Exploring NYC’s Boroughs: The Local’s Guide
By Bret Csencsitz, The Times Square EDITION Food and Beverage Director
New York City is not just America’s biggest city. It's five boroughs and countless neighborhoods, all stitched together to create an electric hub of non-stop excitement. It doesn’t matter how long I’ve lived here — exploring the different boroughs is actually one of my favorite things about this great city. Ask a Manhattanite, a Brooklynite, and a Staten Islander what "New York" means, and you'll get three completely different answers (and all three of them would be right).
I get asked about this a lot, so here's my quick guide to the five boroughs of New York.
What are the Five Boroughs of New York?
The boroughs of New York City are officially defined as “administrative and governmental divisions” and include Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. Here's where things start to get confusing: each borough is also its own county under New York State law, with its own separate name.
- Manhattan = New York County
- Brooklyn = Kings County
- Queens = Queens County
- The Bronx = Bronx County
- Staten Island = Richmond County
So if you've ever seen "Kings County" on a legal document and wondered where that was, now you know: it's Brooklyn. This system is unique to New York City, and it’s no accident. It's a direct result of how the city was built.
How NYC Became Five Boroughs: A Quick History Lesson
Before January 1, 1898, "New York City" meant Manhattan and a slice of what's now the South Bronx — that was it. Brooklyn was its own separate city (and the fourth-largest in the entire country at the time). Queens was a collection of small towns and villages, and Staten Island was still mostly farmland.
Here’s the timeline of how NYC’s boroughs developed:
- 1874: New York City annexed the western part of what's now the Bronx from Westchester County, including the towns of Kingsbridge, West Farms, and Morrisania.
- 1894: A consolidation referendum went to voters across New York, Kings, Queens, and Richmond counties. It passed, but barely. In Kings County (Brooklyn), only about 50.1% voted yes. Brooklynites, it turns out, weren't thrilled about giving up their independence.
- 1895: The eastern Bronx was annexed, rounding out the borough's current footprint.
- January 1, 1898: This was the official “Consolidation Day.” Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island officially merged into a single "City of Greater New York," instantly making it the second-largest city on Earth, behind only London.
- 1899: The eastern towns of old Queens County weren't included in the new city. They split off to form what's now Nassau County.
- 1914: The Bronx, which had been sharing New York County with Manhattan, finally got its own county status: Bronx County.
- 1975: The Borough of Richmond was officially renamed the Borough of Staten Island, and the county is still legally called Richmond County to this day.
If you’re interested in learning more, you can check out this article about the history of New York City boroughs. Now, let’s get to the good stuff: the boroughs themselves.
Manhattan
This is the iconic, skyscraper-filled scene everyone pictures. Manhattan is the smallest borough by land area but the most densely populated place in the country. As of this writing, there are a whopping 1.66 million people packed into just 22.7 square miles.
Above Houston Street (which, by the way, is pronounced “house-ton”), Manhattan runs on a tidy numbered grid of avenues and streets, which makes it one of the easiest cities in the world to navigate. Below Houston, the streets go rogue — they’re narrow, angled, and much older than the grid.
Fun facts: Manhattan isn't just the island. Governors Island, Randall's Island, Roosevelt Island, and even Liberty and Ellis Islands (yes, the Statue of Liberty's home address) are technically part of the Manhattan borough.
Popular neighborhoods:
- Alphabet City
- Battery Park
- Bowery
- Chinatown
- Chelsea
- Columbus Circle
- East Village
- Financial District
- Flatiron District
- Garment District
- Gramercy
- Greenwich Village
- Hamilton Heights
- Harlem
- Hell’s Kitchen
- Kips Bay
- Lincoln Square
- Little Italy
- Lower East Side
- Meatpacking District
- Midtown
- Murray Hill
- NoHo (North of Houston)
- NoLita (North of Little Italy)
- NoMad (North of Madison Square Park)
- Roosevelt Island
- SoHo
- South Street Seaport
- Theater District
- Tribeca
- Upper East Side
- Upper West Side
- Washington Heights
- West Village
Things to do and see: Seeing a show on Broadway, of course. But there’s so much to do in Manhattan, with world-class culture packed into 22.7 square miles. You can walk from a Michelin-acclaimed, garden rooftop restaurant in Times Square to a $2 dumpling spot in about twenty minutes. Don’t forget about Central Park, Museum Mile (the Met, the Guggenheim, the Neue Galerie, all within walking distance of each other), and the High Line's elevated garden walkway. Plus, you can’t beat the observation decks at the Edge, Top of the Rock, and the Empire State Building for skyline views.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is New York City's most populous borough, home to about 2.65 million people. It sprawls across 69.4 square miles, with a ton of different neighborhoods that each have their own distinct personalities: brownstone blocks in Park Slope, waterfront glass towers in Williamsburg, Caribbean food culture in Crown Heights, and much, much more.
