New York City is basically a giant, vertical small town. If you’ve spent enough time grabbing a $7 latte in the West Village or dodging tourists in SoHo, you eventually realize that the person in the oversized hoodie behind you isn't just a tired grad student. It’s probably an Oscar winner.
Honestly, the question of what famous people live in New York changes every week. Real estate in this city is a sport for the ultra-wealthy, and the roster of names shifts as new "paparazzi-proof" buildings go up and old-school brownstones get traded for glass penthouses.
But as of early 2026, the celebrity map of Manhattan (and increasingly Brooklyn) has some very specific anchors. Forget the Hollywood Hills; the real A-list power is concentrated in a few specific zip codes.
The Tribeca Lockdown: Why Everyone is Moving to 443 Greenwich
If you want to talk about where the heavy hitters are, you have to start with Tribeca. It’s not just about the cobblestones anymore. It’s about a single building: 443 Greenwich Street.
People call it the "celebrity dorm," and for good reason. It’s designed so you can drive your SUV directly into an underground, gated valet area. No sidewalk walk of shame for these guys. Residents have famously included Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, who are basically the unofficial king and queen of the neighborhood.
You’ve also got Jennifer Lawrence and Justin Timberlake (with Jessica Biel) owning units here. Rumors have been swirling lately about whether Harry Styles still keeps his pad in the building, but local sightings near the Hudson River Park suggest he’s still a frequent flyer when he’s in the States.
The appeal is simple. Privacy. In a city where everyone is looking at you, 443 Greenwich is the one place where nobody can.
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Taylor Swift’s Franklin Street Empire
You can’t discuss what famous people live in New York without mentioning Taylor Swift. She doesn't just live in New York; she owns a significant chunk of a single block in Tribeca.
Specifically, she’s spent nearly $50 million on Franklin Street. She has the penthouse at 155 Franklin (purchased from Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson years ago) and the townhouse next door at 153 Franklin. In a move that is peak "rich New Yorker," she even bought a second-floor unit in the main building just so she could build a private garage and enter her home without ever stepping onto the sidewalk.
While there were whispers in late 2025 about her spending more time in Kansas City or Rhode Island, she’s still very much a New York fixture. If you see a swarm of black Suburbans and a sudden influx of teenagers with friendship bracelets on a random Tuesday in Tribeca, you know she’s in town.
The Upper West Side: Where the Legends Stay
If Tribeca is for the "it" crowd, the Upper West Side (UWS) is where the legends go to grow old and stay rich. It’s a bit more intellectual, a bit more "New York Times Sunday Crossword."
- Jerry Seinfeld: He’s the undisputed king of the UWS. He lives at The Beresford on Central Park West. You’ll occasionally see him walking around 81st Street, looking exactly like Jerry Seinfeld.
- Tina Fey: She’s been a longtime resident of West End Avenue. She’s famously low-key, often spotted doing "normal person" things like heading to Riverside Park.
- Steve Martin: Another legend who calls the San Remo home.
The UWS is great because the celebrities here actually live here. They aren't just passing through for a movie shoot. They’ve been in the same co-ops for decades. They know their neighbors. They probably complain about the same slow subway lines as you do.
The West Village and the Townhouse Life
Moving further south, the West Village is the land of the $20 million brownstone. This is where you find the stars who want to feel like they’re in a movie.
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Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick are the faces of the neighborhood. They famously combined two massive townhouses on West 11th Street to create a mega-mansion that is, frankly, larger than most suburban schools.
Then you have Daniel Radcliffe. He’s lived in the West Village for years, often spotted at local spots like McNally Jackson or Caffe Reggio. He’s one of those New Yorkers who has perfected the art of "hiding in plain sight." He wears a hat, keeps his head down, and basically everyone leaves him alone because, well, he’s a neighbor.
Anderson Cooper is also a West Village staple, living in a converted firehouse that is easily one of the coolest pieces of real estate in the city.
The Brooklyn Shift: Park Slope and Beyond
Manhattan doesn't have a monopoly on fame anymore. Not even close.
Matt Damon made waves a few years back when he bought a penthouse at The Standish in Brooklyn Heights. It was one of the most expensive sales in Brooklyn history at the time. Since then, the floodgates have opened.
Emily Ratajkowski and Zoe Kravitz have both been spotted frequently in the leafy streets of Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights. And then there’s Patrick Stewart, who famously lives in Park Slope. Seeing Captain Picard buying organic kale at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket is a quintessential Brooklyn experience.
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Spotting Stars: The 2026 "Neighborhoods to Watch"
If you’re actually trying to see what famous people live in New York, you have to look at where the "cool" money is moving.
According to recent data from StreetEasy, the Financial District (FiDi) is seeing a massive surge in interest. While it used to be a ghost town after 5:00 PM, new luxury conversions are drawing in younger stars who want the amenities of a high-rise without the tourist crowds of Midtown.
The Lower East Side and East Village are also staying hot for the younger "nepo baby" crowd and indie actors. You’re more likely to see someone from The White Lotus or a random TikTok star getting a late-night drink at Ray’s than you are to see them at a fancy uptown bistro.
Why Do They Live Here Anyway?
It’s a fair question. Why deal with the noise, the trash, and the humidity when you could have a 10-acre estate in Hidden Hills?
Honestly, it’s the "New York Shield." New Yorkers are famously unimpressed. If you see Hugh Jackman walking his dog in the West Village, the unwritten rule is that you don't bother him. You might nod, you might tell your friends later, but you don't stop him for a selfie while he's trying to get his coffee.
That anonymity is a currency you can’t buy in LA.
Actionable Insights for Celebrity Spotting (Respectfully)
If you’re in town and want to feel the A-list energy, don't stand outside people's houses. That’s creepy. Instead, hit the spots where they actually hang out:
- Via Carota (West Village): It is almost a statistical impossibility to eat here and not see a celebrity. Just be prepared to wait three hours for a table.
- The Bowery Hotel: The lobby is a perpetual meeting ground for actors and musicians.
- Hudson River Park: Specifically the stretch between Tribeca and Chelsea. It’s the primary jogging route for every famous person living downtown.
- Bemelmans Bar: For the old-school, Upper East Side glamour crowd.
New York remains the only place in the world where you can be a billionaire and still have to worry about a puddle of mystery water on the subway. That's the equalizer. Whether it's Meryl Streep in Tribeca or Alec Baldwin in Greenwich Village, the stars are just part of the architecture here. Just another person waiting for the light to turn green at the corner of Broadway and 4th.