Murray Hill Apartments & Rentals

A Murray Hill apartment may not be Manhattan's most stylish address, but rentals here can be good bargains. This is a practical, family-friendly neighborhood that's convenient to Midtown, hospitals, and affordable eats. While some associate the area with fraternity graduates, Murray Hill is much more than that.

Murray Hill lies between East 34th and either 40th or 42nd Street. Its western edge is Madison Ave and it extends to the East River. Murray Hill was named for an 18th century shipping magnate who built a great house here. The hill was leveled in the 19th century, the estate gave way to brownstones, and the neighborhood turned quiet and formal. In the 1990s, a young professional crowd came along to feed the exuberant restaurant and bar scene along Third Avenue.

Groceries, affordable restaurants and bars, dry cleaners, and gyms are all services that are easy to find in Murray Hill. The establishments may not be as chic as elsewhere, but there are gems if you look. Among the Irish-style pubs, you can find Ginger Man and Rattle 'N Hum-two bars that feature craft beers. On the southern border of Murray Hill is "Curry Hill," one of Manhattan's Indian neighborhoods. For other flavors, El Pote Español makes excellent paella and Ess-a-Bagel serves some of the best bagels in the city. There are a couple of parks in Murray Hill, including the Robert Moses Playground in the northeast corner.

While housing costs less in Murray Hill than in other areas, prices here are still Manhattan high. During the late 90's and early 00's, apartment prices rose by as much as 500 percent. For cheaper rents, look on the Third Avenue and southern edges. You'll find quaint apartments in pre-war walkups, high-rise condos, and even converted carriage houses here. A Murray Hill studio without a doorman averages $2,090. That's about $100 a month less than the Manhattan average.

Many connect Murray Hill with a corporate crowd, but reputations only go so far. While people who walk to work in Midtown do live here, so do Indian, Greek, and Jewish community members. Commuting options are both a plus and minus of Murray Hill. You're close to Midtown, Grand Central Station, FDR Drive, and the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. You're also close to the traffic and noise these commuters cause.

One thing Murray Hill has in spades is medical care. The New York University Langone Medical Center, the Bellevue Hospital Center, and other facilities are in the area. There are good schools and even a couple of consulates as well. For libraries, the Science, Industry and Business Library is on the edge of Murray Hill and so is the Pierpont Morgan Library with its Old Master artworks. Murray Hill is a great place to watch the 4^th of July fireworks if you can find a spot. The neighborhood is split between Community District 5 and Community District 6.

Murray Hill is mostly in the 10016 zip code, with the northern strip extending into 10017.