Murray Hill
The quietly residential East 30s — brownstone rows and pre-war and postwar co-ops tucked behind Midtown’s office towers, with Grand Central, the 6 train, and the East River ferry a short walk away.
A residential hill behind Midtown’s towers.
Murray Hill sits in the East 30s of Manhattan — most commonly drawn from East 34th Street north to roughly East 40th–42nd Streets, and from Madison or Fifth Avenue east toward the East River. The boundaries are genuinely disputed: the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association stretches the southern edge down to 27th Street, while the Landmarks Preservation Commission and City Planning keep the core in the mid-30s. The name comes from the Murray family farm, which sat on the rise of land here in the 18th century — the “hill” is real, if gentle.
The neighborhood is residential in a way its Midtown East neighbors are not. Behind the office towers along Third and Lexington, the side streets in the 30s carry brownstone rows, pre-war and postwar co-ops, and a scattering of newer condos. The Murray Hill Historic District — roughly 16 blocks between Madison and Third, 34th to 39th — protects the 19th-century rowhouse stock, and Sniffen Court (a mews of ten 1860s former stables off East 36th between Lexington and Third) is its own designated Historic District.
For buyers, Murray Hill is a value-relative-to-location play. It trades below Tribeca, the West Village, and most of the Upper East Side, with a co-op-heavy inventory that includes a lot of dated 1960s–1980s buildings — the segment that has been most negotiable in the 2026 market. Grand Central, the 6 train at 33rd Street, and the East 34th Street ferry put the whole East Side and the commuter rail network within a short walk.
Where Murray Hill trades in 2026.
Data caveats worth knowing. Murray Hill is a small monthly trading pool — roughly 38 recorded sales in April 2026 — so medians and per-foot figures swing hard month to month and the year-over-year direction conflicts between metrics. The all-type median is up double digits while the condo and per-foot figures show large negative YoY swings; that is mix shift between segments, not a true price collapse. The dated 1960s–1980s co-ops are the most negotiable band; well-renovated condos near Park and the historic-district townhouses hold value better. Treat any single number as a starting point and price off recent same-building or same-block comparables.
What’s actually for sale.
The Park Avenue and Madison-side buildings — solid masonry, generous room proportions, board approval required. The most conservative buyers and the strictest financials sit here.
A large share of inventory: 1960s–1980s elevator buildings, often white-brick or red-brick, frequently with doormen and dated finishes. This is the negotiable end of the market and where most sub-$500K co-op trades happen.
Both newer ground-up towers (more common toward Third Avenue and the eastern edge) and condo conversions. Easier financing, fewer board hurdles, and higher per-foot pricing than the co-op stock.
The 19th-century rowhouse blocks inside the Murray Hill Historic District — 35th through 38th between Madison and Third. Rare on the open market; many are single-family or small multi-unit, and several house consulates and institutions.
What it’s like to live here.
The street pattern.
Behind the commercial avenues, the residential side streets in the 30s are quiet, tree-lined, and low-rise inside the historic district. Sniffen Court off East 36th — a mews of ten 1860s former stables — is one of the most intact 19th-century mews in the city, and is gated and private.
Dining & shops.
A dense, unpretentious restaurant belt along Third and Second Avenues and Lexington — Korean, the “Curry Hill” Indian stretch around Lexington in the upper 20s and low 30s, Italian, and a deep bench of bars. Less destination dining than downtown; more everyday neighborhood rhythm.
Parks & open space.
St. Vartan Park on the eastern edge and the East River esplanade give the neighborhood its outdoor breathing room, and Bryant Park and the New York Public Library sit just west of the historic core. Madison Square Park is a short walk south.
Transit.
The 6 line at 33rd Street plus the full Grand Central complex a short walk north, the commuter rail, and an East River ferry landing.
- 33rd Street — 6 and <6> (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
- Grand Central–42nd St (short walk north) — 4 5 6 7 and S shuttle
- Metro-North and LIRR at Grand Central Terminal / Grand Central Madison
- East 34th Street Ferry Landing — NYC Ferry and SeaStreak
- Buses — M15, M15 SBS, M34 SBS, M34A SBS, M101, M102, M103
Schools.
Murray Hill sits in District 2.
- PS 116 (Mary Lindley Murray School) — the zoned public elementary, District 2
- PS 281 (The River School) — additional District 2 elementary option
- IS 104 (Simon Baruch School) — zoned middle school in nearby Gramercy
- The broad District 2 private and parochial network is within reach
Brownstone rows behind the office towers.
