Famous Residents of Manhattan's Upper West Side: A Cultural Hub

The Upper West Side (UWS)—bounded by Central Park, Hudson River, 59th and 110th Streets—has long attracted cultural luminaries with its brownstones, Riverside Park, Lincoln Center proximity, and intellectual atmosphere.

Notable Current and Former Residents

Actors

• Meg Ryan, Sigourney Weaver, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Kline
• Jennifer Garner, Julianne Moore, Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts
• Robin Williams (former), Philip Seymour Hoffman (former)

Musicians

• Bono, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Phil Collins, Yoko Ono
• David Byrne, Laurie Anderson, Sufjan Stevens (former)

Writers & Intellectuals

• Salman Rushdie, Nora Ephron (former), Tom Wolfe, Jonathan Safran Foer
• Joan Didion (former), Gay Talese, Colson Whitehead, Zadie Smith (part-time)

Comedians

• Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Louis C.K. (former), John Mulaney

Fashion & Design

• Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs

Other Fields

• Business: Michael Bloomberg (former), Barry Diller
• Journalism: Christiane Amanpour, Anderson Cooper (former)
• Science: Neil deGrasse Tyson (American Museum of Natural History connection)

Why the UWS Attracts Celebrities

• Architecture: Pre-war co-ops, brownstones, doorman buildings offer privacy
• Culture: Lincoln Center, Beacon Theatre, Symphony Space, Book Culture, Zabar's
• Green space: Central Park (east), Riverside Park (west, 4 miles)
• Schools: Top public (PS 87, PS 199) and private (Ethical Culture, Rodeph Sholom)
• Transit: 1/2/3, A/B/C/D lines; cross-town buses
• Discretion: Neighborhood culture respects privacy; fewer paparazzi than SoHo/Tribeca

Caveat

Resident lists change constantly. Many celebrities own but don't primarily reside. Privacy concerns limit definitive current lists.