Fun facts: Coney Island, on Brooklyn's southern shore, has been an amusement destination since the 1870s and it’s one of the oldest amusement parks in the country. The Wonder Wheel has been spinning since 1920. Oh, and did I mention it’s free to walk the boardwalk?
Popular neighborhoods:
- Bedford-Stuyvesant
- Brighton Beach
- Brooklyn Heights
- Bushwick
- Carroll Gardens
- Coney Island
- Crown Heights
- Downtown Brooklyn
- DUMBO
- Flatbush
- Fort Greene
- Gowanus
- Greenpoint
- Greenwood Heights
- Park Slope
- Prospect Heights
- Prospect Lefferts Gardens (aka PLG)
- Red Hook
- Sunset Park
- Williamsburg
- Windsor Terrace
Things to do and see: Brooklyn is so big and full of things to do that it’s hard to even know where to start. Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge into DUMBO for the classic under-the-bridge photo op, wandering Prospect Park (designed by the same team behind Central Park, and in my opinion, more peaceful), catching the street art in Bushwick, or wandering through the brownstones in Park Slope or Cobble Hill. Brooklyn has some of my favorite date-night spots in NYC.
Queens
Queens is the largest borough by land area, with 108.7 square miles (nearly five times the size of Manhattan). It’s widely considered one of the most diverse counties in the entire United States.
There are over 2.35 million people living in Queens, with over 160 languages spoken, and I’ve never found a better food scene anywhere else. You can eat your way through a dozen types of cuisine without leaving the 7 train. Both of New York's major airports, JFK and LaGuardia, are in Queens, which means most visitors technically set foot here before they ever reach any of the other New York boroughs.
Fun facts: Flushing Meadows Corona Park hosted two World's Fairs (1939 and 1964) and still hosts the US Open every year. The Unisphere, that giant steel globe from the '64 fair, is still standing.
Popular neighborhoods:
- Astoria
- Flushing
- Jackson Heights
- Long Island City
- Forest Hills
- Elmhurst
- Jamaica
- Bayside
- Sunnyside
- Woodside
- Ridgewood
- Ozone Park
- Corona
- Kew Gardens
- Rego Park
- Rockaway Beach
- Far Rockaway
- Howard Beach
- Briarwood
- Whitestone
- Fresh Meadows
- Maspeth
- East Elmhurst
- Bellerose
- College Point
- Richmond Hill
- Woodhaven
- South Jamaica
- St. Albans
- Queens Village
Things to do and see: You can’t go wrong with a food tour in Astoria or Flushing. You can also check out contemporary art at MoMA PS1 in Long Island City (don’t forget to hit a brewery after), catch a live show at one of Ridgewood’s venues, or head to Rockaway for a day at one of New York’s best beaches. Plus, hit up Astoria Park for a picnic day with great views of the RFK Bridge.
The Bronx
Did you know that The Bronx is the only borough physically attached to the U.S. mainland? Everyone else is actually on some form of an island. It's also the birthplace of hip-hop, which was born at a house party on Sedgwick Avenue in 1973. At 1.41 million people spread across 42.2 square miles, the Bronx has a ton of restaurants, bars, shops, and beautiful parks.
Fun facts: Pelham Bay Park, in the northeastern Bronx, is New York City's largest park at 2,772 acres. It’s nearly three times the size of Central Park, but most people have never heard of it (unless you’ve seen the name on the local 6 uptown train). And the Bronx Zoo (65 acres and home to more than 6,000 animals) is the largest metropolitan zoo in the country (and my personal favorite).
