Best NYC neighborhood for single 30M
What's up guys,
What's the top neighborhood for dating in the city as an early-30s guy (so not Brooklyn)? I work in Battery Park, budget is up to 6-7k/month. Looking for a place near top spots for going out, well-connected transportation wise, and clean (so not LES). Where would you live given this situation?
Background, I exited a long-term relationship several months ago and currently live in Williamsburg. I started to get back into the dating scene this year, but comparing it to when I lived in Soho/LES in my mid-late 20s, it seems markedly worse for dating. I thought it wouldn't be that bad given how close it is to the city, and how expensive/hip people say this place is, but that is definitely not true, in my experience. Transportation is a pain, and girls often don't want to visit here.
Based on the WSO Dataset, if you're looking for a neighborhood in NYC that aligns with your criteria—proximity to Battery Park, a budget of $6-7k per month, and a vibrant dating scene—consider the following options:
Battery Park City: Directly adjacent to your workplace, this area is known for its cleanliness and safety. While the nightlife might not be as vibrant as other parts of Manhattan, its proximity to other neighborhoods makes it a convenient option. With your budget, you can afford a luxurious place here.
Tribeca: Just north of Battery Park City, Tribeca offers a more upscale residential environment with plenty of high-end restaurants and bars. It's a well-connected area with a mature and professional demographic, which might be more suitable for your dating preferences as a 30-something.
West Village: Known for its charming streets and vibrant nightlife, the West Village is a bit further from Battery Park but still accessible. It's a hotspot for singles and has a plethora of dining and entertainment options. The area is also well-connected by public transportation.
Chelsea: This neighborhood offers a good mix of nightlife, art, and culture. It's slightly north of West Village and provides a dynamic environment that attracts a diverse crowd, including many young professionals.
Given your budget and preferences, these neighborhoods offer a blend of convenience, quality of life, and social opportunities that should meet your needs as you dive back into the dating scene.
Sources: SA 2021 NYC Housing Thread, Best neighborhoods to live WITH GF in NYC (and timing) - 1st year IB Analyst Midtown Summer 2019, SA 2021 NYC Housing Thread, Why You Should Leave NYC After Your Analyst Stint, Q&A: Middle Market IB Analyst
Are you looking to pay $6-7K in rent just for a 1 bedroom or look for a 2 bedroom?
1 or 2 is fine
West Village, easy.
WV gets old quick, honestly - especially for someone in their 30s. If you don’t mind every bar and restaurant being super crowded and impossible to get into every week from Thursday to Sunday, then I guess go for it. It’s also probably the most expensive neighborhood to live in in Manhattan rn so your dollar isn’t going very far.
I’d be much more inclined to seek out places like Tribeca, NoHo, Meatpacking, UWS, Gramercy, and Battery Park.
Disagree on all those names. Tribeca is dead, NoHo is alright, Meatpacking is just WV but even more touristy and out of the way, UWS is out of the way, Battery Park is out of the way and dead. Out of those names, NoHo and Gramercy make the most sense, but the general age demographic will be younger than OP.
Similar age, I chose LES but don’t mind the grit. You have the budget for a great spot in soho, noho, or nolita if you need cleaner. Also would consider flatiron. Think it’s cyclical but would avoid wv right now. Far too many boring NE 26/27 year old whites. EV my favorite restaurant neighborhood but some judgmental girls know we’re too old to live there unfortunately.
Good luck in your search. I chose LES because I’m trying to bag a sub 5 body count art hoe (mission impossible).
If you're looking for a 'sub 5 body count art hoe' have you considered looking at local middle schools? :,-)
On a more serious note, I love the WV and the LES, but it seems like it would be a pain to live either place. I'll also second that Tribeca, etc. becomes very dead after hours. Great if you have kids, but that doesn't seem your goal right now. At 30ish if you want chill but slightly more mature you could either consider Brooklyn heights or the UWS. Personally, I'm in Astoria b/c I like the scene and the space, but I can say from experience that the commute to Battery park is ~45min with the N/W to the 4/5 then the walk.
I think Lincoln Square area is very underrated. There are some really nice apartments there. Quieter compared to WV, Greenwich Village, etc., but still just a nice area and more people in that age range I think.
Think the easy answer is the West Village. Chelsea would work well too if you want to be close to the mix, but not directly in the mix - west parts of Chelsea in particular.
Chelsea is pretty gay if you're into that sort of stuff.
Not as much as it used to be. I know from experience. That scene has largely moved to HK, at least the parts that haven't moved way uptown or to BK/Queens.
So @quantxrainmaker where did you end up moving to, and how do you like it? I'm a single 30 yr old dude who stumbled on this thread as well lol
Why did you leave your relationship?
Hey Pizz
Hi Isaiah, what are you up to these days?
datings app get pretty rough in your 30s vs mid-20s regardless of where you live. I would either leave nyc altogether if possible (and be king in a second tier city) or just accept you won’t have as many options as you did before. your best bet is to move uptown (UWS/UES) or stay in Williamsburg and take things much more slowly (several years until you find a new gf again). Lincoln square/Chelsea were good recs too. LES/EV are honestly just gross (dirty) and super young
The Lower East Side isn't particularly dirty, so not sure where that's coming from.
The kicker here is the transportation. Since you don't want to live uptown, and the east side skews younger (especially from Houston to 34th St), you're talking about a pretty constrained area, on a somewhat tight budget. Especially considering you need to get to the far west side for work, you sort of have no choice but the west side.
Have you considered Flatiron/Gramercy/Midtown South? The 20s between Park and 6th are filled with restaurants and bars, it's convenient to a lot of different transit (though not really for Battery Park)
LES is pretty dirty
Define dirty. There isn't any more trash on the streets than anywhere else. Doesn't seem like there are more rats. Might be more graffiti, I guess.
I wouldn't eat off a NYC sidewalk in any neighborhood. I guess I'm just a little confused as to what "dirty" means in this context. I'm old - is this some new slang?
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