From Harlem to the Financial District
Find a roommate in Manhattan
Sharing an apartment is the norm in Manhattan, for students and for people well into their careers. The hard part is not finding someone, it is finding someone whose daily life fits yours in a small space.
Who is looking in Manhattan
Roommate searches in Manhattan come from students at Columbia, NYU and the CUNY colleges, from people starting jobs in Midtown and the Financial District, and from residents and nurses working at the hospitals uptown and on the East Side.
On Matezer you can tell people whether you are a student or a young professional, add your school or employer, and name the neighborhood you would like to live in, so the people you see are looking for the same kind of home.
Students looking for roommates in Manhattan
Matezer has a group chat for each university, where students looking for a place can meet before the semester starts.
- Columbia University
- New York University
- The New School
- Hunter College
- Baruch College
- City College of New York
- Fashion Institute of Technology
- Fordham University at Lincoln Center
Four things to agree on first
Ask these in your first conversation. The answers tell you more than any profile photo.
Schedule
What time do you usually get up and go to bed, and do you work or study from home?
Money
How do you want to split rent and utilities, and when is each bill due?
Shared spaces
How clean should the kitchen and bathroom be, and who does what?
Guests
How often do you have people over, and are overnight guests fine?
A tip for Manhattan: Manhattan apartments are compact. Agree early on guests, shared storage and quiet hours, because there is rarely a spare room to retreat to.
Popular areas to share in Manhattan
Harlem
Brownstone blocks, larger pre-war apartments and fast express trains downtown.
Washington Heights
Roomy pre-war buildings near the A and 1 trains, popular with medical students and staff.
Upper West Side
Residential streets between Central Park and Riverside Park, a classic pick near Columbia.
Upper East Side
Quiet side streets and many walk-ups, with the Q and the 4, 5 and 6 trains close by.
East Village
Walk-up apartments, late-night food and a short walk to NYU and Union Square.
Lower East Side
Tenement-style buildings and nightlife, with the F, J, M and Z trains nearby.
Finding a roommate in Manhattan: common questions
How do I find a roommate in Manhattan?
Create a free Matezer profile, add your lifestyle and the neighborhood you prefer in Manhattan, then like or pass on compatible people. When you both like each other it is a match and the chat opens.
Who is looking for roommates in Manhattan?
Roommate searches in Manhattan come from students at Columbia, NYU and the CUNY colleges, from people starting jobs in Midtown and the Financial District, and from residents and nurses working at the hospitals uptown and on the East Side.
Should I find the roommate or the apartment first?
Either works. If you already have a place, post it and say what you are looking for in a roommate. If you do not, match with someone compatible first and search for a place together, which also lets you qualify for a lease as a pair.
Is it free?
Yes. Matching, messaging and posting a place on Matezer are free.
Roommates in other boroughs
Meet your next roommate in Manhattan
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