me, is, and many are. So, yay to us, and lets step it up in kindness!
Just the other day I was mugged by the nicest guy.
I moved here ten years ago from Carnegie Hill, possibly the least friendly part of the city. The UWS is warmer, more authetic and more neighborhoody. But because of Covid, I still don’t know a single person in my building, since I moved here over two years ago. I am very friendly and outgoing and have the cutest dog in the world. Mostly, our friends are shopkerpers and their employees and we treasure our friendships with them. Something has definitely changed.
I must say that even as an UWS person for all but my first year of life, I feel that the time has come to relocate our entire population in this neighborhood to some remote, yet tranquil and stunning island out in the Pacific, down in the Caribbean, or as a last resort, anywhere out West of the Mississippi, to any State which will accept us, to live out the rest of our lives in peace, finally, fully compensated and cared for financially, in every way, of course, for our trouble. They can then build a massive Tourist and Entertainment Complex in the entire area, in hopes of at least somehow saving whatever is left here in NYC…Thank you very much, Stefan
I moved to New York City in 1987.
l lived in Park Slope for 5 years, in a couple of apartments in Hell’s Kitchen for the better part of 33 years (one for 27 of those years!), and just moved to the Upper West Side (Bloomingdale is the official name of my neighborhood, or so I’m told) a year-and-a-half ago.
Friends living nearby, the many new neighbors I’ve met, and even total strangers I’ve encountered on my frequent walks in Riverside Park, have all commented that it’s the best neighborhood in the city. And I couldn’t agree more. I’ve met more of my neighbors in our new building in the 18 months I’ve been here than I did for YEARS in my other living situations. I see and recognize so many of my fellow “Bloomingdalers” when I’m out shopping or running other errands. I’m so very pleased to have discovered the lovely community here, and hope to keep the neigborhood just as friendly — maybe even contribute to making it even friendlier — in the coming years. I wouldn’t want to live anywere else (Paris aside!).