East Harlem residents land in the emergency room after pedestrian and bike crashes at a higher rate than residents of any other Manhattan district [1][2]. Central Harlem is second. Midtown, the district most people would guess, ranks fourth.
This index ranks Manhattan’s 12 community districts by those injury rates. It uses 2023 data from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the latest year available at the district level. A later section adds NYC DOT’s 2025 crash totals to show who was hurt on Manhattan streets.
How the Index Is Scored
Each district’s Index Score adds two rates from the city’s Environment & Health Data Portal [1][2]. One counts pedestrian injury emergency department (ED) visits per 100,000 residents. The other counts bicycle injury ED visits. Both follow where the injured patient lives. Crash locations come from a separate DOT report, covered later in this piece.
The 2026 Rankings
| Rank | Community District | Pedestrian Injury ED Visits per 100,000 | Bicycle Injury ED Visits per 100,000 | Index Score |
| 1 | East Harlem (CD 11) | 131.6 | 278.7 | 410.3 |
| 2 | Central Harlem (CD 10) | 103.8 | 236.5 | 340.3 |
| 3 | Morningside Heights and Hamilton Heights (CD 9) | 75.7 | 230.7 | 306.4 |
| 4 | Midtown (CD 5) | 100.0 | 180.7 | 280.7 |
| 5 | Lower East Side and Chinatown (CD 3) | 63.0 | 173.9 | 236.9 |
| 6 | Clinton and Chelsea (CD 4) | 59.3 | 166.1 | 225.4 |
| 7 | Washington Heights and Inwood (CD 12) | 69.9 | 155.4 | 225.3 |
| 8 | Stuyvesant Town and Turtle Bay (CD 6) | 74.0 | 121.9 | 195.9 |
| 9 | Financial District (CD 1) | 70.5 | 106.2 | 176.7 |
| 10 | Upper West Side (CD 7) | 42.5 | 124.9 | 167.4 |
| 11 | Greenwich Village and SoHo (CD 2) | 36.5 | 103.0 | 139.5 |
| 12 | Upper East Side (CD 8) | 54.2 | 78.0 | 132.2 |
| — | Manhattan (borough) | 71.8 | 162.0 | 233.8 |
| — | New York City | 104.2 | 133.9 | 238.1 |
Source: NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Environment & Health Data Portal, 2023 data [1][2]. Index Score is the sum of the two published rates.
East Harlem’s pedestrian rate of 131.6 is the highest in Manhattan, against a citywide rate of 104.2 [1]. Its cyclist rate of 278.7 is more than double the citywide figure of 133.9 [2]. The Upper East Side has the lowest score in the borough at 132.2 [1][2]. Midtown’s rate is calculated per resident. Commuters and visitors injured there count toward the districts where they live.
Harlem’s Injuries Are More Often Serious
East Harlem’s pedestrian injury hospitalization rate, 21.2 per 100,000 residents, is the highest in Manhattan and above the citywide rate of 15.6 [3]. Central Harlem posts Manhattan’s highest bicycle injury hospitalization rate at 18.0 per 100,000, compared with 10.7 citywide [4]. Hospitalization separates an ER visit that ends the same day from an injury serious enough to require admission.
For Harlem residents, those rates mean more crashes that end in a hospital bed. They also mean more families weighing their options after a crash in the neighborhood.
Manhattan’s 2025 Crash Toll by Road User
NYC DOT’s annual crash report counts injuries by where the crash happened. Manhattan recorded 7,400 traffic injuries and 39 traffic deaths in 2025 [5].
| Road User | Injuries | Deaths | Share of Manhattan Traffic Deaths |
| Pedestrians | 1,819 | 24 | 61.5% |
| Traditional bicyclists | 1,510 | 2 | 5.1% |
| Motorized two-wheeler riders (e-bike, moped, scooter, motorcycle) | 749 | 10 | 25.6% |
| Motor vehicle occupants | 3,322 | 3 | 7.7% |
| Total | 7,400 | 39 | 100% |
Source: NYC Department of Transportation, Bicycle Crash Data 2025, data as of April 15, 2026 [5]. Shares calculated from published totals.
