Hamilton Heights
Historic Harlem enclave with stunning Hamilton Grange and sugar-hill brownstones, attracting young professionals priced out of downtown.
Hamilton Heights Building Violation Profile
Measured from HPD violations and 311 complaints filed in the 12 months to September 2026, matched to this area's buildings. Use it to set expectations before you sign or hire.
Rodent complaints ran 13 per 1,000 apartments, above the citywide 8.8.
Heat and hot water complaints in Hamilton Heights ran 324.9 per 1,000 apartments over that year, above the citywide 125.7.
The median Hamilton Heights apartment building went up in 1910, 88.1% of apartments sit in buildings from before 1940 (citywide 45.8%), and 37.5% are in buildings of five floors or fewer (citywide 37.1%).
Most common HPD issues in Hamilton Heights
HPD issued 68.2 violations per 100 apartments in Hamilton Heights over the 12 months to September 2026, above the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 23.1 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 26.7% of buildings recorded none.
Area figures describe 1,043 buildings holding 21,033 apartments, so check the specific address before you sign: one building's record can sit far from its neighborhood's average.
What the Records Show in Hamilton Heights
Buildings in Hamilton Heights averaged 68.2 HPD violations per 100 apartments over the 12 months to September 2026, above the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 23.1 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 26.7% of buildings recorded none at all.
| Measure | Hamilton Heights | Citywide |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment buildings | 1,043 | 172,071 |
| Apartments | 21,033 | 2,846,490 |
| HPD violations per 100 apartments | 68.2 | 30.1 |
| Class C (immediately hazardous) per 100 | 23.1 | 9.2 |
| Buildings with no violations | 26.7% | 45.3% |
| Apartments in pre-1940 buildings | 88.1% | 45.8% |
| Apartments in buildings of 5 floors or fewer | 37.5% | 37.1% |
| Median year built | 1910 | n/a |
Figures cover buildings with three or more apartments in Hamilton Heights-Sugar Hill, using HPD violations inspected in the 12 months to September 2026 and city lot records. Citywide figures use the same method. Search a specific address for that building’s own record.
Building Grades in Hamilton Heights
1,044 apartment buildings in Hamilton Heights were scored on October 8, 2026. 50% graded D or F, above the citywide 19.8%, and 29% graded A against 65.8% citywide. The average score was 54.8 out of 100.
Lowest-Scoring Buildings in Hamilton Heights
| # | Building | Grade | Score | Open Class C | Open Class B | Open HPD cases | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 533 West 145 Street10031 · 15 apartments · built 1915 | F | 0 | 113 | 409 | 1 | 7 heat complaints |
| 2 | 468 West 144 Street10031 · 8 apartments · built 1889 | F | 0 | 70 | 129 | 0 | none |
| 3 | 45 Hamilton Terrace10031 · 10 apartments · built 1899 | F | 0 | 83 | 144 | 2 | AEP67 heat complaints |
| 4 | 729 St Nicholas Avenue10031 · 14 apartments · built 1886 | F | 0 | 104 | 118 | 0 | 10 heat complaints |
| 5 | 400 West 151 Street10031 · 10 apartments · built 1898 | F | 0 | 24 | 178 | 1 | none |
| 6 | 513 West 150 Street10031 · 6 apartments · built 1910 | F | 0 | 23 | 54 | 0 | none |
| 7 | 475 West 145 Street10031 · 20 apartments · built 1926 | F | 0 | 88 | 139 | 0 | 9 heat complaints |
| 8 | 335 Edgecombe Avenue10031 · 37 apartments · built 1916 | F | 0 | 162 | 131 | 1 | AEP21 heat complaints |
| 9 | 557 West 150 Street10031 · 30 apartments · built 1930 | F | 0 | 122 | 137 | 1 | AEP137 heat complaints |
| 10 | 521 West 150 Street10031 · 11 apartments · built 1910 | F | 0 | 36 | 70 | 0 | AEP5 heat complaints |
Rent-Stabilized Apartments in Hamilton Heights
487 buildings here were billed the rent-stabilization fee for 10,807 apartments on the 2024 property tax bill. Among buildings billed in both years, the count fell 0.5% from 2018 to 2024. Check whether a specific building is on the list with the rent-stabilization checker.
| Building | Stabilized units 2018 | Stabilized units 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3621 Broadway10031 | 46 | 16 | -30 |
| 611 West 148 Street10031 | 41 | 20 | -21 |
| 3520 Broadway10031 | 31 | 11 | -20 |
| 385 West 145 Street10031 | 38 | 26 | -12 |
| 542 West 149 Street10031 | 18 | 9 | -9 |
Scores use the formula on the methodology page, applied to every lot with three or more apartments; the table ranks buildings with six or more. Stabilized unit counts are building totals from the DOF tax bill, compiled by nycdb, and say nothing about any individual apartment. See the most distressed buildings in the borough.
Services in Hamilton Heights
Each service page is tailored to Hamilton Heights’s building stock and common violation patterns.
Violation-Linked Repairs
For when Hamilton Heights buildings already have open violations
Pre-Lease & Investigation
Audit a Hamilton Heights building before you commit
Move-In Essentials
For after you’ve checked the building
Building Stock & Character
Brownstones, pre-war apartment buildings, some walk-ups
Elegant brownstones, historic architecture, increasingly popular, community-rooted
A/B/C/D trains (145th St), 1 train (137th St)
Rapid gentrification, limited restaurant options, some blocks vary sharply in condition