Manhattan address algorithm

The Manhattan address algorithm is a series of formulas used to estimate the closest east–west cross street for building numbers on north–south avenues in the New York City borough of Manhattan.^[1][2]

Algorithm

To find the approximate number of the closest cross street, divide the building number by a divisor (generally 20) and add (or subtract) the "tricky number" from the table below:

Street/Avenue	Building No.	Divisor	Tricky No.	(unrounded result)
Avenue A	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +3}$
Avenue B	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +3}$
Avenue C	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +3}$
Avenue D	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +3}$
1st Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +3}$
2nd Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +3}$
3rd Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +10}$
4th Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +8}$
5th Avenue	63–108	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +11}$	14.15–16.4
5th Avenue	109–199	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +13}$	18.45–23
5th Avenue	200–399	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +16}$	26.05–36
5th Avenue	400–599	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +18}$	38.05–48
5th Avenue	600–774	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +20}$	50.05–58.75
5th Avenue	775–1286	${\displaystyle \div 10}$	${\displaystyle -18}$	59.6–110.6
5th Avenue	1287–1499	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +45}$	110–120
5th Avenue	Above 1500	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +24}$	124+
6th Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle -12}$
7th Avenue	1–1800	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +12}$	12.05–102
7th Avenue	Above 1800	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +20}$	110+
8th Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +9}$
9th Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +13}$
10th Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +14}$
11th Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +15}$
Amsterdam Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +59}$
Audubon Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +165}$
Avenue of the Americas	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle -12}$
Columbus Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +60}$ ^[3]
Broadway	1–754	(few numbered streets south of 8th)
Broadway	756–846	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle -29}$	8.8–13.3
Broadway	847–953	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle -25}$	17.35–22.65
Broadway	Above 953	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle -31}$	16.65+
Central Park West	All	${\displaystyle \div 10}$	${\displaystyle +60}$
Convent Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +127}$
East End Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +79}$
Edgecombe Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +134}$
Ft. Washington Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +158}$
Lenox Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +110}$
Lexington Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +22}$
Madison Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +27}$
Manhattan Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +100}$
Park Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +34}$
Park Avenue South	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +8}$
Pleasant Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +101}$
Riverside Drive	1–567	${\displaystyle \div 10}$	${\displaystyle +72}$	72.1–128.7
Riverside Drive	Above 567	${\displaystyle \div 10}$	${\displaystyle +78}$	134.7+
St. Nicholas Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +110}$
Vanderbilt Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +42}$
Wadsworth Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +173}$
West End Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +59}$
York Avenue	All	${\displaystyle \div 20}$	${\displaystyle +4}$

Examples

For example, if you are at 62 Avenue B, ${\displaystyle 62\div 20\approx 3}$ , then add the "tricky number" ${\displaystyle 3}$  to give ${\displaystyle 6}$ . The nearest cross street to 62 Avenue B is East 6th Street.

If you are at 78 Riverside Drive, ${\displaystyle 78\div 10\approx 8}$ , then add the "tricky number" ${\displaystyle 72}$  to give ${\displaystyle 80}$ . The nearest cross street to 78 Riverside Drive is West 80th Street.

If you are at 501 5th Avenue, ${\displaystyle 501\div 20\approx 25}$ , then add the "tricky number" ${\displaystyle 18}$  to give ${\displaystyle 43}$ . The nearest cross street to 501 5th Avenue is actually 42nd Street, not 43rd Street, as the Manhattan address algorithm only gives approximate answers.

See also

• List of numbered streets in Manhattan
• Numbered street

References

1. "Street Locator for New York City". www.ny.com. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
2. "Neighborhoods in Brief in New York City | Frommer's". www.frommers.com. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
3. "Address Finder; Arithmetic of the Avenues". The New York Times. September 27, 1998. Retrieved September 1, 2015.