Roommate Finder in Midtown West, Manhattan, NY

Frequently asked questions

• Who uses a roommate finder in Midtown West?

  Midtown is the largest office district in the country, and Midtown West's roommate pool shows it. Many searchers are early-career analysts and associates at the banks, investment firms and law firms along Sixth Avenue and at Hudson Yards, staff at NBCUniversal and the other media companies around Rockefeller Center, and hotel and restaurant workers serving the Times Square crowds. Add summer interns, people who relocated for a new job and need a place within weeks, and commuters who want Penn Station at the end of the block. 23 people are looking for a roommate in Midtown West on Roomster's roommate finder right now, so put your office or your shift and your move-in date at the top of your profile.

• What do Midtown West roommates pay to split an apartment?

  Two-bedrooms in Midtown West average roughly $6,500 to $7,250 a month, so two roommates pay about $3,250 to $3,600 each, against about $4,600 for a one-bedroom alone. That saving of about $1,000 a month is why sharing is the norm for people in their twenties here. To bring your share down further, look at a three-bedroom in an older tower or a walk-up west of Ninth Avenue, where a third roommate can cut each share well below $3,000. In tower apartments the bedrooms often differ a lot, one with a private bath or a river view, so agree on a weighted split, and settle up front who pays for electricity and internet, which many towers bill separately.

• Is Roomster a good roommate finder for summer interns in Midtown?

  It can be, because Midtown's banks, law firms, media companies and consulting firms take on large summer intern classes, mostly for ten to twelve weeks from June through August, and the timing is the hard part. Look for a leaseholder subletting a room for the summer or a household with a gap from June to August, and put your exact dates, your office location and whether your employer pays a housing stipend in your profile. Two interns at the same firm, or on the same calendar, often take a furnished two-bedroom together. Since stays shorter than 30 days are generally illegal in New York City apartments, a full-summer arrangement is also the safer one.

• Which parts of Midtown West suit which kind of roommate?

  Midtown West covers very different blocks, so match the area to your routine. Hudson Yards and the towers along West 42nd Street suit people who work in the west side office towers and want amenities, at the highest shares. The Theater District and Times Square blocks are the most central but also the loudest, and they appeal to people who work evenings. Hell's Kitchen, the walk-up area west of Eighth Avenue, has the cheapest rooms and the busiest restaurant streets. The Garment District, between Sixth and Eighth Avenues in the West 30s, empties out at night and is set to gain thousands of new homes under the Midtown South rezoning. The West 50s near Columbus Circle and Central Park suit roommates who want calmer evenings.

• When is the best time to start a roommate search in Midtown West?

  Start six to eight weeks ahead, and plan around the corporate calendar as much as the seasons. Banks and investment firms at Hudson Yards and along Sixth Avenue bring in new analyst classes in summer, and interns arrive in late May and June, so May through August is the most competitive stretch for shares near the offices. Demand tapers off after Labor Day. From November through February, leaseholders filling a room are often more flexible on rent and move-in dates, and you will compete with fewer people for each opening, which makes winter the best time to land a good share if your start date allows it.

• How do I check out a Midtown West roommate before signing?

  Midtown draws many people who are new to New York and arranging housing from another city or country, which makes them a target for listings that ask for money before anyone sees the apartment. Roomster's ID and address checks are free and optional, and each profile shows which ones the member has completed, so finish yours and give priority to people who have finished theirs. Once your profile is validated by email and phone, you can message someone for free, and keeping the first messages on Roomster leaves a record. Ask to see the lease and confirm with building management that you can be added as an occupant, since many Midtown doorman buildings will not admit a resident who is not on file. Meet on video, then in person, and never send a deposit to someone you have not met.