Reply With QuoteExpensive.
What does it take to live in NYC?
I'm in college and I'm just not sure if I could make it in NY but I'm always fascinated by it. How are the neighborhoods for a middle class white guy?
Expensive.
At your age (college/ recent grad) it doesn't take anything more than roommates. Plenty of roommates. Defray the costs and you'll have an amazing time - particularly when you're young & unburdened. As long you can handle living in a group situation and a sarcophagus-sized bedroom, you can live in NYC on first job pay.
It's not until you require space and amenities (i.e., kids to feed, your own 2BR apt and a car) that you'll need to be making big money to live in the City.
Until then, find three roommates and go for it.
Upper East Side or East Village are probably the cheapest (close) neighborhoods to move to first...unless you're OK with moving north of 100th St. I lived on E75th for a few years and love the UES...great, fun neighborhood to start off with.
Lower East Side, Harlem, Morningside Heights... probably the most "budget friendly" areas of Manhattan, although there truly is no such thing. Look for a roommate, check out Queens and Brooklyn. And more than anything; have a job ready before moving.
Is there a happy medium between 'budget friendly' and safe?
Lower East Side is very safe.
^great neighborhood
I'm considering the LES for my sister and myself, as well. The time to decide is approaching...
I've been living in Harlem for over a year, and I feel pretty safe. That being said, I don't wander at 1 in the morning.
Another thing to add: Patience and a sense of humor. You will need both here. New York offers amazing opportunities and possibilities, but there are a lot of little things that can drive unprepped person to madness (three letters in particular: MTA). Also, be ready to desensitize yourself to things that would make you stop and stare in your hometown.
What I'm getting at is, besides the money, you'll need the mindset.
NYC in general is perfectly safe. As far as you can call any city with 10 million people in it safe, of course.Originally Posted by movingpro
Use your brains, and you'll be fine.
It's Manhattan, it's all safe. There might be some blocks which aren't but in general it's extremely safe and it doesn't matter if you're a "middle class white guy". It's New York, it's all about variety. I used to live in Brooklyn, Harlem, Midtown, Upper West Side, Murray Hill, Washington Heights... etc. and I always felt very safe.
I would say that chances of trouble increase marginally once you go north of 100 but even then it's really a decent area. Anywhere in lower Manhattan is super safe I feel. You can always find a random whacko though, as with anywhere.
Guys... Necro-bump.....
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