There are lots of young families there, plus students, professors, artists, writers, actors and dancers. Way uptown at the skinny tip of the island, you'll find Washington Heights and Inwood, both with fairly inexpensive housing and a rural setting, not to mention water views. The commute takes as long as if you lived in the 'burbs, however, so if you're pining for plenty of nights on the town or hoping to land a job in a show or ballet company, think twice before choosing this locale. The East Side Much of the East Side, from 34th street to the 80's, is expensive. Think Park Avenue.
Many apartments have servants' quarters with separate entrances.
Socialites, yuppies, doormen and limousines abound. On weekday mornings, you'll see nattily dressed businesspeople talking earnestly on cell phones while shepherding their uniformed children off to private schools before heading for work. However, there are certainly affordable and even very cheap spots to settle down and plenty of reasons to do so. Modern dancers will like the proximity to such studios as the 92nd Street Y, Martha Graham and Peridance. Ballet Academy East is also close at hand. .