New York/Compare
Long Island City vs Upper East Side
Long Island City and Upper East Side are official neighborhoods in New York. Upper East Side leads safety (67 vs 33). Upper East Side leads walk. Long Island City has the lower ACS median rent ($2,560).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · NYPD Oct 2025 – Jun 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026
| Axis | Long Island City | Upper East Side |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 33 | 67 |
| Schools | 37 | 97 |
| Walk | 22 | 73 |
| Cost fit | 98 | 89 |
| Vibe | 12 | 59 |
| Median rent | $2,560 | $2,817 |
| Median home | $810,536 | $1,416,654 |
| Population | 59,515 | 193,914 |
| Commute to Midtown | 28 min | 15 min |
| Commute to FiDi | 39 min | 30 min |
| Commute to Downtown Brooklyn | 22 min | 29 min |
Long Island City
Waterfront towers, the 7 train, and a skyline that faces Manhattan. New-build default for people priced out of the island.
$2,560 median rent · safety 33 · walk 22
Upper East Side
Doorman buildings, school-district hunting, and a museum wall along the park. The east 80s are quieter than the listings imply.
$2,817 median rent · safety 67 · walk 73
Scores are relative among official New York neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.