Midtown
The commercial heart of NYC - more office towers than residential, but options exist.
Midtown 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 2.7 per 1,000 apartments, below the citywide 8.8.
Heat and hot water complaints in Midtown ran 32.1 per 1,000 apartments over that year, below the citywide 125.7.
The median Midtown apartment building went up in 1925, 34.7% of apartments sit in buildings from before 1940 (citywide 45.8%), and 4.4% are in buildings of five floors or fewer (citywide 37.1%).
Most common HPD issues in Midtown
HPD issued 3 violations per 100 apartments in Midtown over the 12 months to September 2026, below the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 0.8 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 54.9% of buildings recorded none.
Area figures describe 286 buildings holding 21,729 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 Midtown
Buildings in Midtown averaged 3 HPD violations per 100 apartments over the 12 months to September 2026, below the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 0.8 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 54.9% of buildings recorded none at all.
| Measure | Midtown | Citywide |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment buildings | 286 | 172,071 |
| Apartments | 21,729 | 2,846,490 |
| HPD violations per 100 apartments | 3 | 30.1 |
| Class C (immediately hazardous) per 100 | 0.8 | 9.2 |
| Buildings with no violations | 54.9% | 45.3% |
| Apartments in pre-1940 buildings | 34.7% | 45.8% |
| Apartments in buildings of 5 floors or fewer | 4.4% | 37.1% |
| Median year built | 1925 | n/a |
Figures cover buildings with three or more apartments in Midtown-Times Square, 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 Midtown
286 apartment buildings in Midtown were scored on October 8, 2026. 22.4% graded D or F, close to the citywide 19.8%, and 50.3% graded A against 65.8% citywide. The average score was 79.6 out of 100.
Lowest-Scoring Buildings in Midtown
| # | Building | Grade | Score | Open Class C | Open Class B | Open HPD cases | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 32 East 38 Street10016 · 6 apartments · built 1925 | F | 0 | 16 | 38 | 0 | none |
| 2 | 19 West 55 Street10019 · 28 apartments · built 1920 | F | 0 | 43 | 72 | 1 | 6 heat complaints |
| 3 | 242 West 56 Street10019 · 6 apartments · built 1974 | F | 0 | 7 | 5 | 1 | none |
| 4 | 204 West 55 Street10019 · 48 apartments · built 1900 | F | 0 | 16 | 135 | 0 | none |
| 5 | 120 West 58 Street10019 · 33 apartments · built 1923 | F | 0 | 11 | 46 | 1 | none |
| 6 | 150 West 58 Street10019 · 55 apartments · built 1927 | F | 0 | 9 | 58 | 0 | none |
| 7 | 245 West 51 Street10019 · 65 apartments · built 1912 | F | 0 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 45 heat complaints |
| 8 | 488 7 Avenue10018 · 104 apartments · built 1902 | F | 0 | 4 | 13 | 1 | none |
| 9 | 680 8 Avenue10036 · 652 apartments · built 1920 | F | 0 | 42 | 12 | 2 | 84 heat complaints |
| 10 | 150 West 56 Street10019 · 337 apartments · built 1987 | F | 0 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 8 heat complaints |
Rent-Stabilized Apartments in Midtown
123 buildings here were billed the rent-stabilization fee for 3,626 apartments on the 2024 property tax bill. Among buildings billed in both years, the count fell 5.2% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 West 50 Street10019 | 550 | 139 | -411 |
| 200 Central Park South10019 | 21 | 8 | -13 |
| 80 Park Avenue10016 | 13 | 4 | -9 |
| 5 East 51 Street10022 | 11 | 3 | -8 |
| 30 Park Avenue10016 | 64 | 57 | -7 |
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 Midtown
Each service page is tailored to Midtown’s building stock and common violation patterns.
Violation-Linked Repairs
For when Midtown buildings already have open violations
Pre-Lease & Investigation
Audit a Midtown building before you commit
Move-In Essentials
For after you’ve checked the building
Building Stock & Character
High-rise rentals, some older apartments, hotel conversions
Commercial, bustling, tourist-heavy, convenient for work
Most connected area in NYC - nearly every subway line passes through
Noisy, crowded, fewer neighborhood amenities, expensive