The 191st Street station on the 1 train sits roughly 173 feet below the street, the deepest station in the entire New York City subway system (Source: Wikipedia, 191st Street station). It is reached by elevator from St. Nicholas Avenue and by a pedestrian tunnel of about 1,000 feet that connects to Broadway. That station sits in Fort George, a high, hilly pocket of Upper Manhattan that most maps fold into Washington Heights.
If you have searched "Fort George NYC" and landed on Revolutionary War history, here is the quick separation: this guide is about the present-day neighborhood, not the old fort. The name does come from the past. The Continental Army fortified this hilltop in 1776, the British later renamed the position Fort George, and the modern neighborhood took the name (Source: Wikipedia, Fort George, New York).
Where Fort George Sits
Fort George is an area of Upper Manhattan within and adjacent to Washington Heights, roughly around the 190s streets, near where Washington Heights meets Inwood. The boundaries are informal. Fort George is a named sub-area, not an official Neighborhood Tabulation Area, so you will not find a hard line on a city map (Source: Wikipedia, Fort George, New York; Washington Heights, Manhattan).
It is also one of the highest and hilliest parts of Manhattan, which shapes everything from the stair-streets to why that 1 train platform had to go so far underground (Source: Wikipedia; Untapped New York). I grew up uptown, in Inwood and Washington Heights, and the topography up here is something you feel in your legs before you read it on a map.
Getting Around: Trains and Parks
The 1 train serves the deep 191st Street station. The A and C run nearby at 190th and 181st Streets, which gives this part of Upper Manhattan more than one route into Midtown and Lower Manhattan (Source: Wikipedia, 191st Street station). For commuters weighing uptown options, that second express-line access at 190th matters.
On the green side, Fort George is flanked by Highbridge Park and sits near Fort Tryon Park (Source: Wikipedia; NYC Parks). Highbridge runs along the eastern edge toward the Harlem River, and Fort Tryon to the north is the park that holds the Cloisters. For a hilltop neighborhood, the open space is a real part of daily life here.
Fort George at a Glance
- Location: Upper Manhattan, roughly the 190s streets, within and adjacent to Washington Heights
- Trains: 1 at 191st Street (deepest station in the NYC subway, about 173 feet down); A and C nearby at 190th and 181st Streets
- Parks: flanked by Highbridge Park, near Fort Tryon Park
- Topography: one of the highest, hilliest parts of Manhattan
- Status: a named sub-area, not an official Neighborhood Tabulation Area, so boundaries are informal
The Fort George Housing Market
Because Fort George is a sub-area without its own REBNY feed, the honest way to read its market is through the Washington Heights numbers it belongs to. As of June 2026, RLS-tracked active inventory in Washington Heights stood at 65 listings, with a median asking price of $575,000 and an average of $689 per square foot (Source: RLS/REBNY via Trestle, June 2026). Recent RLS-tracked closings carried a median of $549,000 (Source: RLS/REBNY via Trestle, June 2026).
The building stock here leans heavily toward co-ops. Co-ops make up about 68% of active Washington Heights inventory (Source: RLS/REBNY via Trestle, June 2026), which means most buyers shopping Fort George will be looking at co-op apartments rather than condos. That single fact changes how you budget, how you get approved, and how long the process takes.
| Washington Heights metric | Reading (June 2026) |
|---|---|
| Active RLS-tracked inventory | 65 listings |
| Median asking price | $575,000 |
| Average price per square foot | $689 |
| Median recent closing | $549,000 |
| Co-op share of active inventory | ~68% |
Source: RLS/REBNY via Trestle, June 2026. Figures cover the Washington Heights market that Fort George belongs to.
Active Listings in Fort George and Washington Heights
Live RLS listings currently for sale in the Fort George area
578 W 183rd Street
Washington Heights
563 W 161ST Street
Washington Heights
Listing information provided courtesy of the Real Estate Board of New York's Residential Listing Service (RLS). Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Sale listings verified. ©2026 REBNY. RLS data displayed by Keller Williams NYC.
Buying in Fort George: What to Plan For
With co-ops at roughly two-thirds of inventory, the first decision most Fort George buyers face is structure. If you are weighing the two ownership types, my breakdown of co-op vs condo walks through the cost and approval differences. Co-ops usually price lower than comparable condos, but they come with a board.
That board step is where deals slow down or stall. The co-op board interview is a real gate, and packages get returned over avoidable mistakes. Build that timeline into your search from the start rather than treating it as a formality at the end.
Plan your cash, too. Beyond the down payment, a NYC purchase carries attorney fees, building application fees, and transfer-related items. My closing costs breakdown lays out the line items so the final number does not surprise you at the table.
Thinking About Fort George or Washington Heights?
I have spent years living and working in Upper Manhattan, and I know this hilltop block by block. Let's talk about what fits your budget and timeline.
Schedule a ConsultationFrequently Asked Questions
Is Fort George its own neighborhood or part of Washington Heights?
Both, depending on who you ask. Fort George is a named sub-area of Upper Manhattan within and adjacent to Washington Heights, around the 190s streets. It is not an official Neighborhood Tabulation Area, so its boundaries are informal and most market data is reported under Washington Heights (Source: Wikipedia).
Where does the name Fort George come from?
The Continental Army fortified this hilltop in 1776, the British later renamed the position Fort George, and the modern neighborhood took the name (Source: Wikipedia, Fort George, New York). The present-day neighborhood is residential, not a historic fort site you can tour.
What trains serve Fort George?
The 1 train stops at 191st Street, the deepest station in the NYC subway system at about 173 feet below street level, reached by elevator and a roughly 1,000-foot tunnel. The A and C run nearby at 190th and 181st Streets (Source: Wikipedia, 191st Street station).
What does it cost to buy in Fort George?
Fort George is read through the Washington Heights market, where median asking was $575,000 and the median recent closing was $549,000, at an average of $689 per square foot (Source: RLS/REBNY via Trestle, June 2026). About 68% of active inventory is co-ops, so most options are co-op apartments.
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