Yorkville, in sixty seconds
Yorkville is the eastern Upper East Side, from East 79th to East 96th Street between Third Avenue and the East River. It covers about 0.49 square miles, holds 84,046 residents and has the Q train on Second Avenue. Four chapters, fifteen seconds each.
A merchant's country house, an immigrant district, a new subway
Archibald Gracie built his country house on the East River in 1799. It became Gracie Mansion, and Fiorello La Guardia moved in as the first mayor on May 27, 1942. German, Hungarian and Czech immigrants filled the blocks around East 86th Street in the late 1800s. The Second Avenue subway opened its first stations here on January 1, 2017.
- 1799Gracie Mansion built
- 1942Becomes the mayor's residence
- 1969Henderson Place landmarked
- 2017Second Avenue subway opens
A river park, a subway line and a mix of buildings
Yorkville covers about 0.49 square miles and counted 84,046 residents in the 2020 census. Carl Schurz Park adds 14.9 acres along the river, with Gracie Mansion inside it. The Q train stops at 86th and 96th Streets, and Asphalt Green anchors East 90th Street at York Avenue.
A wide price range
Homes on the Upper East Side sold at a median of $1,399,325 over the three months ending August 2026, at 99.3% of list, with a median of 76 days on market (Redfin). Corcoran put the second-quarter median resale co-op at $1.095 million and the median resale condo at $1.575 million. These are Upper East Side-wide figures. Prices differ sharply by building type and block, so a figure for one address needs a comparison of recent sales in the same building.
As of October 2, 2026. Upper East Side-wide figures, not Yorkville alone.
Five things that change by address
Inside one neighborhood, the building, the block and the board can change what you pay and what you get.
- Co-op or condo. Board approval, financing limits, subletting and pied-à-terre rules differ by building.
- Building finances. Monthly charges, the reserve fund and assessments, including façade work required under Local Law 11.
- School zone. Public school assignment follows the exact address. Confirm it with the NYC Department of Education.
- Street exposure. Second Avenue, the cross streets and the river side differ in noise and light.
- Flood zone. Check river-edge blocks on the NYC Flood Hazard Mapper.
I verify each of these for a specific home before you commit.
Sources: Resident counts: 2020 U.S. census, NYC Planning neighborhood tabulation areas. Upper East Side median sale price, sale-to-list ratio and days on market: Redfin, three months ending August 2026. Resale co-op and condo medians: Corcoran, second quarter 2026. Dates of landmarks and openings from public records. Figures are as of October 2, 2026 and change; ask for current numbers before you rely on them.
Want this checked for a specific home?
Tell Peter what you are looking at in Yorkville and he will introduce you to a licensed New York agent who works the building.