Neighbourhoods in New York

HoodEx scores areas of New York, United States from 0 to 10 on green space and air, comfort and safety, homes and buildings, shops and services, and getting around. Of the areas reported on in depth so far, Central Park scores highest at 8.5/10, against an average of 6.8/10. Open any report below, or find which part of New York fits you.

About New York

New York occupies a cluster of islands at the mouth of the Hudson River, its core forming a long, narrow spine of dense vertical development. Much of the city follows a strict street grid, though older neighborhoods like Greenwich Village, SoHo, and the Financial District retain narrower, more irregular blocks. Housing ranges from walk-up apartments and brownstones in Park Slope and the West Village to high-rise towers in the core and detached homes in outlying areas such as Bayside and Fieldston. Most residents rely on the subway, bus, and walking to get around, and car ownership is common in coastal and eastern neighborhoods like Far Rockaway and St. George but less so in the center. The climate brings humid summers and cold, windy winters. The measurements suggest that walkability and transit access are widely available, while greenery and neighborhood-level services are unevenly distributed.

How New York scores

Across the 39 measured areas HoodEx has mapped in New York, the average score is 6.8 out of 10 — solid. That places New York 19th of the 33 cities measured so far, 0.2 above the 6.6 average across those cities.

The highest-scoring area is Central Park at 8.5/10; the lowest is Financial District at 4.9/10. A gap of 3.6 points across one city is large — in New York the address matters more than the city does. 17 of the 39 areas score 7 or better, and 1 sit below 5.

What New York is good at

Averaged across New York: green & air 5.4, comfort & safety 6.2, homes & buildings 5.6, shops & services 8.2 and getting around 8.7, each out of 10.

New York's strongest category is getting around — transport and walkability — at 8.7/10, 1.6 above the 7.1 average for that category. The weakest is green & air — greenery and environmental quality — at 5.4/10, 0.3 below the 5.7 average. Those two are the shape of the city: what it gives you everywhere, and what you have to hunt for.

Against the other 33 measured cities, New York ranks 5th for getting around.

What your choice of area decides in New York

The score that swings most from one New York area to the next is shops & services: 3.5/10 in Far Rockaway, 9.8/10 in Greenwich Village — a spread of 6.3 points. In practice that means whether there is a life on your doorstep is the thing your choice of address actually decides here.

By contrast comfort & safety moves by only 3.6 points across the whole city, so it is close to a constant: worth knowing about New York, but not worth paying extra for one street over another.

New York against the rest of United States

Within United States, HoodEx has measured 2 cities, averaging 6.6/10. New York is 0.2 above the 6.6 average for the country, 1st of the 2.

Choosing an area in New York

No single area wins on everything, so it is worth knowing which one leads on the thing you care about. In New York that is most green space: Fieldston (7.3/10 green & air), best connected: Civic Center (9.8/10 getting around), strongest community life: Greenwich Village (9.8/10 shops & services) and best housing stock: Civic Center (9.0/10 homes & buildings).

Open any of them below for the full breakdown — the five category scores, the components underneath them, and what residents have reported.

New York highlights

Which part of New York fits you?

Describe the life you want — budget, commute, how much green you need, how lively the street should be — and HoodEx ranks New York's neighbourhoods against your answers instead of you looking up one address at a time.

If nobody has searched New York here before, the matcher maps it first — a one-off couple of minutes while you answer the questions. It runs without an account, and the top matches are free.

Find which part of New York fits you

In-depth area reports

These parts of New York have been measured in full — each has its own page with the five scores, the readings underneath them and photos of the streets.

How we score neighbourhoods

Every HoodEx neighbourhood is scored from 0 to 10 in five categories. Scores are generated by AI analysis of satellite imagery, street-level imagery, points of interest and public datasets, then blended into a single overall score.

Frequently asked questions

How many neighbourhoods in New York has HoodEx scored?

HoodEx has scored 39 neighbourhoods in New York. New areas are added when someone checks a local address.

What is the average neighbourhood score in New York?

The average overall score across scored New York neighbourhoods is 6.8/10, blended from our five scoring categories — 0.2 above the 6.6 average across the 33 cities HoodEx has measured.

Which is the highest-rated neighbourhood in New York?

Central Park currently has the highest overall score in New York at 8.5/10, 3.6 points ahead of the lowest-scoring measured area, Financial District (4.9/10).

Which New York neighbourhood has the most green space?

Fieldston scores highest on green & air in New York at 7.3/10, covering green space, air and water quality and natural features. The city average for green & air is 5.4/10.

Where is New York best connected and most walkable?

Civic Center leads on getting around — transit access, road connectivity, walkability and reaching everyday destinations — at 9.8/10, against a New York average of 8.7/10.

What matters most when choosing a neighbourhood in New York?

Shops & services varies most across New York — a spread of 6.3 points between Far Rockaway (3.5/10) and Greenwich Village (9.8/10). That makes whether there is a life on your doorstep the thing your address decides here, while comfort & safety is close to constant citywide (3.6 points).

How does New York compare with other cities in United States?

HoodEx has measured 2 cities in United States, averaging 6.6/10. New York is 0.2 above the 6.6 average, ranking 1st of the 2.

How does HoodEx score neighbourhoods?

Every neighbourhood is scored 0–10 in five categories — Green & air, Comfort & safety, Homes & buildings, Shops & services, and Getting around — using AI analysis of satellite imagery, street-level imagery, points of interest and public datasets. The five category scores are blended into a single overall score.

Is New York neighbourhood data free to browse?

Yes — browsing neighbourhood scores and community insights is free. A detailed report for a new address is paid.

How current is the New York data?

Scores update as new analyses are run and community feedback comes in. Each neighbourhood page shows when it was last updated.