East Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or El Barrio, is a neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City, north of the Upper East Side and bounded by 96th Street to the south, Fifth Avenue to the west, and the East and Harlem Rivers to the east and north. Despite its name, it is generally not considered to be a part of Harlem proper, but it is one of the neighborhoods included in Greater Harlem.
East Harlem | |
|---|---|
Neighborhood of Manhattan | |
Second Avenue and 97th Street as seen from the south in 2019 | |
Location of East Harlem in New York City | |
| Coordinates: 40°47′55″N 73°56′30″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| City | New York City |
| Borough | Manhattan |
| Community District | Manhattan 11 |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 115,921 |
| Ethnicity | |
| • Hispanic | 52.1% |
| • Black | 35.7% |
| • White (non-Hispanic) | 7.3% |
| • Asian | 2.7% |
| • Other | 0.2% |
| Economics | |
| • Median income | $21,480 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 10029, 10035 |
| Area code | 212, 332, 646, and 917 |
The neighborhood has one of the largest Hispanic communities in New York City, mostly Puerto Ricans, as well as Dominicans, Cubans, and Mexicans. The community is notable for its contributions to Latin freestyle and salsa music. East Harlem also includes the remnants of a once predominant Italian community, or Italian Harlem. The Chinese population has increased dramatically in East Harlem since 2000.
East Harlem has historically suffered from many social issues, such as a high crime rate, the highest jobless rate in New York City, teenage pregnancy, AIDS, drug abuse, homelessness, and an asthma rate five times the national average. It has the second-highest concentration of public housing in the United States, behind Brownsville, Brooklyn. East Harlem is undergoing some gentrification, and in 2016 the city considered rezoning the area.
East Harlem is part of Manhattan Community District 11, and its primary ZIP Codes are 10029 and 10035. It is patrolled by the 23rd and 25th Precincts of the New York City Police Department.