Popular neighborhoods:
- Riverdale
- Fordham
- Kingsbridge
- Bedford Park
- Belmont
- Pelham Bay
- Throggs Neck
- Co-op City
- Soundview
- Morris Park
- Mott Haven
- Morrisania
- Hunts Point
- University Heights
- Fordham Heights
- Grand Concourse
- Woodlawn Heights
Things to do and see: Arthur Avenue in Belmont has old-school Italian markets, bakeries, and red-sauce restaurants that have been doing it right for generations. Don’t miss the New York Botanical Garden, catch a game at Yankee Stadium, or take a stroll through Van Cortlandt Park (it literally feels like you’re hiking). If you’re a hip-hop history buff, make sure to check out the new Hip Hop Museum when it opens.
Staten Island
Staten Island is the least populous borough with about 503,000 people, and the only one without a direct subway connection to the rest of the city. You can get there by the free Staten Island Ferry, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge from Brooklyn, or a couple of bridges from New Jersey.
Staten Island is known for being more suburban, with more green space per resident and the highest homeownership rate of any borough. So if you’re looking for a yard and multiple bedrooms, Staten Island might be for you.
Fun facts: The Staten Island Greenbelt spans roughly 2,500 acres and 28 miles of trails across seven connected city parks. It’s one of the largest stretches of green space anywhere in New York City, with tons of hiking and biking trails.
Popular neighborhoods:
- St. George (this is where the ferry terminal hub is)
- Tompkinsville
- Stapleton
- West Brighton
- New Brighton
- Great Kills
- New Dorp
- Midland Beach
- Tottenville
- Todt Hill
- Port Richmond
- Bay Terrace
- Grymes Hill
- Silver Lake
- Bulls Head
Things to do and see: The ferry ride itself! It’s free, 25 minutes, and has some of the best skyline views in the entire city. Plus, it’ll take you right past the Statue of Liberty. Once you're there, hike a stretch of the Greenbelt's 28 miles of trails, walk through centuries of history at Historic Richmond Town, or explore the gardens and grounds at Snug Harbor Cultural Center.
Transportation Between the 5 Boroughs of NYC
Manhattan sits at the center of the subway system, so most lines are built to move people in and out of it rather than directly between the other boroughs. For example: even though Brooklyn and Queens are right next to each other, you often have to take a train into Manhattan to get between them. Here are a couple of pro tips for traveling between New York’s boroughs:
- You can always take a taxi or ride-share between the 5 NYC boroughs, but for your wallet, I highly recommend against it. The subway is cheaper and usually much faster.
- The ferry (Staten Island Ferry and the NYC Ferry) is one of the best-kept secrets for both transportation and great views.
- The commuter rail (Metro-North and LIRR) can often get you deep into the Bronx or Queens faster than the subway.
Book Your Table at The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens
No matter which of the 5 boroughs of New York you’re planning to explore, The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens is a must on your itinerary. Located on the 9th floor of the Times Square EDITION, this lush garden oasis features menus from Michelin-acclaimed chef John Fraser in an unforgettable setting with stunning views of Times Square. Stop by to fuel up before sightseeing with a filling brunch or settling in for dinner before a Broadway show with seasonal entrées, handcrafted cocktails, and immaculate vibes.
Prefer a quick drink? Unwind with a cocktail at the Lobby Bar after a long day zigzagging between boroughs.
NYC Boroughs FAQ
How many boroughs are there in NYC?
These are the five boroughs of NYC: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island.
What's the difference between a borough and a county?
In New York City, the same geographic area has two different names: one for city government purposes (borough) and one for state and legal purposes (county). Manhattan is New York County, Brooklyn is Kings County, Queens is Queens County, the Bronx is Bronx County, and Staten Island is Richmond County.
How many people live in the 5 boroughs of NYC?
Approximately 8.56 million people live across the five boroughs of New York City. Brooklyn is the most populous borough, home to more than one-third of all residents.
What is the biggest borough in NYC?
By land area, Queens is the largest borough in NYC. By population, Brooklyn is the largest.
What is the smallest borough in NYC?
Of the five boroughs of New York City, Manhattan is the smallest by land area (22.7 square miles), and Staten Island has the smallest population.
Are Brooklyn and Queens part of Long Island?
Geographically, yes. Brooklyn and Queens sit on the western end of Long Island. But almost no one who lives there refers to it that way. "Long Island" colloquially means Nassau and Suffolk counties to the east.
Which borough should I visit first?
If it’s your first time visiting New York, the best NYC borough for you will be Manhattan. It's the most walkable and holds the highest concentration of first-timer landmarks. But don't miss out on the rest of the boroughs. Some of the city's best food, parks, and neighborhoods are in the other four.