Despite their reputation for being rough around the edges, it turns out New Yorkers aren’t so rude after all.
A new study named the Upper West Side as one of America’s friendliest neighborhoods for newcomers, ranking eighth.
The report, conducted by the home store Hastha Kalalu, analyzed data from the U.S. Census, Zillow and crime statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to compare the cost of living, safety and community of major districts across the nation, giving each neighborhood a score.
The UWS received a friendliness score of just over 58.
“The most densely populated and costly neighborhood in the ranking, it’s a desired place for moving,” the study authors wrote. “The real estate in the area is looked up over 17,000 times daily.”
Despite the cost of living soaring 138% more than the national average, the quaint neighborhood boasted enviable traits, such as 33% of the community being comprised of family households, a median neighborhood income of $145,620, an average house value of $777,913 and a violent crime rate of 9.9 per 1,000 people, according to local outlet West Side Rag.
“Friendly neighborhoods need more than just nice people — they emerge from a connection of affordability, safety and community rather than just social factors alone,” a Hastha Kalalu spokesperson said in a statement.
“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.”
Hotspots in Houston, El Paso, Phoenix and Miami beat out the quaint NYC neighborhood, with Elkhorn, Omaha, Nebraska, taking the score (79.94) with its low crime rate, low cost of living and highest safety, according to Time Out.
However, the UWS wasn’t the only Manhattan neighborhood named as one of the friendliest — the Upper East Side came in at 21st place.
Top 10 friendliest neighborhoods in the United States
- Elkhorn, Omaha, Nebraska
- Kingwood, Houston, Texas
- South Side, Corpus Christi, Texas
- Northwest, El Paso, Texas
- Deer Valley, Phoenix, Arizona
- Highland, Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Bricknell, Miami, Florida
- Upper West Side, New York
- Maryvale, Phoenix
- Chevy Chase, Lexington, Kentucky
Ironically, New York was just named the least friendly state in the country, ranking dead last in a report published last month.
The World Population Review’s Friendliest States of 2024 Study accounted for more than 2.5 million tourists’ experiences, the states’ average tipping rate and an Instagram poll to determine where the nation’s 50 states score in niceness.
“New Yorkers are kind, but they’re not nice to your face,” 40-year-old New Yorker Joe Massaro said at the time. “People in other states are nice to your face but they’re not kind behind your back or when you need it.”
Despite their attitude, the concrete jungle was named the second-best city in the world for 2025.
According to a report, the Big Apple is “the perpetual heartbeat of America.”
