The Haunted Apartments of New York (And How Much Rent Costs There Today)

Look, finding an apartment in New York is already terrifying enough without adding actual ghosts to the mix. But here's the thing: some of the city's most notorious haunted buildings are still renting units today. And because this is New York, people are paying astronomical prices to live with the dead.

I started looking into this after a friend told me about weird stuff happening in her East Village walk-up. Turns out, half the buildings in Manhattan have some kind of dark history. The real horror? You're probably competing with fifteen other people for the privilege of living there.

The Dakota Building - Upper West Side

You know this one. John Lennon was shot outside in 1980, and people have reported seeing his ghost in the archway ever since. But the building's been allegedly haunted way longer than that. Built in 1884, residents have reported phantom footsteps, mysterious voices, and the ghost of a little girl who bounces a ball in the hallways.

Yoko Ono still lives there. So do a bunch of other celebrities who apparently don't mind sharing space with the supernatural.

Current rent? Good luck even getting in. When units do become available (rarely), we're talking $10,000+ per month for a one-bedroom. Co-op apartments sell for millions. Literally millions. You could be haunted in a cardboard box for free, but instead, people are paying Manhattan prices for it.

The Dakota doesn't advertise its ghost stories in listings, obviously. But when you're apartment hunting in New York, you learn pretty quick that you don't ask too many questions. You see a place you can afford, you jump on it. Whether or not it comes with paranormal roommates is secondary to whether you can make rent.

The Brownstone on West 10th Street - Greenwich Village

This one's lesser known but legitimately creepy. Built in the 1850s, the building's had at least four documented deaths inside, including a murder-suicide in 1934 and a suspicious "accident" in the 70s.

A friend of mine lived there in 2019. Said doors would slam at 3 AM. Her roommate's cat would hiss at empty corners. They'd hear footsteps on the stairs when no one was home. The landlord's response when they complained? "Old building, things settle."

Classic New York landlord move, ghost or no ghost, they're not fixing anything.

They paid $3,400 a month for a two-bedroom with one bathroom. Split between two people, that's $1,700 each to live somewhere that might be actively haunted. But that's actually below market for the Village, so they stayed the full lease.

Here's what I learned from her experience: when you're looking for roommates, you should definitely discuss more than just cleaning schedules and noise levels. Add "how do you feel about potential supernatural activity" to the list. Sounds crazy, but if one person's a skeptic and the other's genuinely terrified, that's gonna cause problems at 3 AM when doors start slamming.

The Chelsea Hotel - Chelsea

Chelsea's famous for a reason. It's been home to artists, musicians, and writers since 1884. It's also where Nancy Spungen was murdered in 1978, allegedly by Sid Vicious. Dylan Thomas died there. Multiple suicides. The place is basically a graveyard with room service.

People have reported seeing Nancy's ghost in the hallways, particularly near Room 100, where she died. Cold spots. Unexplained sounds. The feeling of being watched. Staff members have quit over the paranormal activity.

The hotel closed for renovations in 2011 and only recently reopened. When it was operating as residential apartments, people were paying $2,500-$6,000 monthly to live in rooms where people literally died. Now that it's back as a hotel, rooms start around $400 per night.

You're paying premium prices to sleep where someone else didn't wake up. That's very New York.

A Walk-Up in the East Village - Address Withheld

This one's from my friend Sarah. She won't tell me the exact address because she's worried it'll affect the building's rental market, which is honestly the most New York thing I've ever heard. "I don't want to tank anyone's property value with ghost stories."

She moved into a fifth-floor walk-up in 2022. One bedroom, $2,100 a month, which felt like a steal for the area. Should've known something was off.

First week, she kept finding her kitchen cabinets open in the morning. Every morning. All of them. She'd close them before bed, wake up, and they'd be open again. Started thinking she was sleepwalking, but then her boyfriend stayed over and confirmed, he watched them slowly swing open at 4 AM while they were both awake.

Then the smell started. Rot. Decay. But only in the bedroom closet and only between 2-4 AM. Building management sent someone to check for dead animals, mold, and leaks. Nothing. The smell would just... appear. Then vanish by morning.

The landlord's only response? "Do you want to break your lease? Because I've got twenty people waiting for that apartment."

Sarah stuck it out for eight months, then moved in with her boyfriend in Brooklyn. Lost her deposit. The landlord kept it, citing "early termination." She's still fighting to get it back.

The practical lesson? New York landlords will gaslight you about anything mold, rats, broken heating, ghosts, it doesn't matter. Document everything. Take videos. Get stuff in writing. Because "my apartment is haunted" isn't gonna hold up in housing court, even if it's true.

The Real Horror: You'll Probably Stay Anyway

Here's the thing about haunted apartments in New York: even if you believe in ghosts, you're probably not leaving. The rental market is too brutal. You've already paid the first month, the last month, the security deposit, broker fee. You've already beaten out dozens of other applicants. You've already furnished the place. So you learn to live with it. You sleep with the lights on. You get used to the footsteps. You stop using certain rooms. You convince yourself it's not that bad.

Because finding a new place means starting over. More applications, more rejections, more money upfront. Sometimes the ghost you know is better than the rental market you don't.

And honestly? At least ghosts don't ask you to make 40 times the monthly rent in annual income. They don't require reference letters or credit checks. They just... exist. In your space. At 3 AM.

Still, probably better roommates than some living people I've dealt with.

If you're apartment hunting in New York or any competitive market, just remember to ask the right questions. How long was the last tenant there? Why did they leave? Has anyone ever died in the unit? Landlords in New York actually have to disclose deaths that occurred in the past three years, but good luck getting honest answers about anything older.

Your best bet? Talk to the neighbors before you sign anything. They'll tell you what the landlord won't.

And if you do end up in a haunted place? At least you'll have a good story. And in New York, that might be worth the rent increase.