Population 160,659 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Upper East Side
Household size in Upper East Side
| Period | Upper East Side | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.82 | 2.15 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.83 | 2.16 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.89 | 2.12 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.92 | 2.08 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.07 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Upper East Side are small: just 1.92 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 1.82, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Upper East Side
| Period | Upper East Side | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.3 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.1 | 38.2 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.6 | 39.4 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.9 | 40.4 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +2.8 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Upper East Side skews older than the country: its median age is 43.9, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 41.3 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the west.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Upper East Side
| Period | Upper East Side | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 10.5% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 9.5% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 8.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 8.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.7% of households in Upper East Side, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Upper East Side
Renters in Upper East Side
| Period | Upper East Side | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.5% | 77.2% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 66.9% | 77.4% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 64.5% | 75.9% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 62.9% | 74.9% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Upper East Side: 62.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in Manhattan as a whole (74.9%). Among owners, 57.4% have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Upper East Side
| Period | Upper East Side | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.5% | 12.8% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 13.1% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.3% | 13.8% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.4% | 15.4% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +2.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Upper East Side: 22.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 5.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Upper East Side
| Period | Upper East Side | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1952 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1954 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1954 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1958 | 1956 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Upper East Side is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1958, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The picture is much the same across Manhattan. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the west.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Upper East Side
| Period | Upper East Side | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,727 | $1,332 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,834 | $1,485 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,370 | $1,922 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,882 | $2,383 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,154 | +$1,051 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
Rent in Upper East Side runs $2,882 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,154 a month since 2006–10, up 67%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 27.6% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Upper East Side
Bachelor's degrees in Upper East Side
| Period | Upper East Side | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.2% | 57.2% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 80.1% | 59.6% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 80.2% | 62.2% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 82.1% | 64.7% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +7.5 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Upper East Side is highly educated: about eight in ten adults 25 and older (82.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 2.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Upper East Side
| Period | Upper East Side | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.9% | 84.9% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.4% | 86.6% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.1% | 87.8% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.9% | 89.9% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +5.0 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Upper East Side: 97.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.0 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Upper East Side
| Period | Upper East Side | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 8.3% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 8.6% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 5.5% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 8.2% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.8%, unemployment in Upper East Side is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in Manhattan overall (8.2%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Upper East Side compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper East Side | 1.92 | 43.9 | 4.7% | 62.9% | 22.4% | 1958 | $2,882 | 82.1% | 97.9% | 4.8% |
| Carnegie Hill | 1.92 | 45.2 | 3.2% | 58.4% | 16.2% | 1951 | $2,950 | 84.7% | 96.7% | 4.5% |
| Roosevelt Island | 2.10 | 36.9 | 5.7% | 81.1% | 12.6% | 1989 | $3,007 | 76.6% | 95.7% | 4.4% |
| North Sutton Area | 1.84 | 49.5 | 4.3% | 46.1% | 22.0% | 1958 | $2,933 | 85.4% | 98.7% | 5.6% |
| Yorkville | 2.30 | 40.3 | 18.3% | 91.4% | 9.1% | 1961 | $1,443 | 37.8% | 78.2% | 12.0% |
| Midtown | 1.71 | 42.3 | 2.8% | 69.8% | 25.6% | 1969 | $3,083 | 82.1% | 97.8% | 4.9% |
| Upper West Side | 2.02 | 44.5 | 7.8% | 64.5% | 17.0% | 1953 | $2,776 | 77.6% | 95.2% | 6.7% |
| Long Island City | 2.13 | 33.9 | 5.8% | 83.9% | 25.2% | 1991 | $2,850 | 69.9% | 91.2% | 4.7% |
| Theater District | 1.57 | 40.5 | 2.5% | 85.3% | 14.6% | 1966 | $2,390 | 65.9% | 93.2% | 8.2% |
| Astoria | 2.20 | 37.7 | 7.7% | 81.1% | 15.7% | 1953 | $2,118 | 53.4% | 89.5% | 8.1% |
| Murray Hill | 1.74 | 38.4 | 3.4% | 66.1% | 20.8% | 1967 | $3,164 | 86.0% | 98.0% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Southeast, Houston, TX · Cobbs Creek, Philadelphia, PA · South Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA · Jamaica, Queens, NY · East San Jose, San Jose, CA · Paradise, Las Vegas, NV · East Arlington, Arlington, TX · Downtown San Jose, San Jose, CA · Maryvale, Phoenix, AZ · Corona, Queens, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Upper East Side. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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