Pedestrians made up 24 of Manhattan’s 39 traffic deaths in 2025, or 61.5% [5]. Citywide, the share was 53.6%, or 112 of 209 [5]. Drivers and passengers had the most injuries in the borough at 3,322. Three drivers and passengers died [5].
The Cycling Surge Behind the Rankings
Bicycle injury ED visits among Manhattan residents rose 56% between 2019 and 2023, from 1,653 to 2,585 [2]. Pedestrian injury visits fell 8% over the same years, to 1,188 [1]. In six districts, bike injury visits climbed by more than 70% [2].
| Resident Community District | 2019 Bicycle Injury ED Visits | 2023 Bicycle Injury ED Visits | Change |
| Midtown (CD 5) | 33 | 107 | +224% |
| Morningside Heights and Hamilton Heights (CD 9) | 118 | 251 | +113% |
| Clinton and Chelsea (CD 4) | 119 | 245 | +106% |
| Financial District (CD 1) | 35 | 70 | +100% |
| Washington Heights and Inwood (CD 12) | 146 | 266 | +82% |
| Central Harlem (CD 10) | 158 | 273 | +73% |
| Manhattan (borough) | 1,653 | 2,585 | +56% |
| New York City | 7,607 | 10,664 | +40% |
Source: NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Environment & Health Data Portal [2]. Districts shown are the six Manhattan districts with the largest percentage increases.
Midtown residents’ bicycle injury visits more than tripled over the period [2]. Three other districts at least doubled [2]. In every Manhattan district, bicycle injury visits now exceed pedestrian injury visits [1][2].
What the Index Means After an Injury
A pedestrian or cyclist struck by a car or truck in New York can usually claim medical benefits through that vehicle’s no-fault coverage first [6]. A claim for pain and suffering requires proving the driver was at fault. Camera footage and the right-of-way rules at the intersection often decide that question.Â
The index also leaves out falls on broken sidewalks and stairs. Those are handled as premises liability cases.
Richman Law’s Manhattan personal injury office is at 641 Lexington Avenue. Clients call Eric Richman’s cell phone directly. In one pedestrian accident case, he recovered $1.1 million for a client struck while crossing the street. The client spent several months in the hospital with multiple fractures and head injuries.
If you or a family member was hurt in a Manhattan crash and you need legal guidance or would like to discuss your case, contact Eric Richman at (212) 688-3965 for a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Manhattan neighborhood has the highest pedestrian and cyclist injury rate?
East Harlem (Community District 11) ranks first. In 2023 it had 131.6 pedestrian injury ED visits and 278.7 bicycle injury ED visits per 100,000 residents. Central Harlem is second on both measures.
Does the index show where crashes happen?
The index counts each injury by the patient’s home district [1][2]. For crash locations, NYC DOT’s annual crash report breaks down injuries and deaths by borough.
How many people were injured in Manhattan traffic crashes in 2025?
NYC DOT recorded 7,400 traffic injuries and 39 traffic deaths in Manhattan in 2025. Pedestrians accounted for 1,819 of the injuries and 24 of the deaths.
Sources
1. NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Pedestrian injury emergency department visits. Environment & Health Data Portal. https://a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov/IndicatorPublic/data-explorer/transportation-related-injuries/?id=2094
2. NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Bicycle injury emergency department visits. Environment & Health Data Portal. https://a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov/IndicatorPublic/data-explorer/transportation-related-injuries/?id=2092
3. NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Pedestrian injury hospitalizations. Environment & Health Data Portal. https://a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov/IndicatorPublic/data-explorer/transportation-related-injuries/?id=2093
4. NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Bicycle injury hospitalizations. Environment & Health Data Portal. https://a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov/IndicatorPublic/data-explorer/transportation-related-injuries/?id=2086
5. NYC Department of Transportation. (2026). Bicycle crash data: 2025. https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/bicycle-crash-data-report.pdf
6. New York State Department of Financial Services. No-fault insurance. https://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumers/auto_insurance/no_fault_insurance