The Murray Hill Historic District, designated by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (original designation and later expansions), protects roughly 16 blocks and 238-plus contributing buildings between Madison and Third Avenues, 34th to 39th Streets — brownstone and brick rowhouses from 1853 onward, plus churches, early apartment houses, and a handful of office buildings. Sniffen Court is separately designated as its own Historic District.
Practical notes for buyers
- Inside the historic district, exterior changes — windows, stoops, cornices, storefronts — require Landmarks Preservation Commission approval. It protects value and lengthens renovation timelines.
- Postwar co-op buildings vary widely on financial health and assessment history. Ask for three years of board minutes and the current reserve position before committing.
- Co-op boards here range from straightforward to strict; verify the building’s financing, sublet, and pied-à-terre rules early in the process.
- Condo and converted-townhouse pricing runs well above the co-op median — the all-type neighborhood number understates what renovated condo product actually trades for.
Two markets, two blocks apart.
Murray Hill is one of the East Side markets Tracie has worked since she started in NYC real estate in 1995. Her practice here has run across the property the neighborhood offers — pre-war and postwar co-ops in the 30s, condos toward Third Avenue, and the harder-to-find historic-district townhouses.
“The co-op median and the condo median in Murray Hill describe two different markets. A dated postwar co-op and a renovated condo two blocks apart can trade hundreds of dollars a foot apart — the building, the board, and the renovation tell you the price, not the neighborhood average.”
If you’re thinking about buying or selling in Murray Hill, the right starting move is a conversation about your specific building, your block, and your timing — not a generic walk-through.
Adjacent neighborhoods.
Murray Hill, in plain answers.
What is the average home price in Murray Hill?
The all-type median sale price in Murray Hill was approximately $755,000 in April 2026 (PropertyShark), up about 15% year-over-year, on roughly 38 recorded sales. That blended figure hides a wide split: condos carried a median near $934,000 and co-ops near $352,000, with townhouses around $1.3M. Because the monthly trading pool is small, look at recent comparables in the same building or block rather than the neighborhood median.
Is Murray Hill a good neighborhood to live in?
Murray Hill is a quietly residential East Side neighborhood valued for its central location — the 6 train at 33rd Street, Grand Central and the commuter rail a short walk north, and the East 34th Street ferry — paired with relative value against Tribeca, the West Village, and the Upper East Side. It draws buyers who want Midtown access and a residential side-street rhythm without downtown pricing.
What subway lines serve Murray Hill?
Murray Hill is served by the 6 and <6> on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line at 33rd Street. Grand Central–42nd Street, a short walk north, adds the 4, 5, 6, 7, and S shuttle, plus Metro-North and LIRR service at Grand Central Terminal and Grand Central Madison. The East 34th Street Ferry Landing serves NYC Ferry and SeaStreak, and numerous bus routes (M15, M34, M101/102/103) cross the area.
Is Murray Hill a historic district?
Yes. The Murray Hill Historic District, designated by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LP-2102, with later expansion), covers roughly 16 blocks and 238-plus contributing buildings between Madison and Third Avenues, 34th to 39th Streets — mostly 19th-century brownstone and brick rowhouses. Sniffen Court, a mews of ten 1860s former stables off East 36th Street, is separately designated as its own Historic District.
How are the schools in Murray Hill?
The zoned public elementary is PS 116 (Mary Lindley Murray School) in District 2, with PS 281 (The River School) as an additional District 2 elementary option. The zoned middle school is IS 104 (Simon Baruch School) in nearby Gramercy. The wider District 2 private and parochial network is also accessible.
What's the difference between a Murray Hill co-op and a condo?
A Murray Hill co-op is typically a pre-war or 1960s–1980s building where you buy shares and pass a board approval — stricter financials, more conservative buyers, and the most negotiable pricing in the neighborhood (the co-op median sat near $352,000 in April 2026). A Murray Hill condo — newer construction toward Third Avenue or a converted building — offers easier financing, fewer board hurdles, and higher per-foot pricing (condo median near $934,000). The two segments trade as effectively separate markets.
Where are the best blocks in Murray Hill?
The most tightly held residential blocks sit inside the historic district — 35th through 38th Streets between Madison and Third — where the brownstone rows and Sniffen Court give the area its character. The Park Avenue and Madison-side pre-war co-ops command the strongest co-op pricing; the dated postwar buildings toward Second and Third are where the value and the negotiating room are.
Let’s talk about your building.
Tracie Golding — Compass · New York, NY. Selling Manhattan and Brooklyn since 1995.
Schedule a consultation