Is Upper West Side-Lincoln Square or Upper East Side-Yorkville better for families?

Upper West Side-Lincoln Square and Upper East Side-Yorkville each suit different families. Upper West Side-Lincoln Square leads on Transit, while Upper East Side-Yorkville leads on Safety, Neighborhood Character, and Schools. What's "better" depends on what you prioritize — safety, schools, affordability, or transit. Our neighborhood search can rank them by your own weights.

How do Upper West Side-Lincoln Square and Upper East Side-Yorkville compare on safety and schools?

Upper West Side-Lincoln Square: 68/100 safety, 80/100 schools. Upper East Side-Yorkville: 90/100 safety, 88/100 schools.

Are Upper West Side-Lincoln Square and Upper East Side-Yorkville similar neighborhoods?

They're 91% similar across the nine signals we score. Upper West Side-Lincoln Square stands out on Transit.

Upper West Side-Lincoln Square vs Upper East Side-Yorkville

Manhattan

Upper West Side-Lincoln Square

Family Fit 60/100

Manhattan

Upper East Side-Yorkville

Family Fit 66/100

Upper West Side-Lincoln Square (Manhattan) and Upper East Side-Yorkville (Manhattan), compared across the nine signals we score for families. Upper West Side-Lincoln Square scores higher on Transit; Upper East Side-Yorkville leads on Safety and Neighborhood Character. Overall they're 91% similar on family fit.

How they compare

Upper West Side-Lincoln Square compared with Upper East Side-Yorkville, metric by metric
Metric	Upper West Side-Lincoln Square	Upper East Side-Yorkville
Family Fit	60/100	66/100 (leads)
Families	99/100	100/100 (leads)
Affordability	3/100	8/100 (leads)
Schools	80/100	88/100 (leads)
Neighborhood Character	46/100	58/100 (leads)
Transit	90/100 (leads)	86/100
Safety	68/100	90/100 (leads)
Health	13/100	16/100 (leads)
Activities	94/100	98/100 (leads)

Weekday-morning commute

Upper West Side-Lincoln Square compared with Upper East Side-Yorkville, metric by metric
Metric	Upper West Side-Lincoln Square	Upper East Side-Yorkville
To Midtown	16–17 min (leads)	25–26 min
To Lower Manhattan	26–27 min (leads)	35–36 min
To Hudson Yards	21 min (leads)	32–33 min
To Union Square / Flatiron	24–25 min (leads)	30–31 min
To Upper East Side medical corridor	30–31 min	16–17 min (leads)
To Downtown Brooklyn	33–34 min (leads)	42–44 min
To Long Island City	23–24 min (leads)	28–29 min
To Jamaica	49–51 min (leads)	55–57 min
To Flushing	47–49 min (leads)	50–52 min
To Fordham	43–44 min	36–40 min (leads)

Typical transit and walking time, leaving between 7:30 and 9:00 a.m. on a weekday, from each neighborhood's population center; the shorter trip leads. From MTA, NYC DOT and NYC Ferry schedules, so no delays or crowding. Streets © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Upper West Side-Lincoln Square or Upper East Side-Yorkville better for families?: Upper West Side-Lincoln Square and Upper East Side-Yorkville each suit different families. Upper West Side-Lincoln Square leads on Transit, while Upper East Side-Yorkville leads on Safety, Neighborhood Character, and Schools. What's "better" depends on what you prioritize — safety, schools, affordability, or transit. Our neighborhood search can rank them by your own weights.
How do Upper West Side-Lincoln Square and Upper East Side-Yorkville compare on safety and schools?: Upper West Side-Lincoln Square: 68/100 safety, 80/100 schools. Upper East Side-Yorkville: 90/100 safety, 88/100 schools.
Are Upper West Side-Lincoln Square and Upper East Side-Yorkville similar neighborhoods?: They're 91% similar across the nine signals we score. Upper West Side-Lincoln Square stands out on Transit.

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