Upstate surprises: Fun Facts About Manhattan
Think you really know Manhattan? It's a city with underground speakeasies that could hide from your ex in forever, world-renowned pizza slices that you'll have to fold or fail, and subway rats that are basically commuters with better timing and without the Metro card. Let's run through the facts, stats, and caffeinated chaos that showcase what makes Manhattan's ego absolutely justified.
Alexa, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Alexa is a lifelong New Yorker that never left because... well, why would anyone!? She has access to oceans, lakes, vineyards, breweries, museums, and world-class restaurants and entertainment all in her home state. Her most memorable move was buying her first home mid Covid which taught her that hope is not a strategy. She treats BECSPK and everything bagels like fuel, philosophy, and emotional support all in one bite. As the "real Alexa" she has learned to not answer every "Hey Alexa" question within earshot, even though she probably knows the answer. At Snappy Scout she gets to let that knowledge loose, turning lived experience into guidance that actually helps make New York feel a little easier to navigate.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What Makes Manhattan Manhattan?
The weird, useful, and surprisingly relevant facts that shape everyday life here.
Common nicknames for Manhattan
The City, The Big Apple
Local Reality Check
Think you'll spot celebs daily vs. you'll mostly see microinfluencers finance bros in Patagonia vests
You're most likely moving from
Brooklyn (the inevitable graduation), a Big Ten college town, or Long Island
Strangely large concentration of
Duane Reades that are somehow always three per block yet never the right one
Music scene
Legendary jazz clubs in the Village, though most venues closed when your parents were young; outstanding small venue scene for up-and-coming artists
You'll have to see it to believe it
The actual width of a $4,000/month studio apartment (hint: your arms can touch both walls); The Naked Cowboy
Unique Geography
An island with zero natural beaches but somehow $20 million waterfront condos everywhere
Manhattan is home to
More billionaires per square mile than anywhere in America; the first public park in the United States (Central Park)
Well known for its
Grid system and public transit that works perfectly above 14th Street, total chaos below it
Fun history fact
The Dutch bought Manhattan for 60 guilders worth of goods in 1626
Celebrity sightings
Sarah Jessica Parker in the West Village, Jerry Seinfeld anywhere with coffee, Taylor Swift's tribeca loft, SNL cast outside 30 Rock
Noteworthy Census stat
Over 70,000 people per square mile, denser than any other U.S. county; rarely are any two of those people alike
Most interesting sub-culture within Manhattan
The 5am SoulCycle cult members who treat their instructors like spiritual gurus; Times square characters posing with tourists
Population
Most populous of NYC's five boroughs, top 50 nationwide as standalone county
Manhattan is roughly the same geographic size as
San Francisco (both about 23 square miles of expensive real estate)
A Local Event Worth Experiencing Once
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off the Holiday season in NYC followed by the Rockefeller tree lighting. Both iconic starts to Manhattan's transformation into winter wonderland.
— Alexa Matthews
New York Local Expert
Ready to See If Manhattan Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Manhattan guide for the bigger picture.