What Celebrities Live in NYC and Where to See Them — Local Guide 2025

If you’ve ever googled what celebrities live in nyc, you’re definitely not the only one. In every NYC travel group thread there’s at least one person asking the same thing:
“Who actually lives here, and where do they hide?”
Short answer: yes, a lot of very famous people really do call New York home. Longer answer: it’s more about neighborhoods and lifestyle than exact buildings, and most locals will tell you that you bump into celebrities when you stop chasing them and just live your normal city life.

Below is a community-style guide that answers what celebrities live in nyc, but also shows you how locals think about celebrity neighbors, where you might see them, and how to do it without being creepy.

What celebrities live in NYC right now? Big names locals still talk about

Celebrities move, buy new penthouses, sell townhouses, disappear upstate for a bit, then pop back up downtown. So treat any list as a snapshot, not a government registry. But when people ask what celebrities live in nyc, these names come up again and again in articles, real-estate reports and fan stories:

Music and pop culture

Film & TV people

When people online try to answer what celebrities live in nyc, this is the type of list that shows up in real-estate blogs and magazine roundups: Robert De Niro, Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniel Radcliffe, Matt Damon, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Will Ferrell and more.

Comedy, TV hosts & New York icons

Again, celebrities move constantly. But if you’re wondering what celebrities live in nyc in general, you can safely picture a mix of A-list pop stars in Tribeca, Oscar winners in fancy co-ops, old-school comedians on the Upper West Side and a bunch of low-key writers and directors quietly walking their dogs in Brooklyn.

Where do celebrities actually live in NYC? Neighborhoods with famous neighbors

Most locals don’t track exact addresses (honestly, we’re too busy catching trains), but certain areas pop up again and again whenever someone asks what celebrities live in nyc and where they stay.

Tribeca – quiet streets, very loud price tags

Tribeca is probably the number-one answer when someone asks what celebrities live in nyc and wants one neighborhood to circle on a map.

On the street it doesn’t feel like a movie set; it feels like strollers, dogs and people in very nice sweatpants. If you walk around here, you might see a famous face, but you’re just as likely to see a dad juggling a stroller and an iced coffee.

West Village & Greenwich Village – “Oh, I think that was… wait…”

The West Village and Greenwich Village are classic answers to what celebrities live in nyc because the streets are cozy, leafy and full of restaurants where famous people can blend in.

You might pass a familiar face walking a dog and only realize three blocks later who it was.

Upper West Side – sitcom energy and park life

When people think of what celebrities live in nyc with a more chill, residential vibe, the Upper West Side is always on the list.

The buildings are classic prewar co-ops and rentals rather than flashy glass towers.

Brooklyn (Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Park Slope, Dumbo)

Brooklyn shows up more and more in any real-estate piece trying to answer what celebrities live in nyc right now.

If you’re walking along the Promenade or grabbing a slice in Dumbo, you might be standing next to someone with an Oscar and have absolutely no idea.

How locals actually answer “what celebrities live in nyc”

Here’s the funny thing: when outsiders ask what celebrities live in nyc, they want a clean list. When locals answer in Facebook groups, it sounds more like:

Common themes from those community posts:

So if you’re obsessed with what celebrities live in nyc, it helps to switch your mindset from “Which apartment?” to “What kind of everyday life do they have here?” Because that’s the part you actually see.

Celebrity hot spots in NYC (that are normal to visit)

Instead of camping outside someone’s building (hard no), focus on places where locals actually run into celebrities while doing regular New York things.

Restaurants & cafés

Trendy restaurants downtown, classic Upper West Side brunch spots, and tiny West Village wine bars are all frequent settings in celebrity sighting stories. You won’t always see someone famous, but if New Yorkers are listing where what celebrities live in nyc overlaps with everyday life, restaurants are at the top.

How to do it right:

Broadway, off-Broadway and comedy clubs

If you’re wondering what celebrities live in nyc and still work here regularly, look at theater and comedy.

You might see them on stage, which is the most respectful way to get a good story out of it.

TV tapings, premieres and events

Some locals point out that if you really want guaranteed sightings, go where the cameras are: outside a TV studio, a film festival, or a red-carpet premiere.

You’ll see more barricades and fans than actual “New York life” here, but it definitely answers the question what celebrities live in nyc or at least show up here a lot.

Best Broadway Tours in NYC

If you’re already wondering what celebrities live in NYC — chances are you also dream of walking the same streets where the biggest Broadway stars perform every night.
Here are three fan-favorite Broadway tours you can book right now (via Viator — all with free cancellation).

1. Broadway Musical Theater Walking Tour

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Walk through the heart of Times Square with a real theater guide, hear behind-the-scenes stories from hit musicals, and see the stages that shaped New York’s entertainment history.
👉 Book the Broadway Musical Theater Walking Tour →

2. Broadway the Tour – NYC Guided Immersive Historic Walking Tour

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A deeper, story-driven tour perfect for anyone who loves Broadway legends and insider trivia. You’ll explore famous marquees and hear how Broadway became a global icon.
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3. NYC Broadway Tour: Backstage Stories & Theater Secrets

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Get the full insider experience: explore the Theater District, learn about casting secrets, and even peek into what happens behind the curtain.
👉 Join the Backstage Stories Tour →

How to look for celebrities in NYC without being weird

This part is important. New Yorkers are protective of their city and the people who live in it, even the ultra-famous ones. If you’re asking what celebrities live in nyc because you want to chase them with a phone camera, locals will not be impressed.

Basic “don’t be that person” rules:

The best NYC celebrity stories in Facebook groups usually sound like this:

“I saw Jerry Seinfeld buying coffee, we made eye contact, gave a tiny nod, and both went on with our day.”

That’s very New York.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

So… what celebrities live in NYC most?
From recent articles and real-estate pieces, the names that come up again and again are Taylor Swift, Robert De Niro, Justin Timberlake & Jessica Biel, Matt Damon, Lady Gaga, Daniel Radcliffe and Jerry Seinfeld, plus a rotating cast of actors, designers and musicians.

Which neighborhoods should I walk through if I’m curious?
If you’re visiting and quietly obsessed with what celebrities live in nyc, spend time in:

• Tribeca
• West Village / Greenwich Village
• Upper West Side
• Parts of Brooklyn like Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill

You’re not guaranteed a sighting, but you are guaranteed good coffee and very pretty streets.

Are celebrity sightings actually common?
Locals say yes, but not every five minutes. You live your life, and once in a while you realize the guy in front of you at the bodega is in a movie you like. Regular New Yorkers are more excited about catching the right subway than about counting how many times they’ve seen famous people.

Is it safe to walk around these areas at night?
Tribeca, the West Village, the Upper West Side and central parts of Brooklyn are normal residential neighborhoods. Use the same common sense you’d use in any big city (stay aware, stick to lit streets, avoid super late solo wandering if it doesn’t feel right), and you’ll be fine.

Final Thoughts?

In the end, what celebrities live in nyc is a fun question, but the real magic of the city is that everyone shares the same sidewalks – from Oscar winners to jet-lagged tourists and people running for the MTA.

Walk the neighborhoods, grab a slice, sit on a bench in Washington Square Park or along the Brooklyn Promenade. If you accidentally sit next to someone famous, nice. If not, you still get New York – and that’s the real star of the show.