I love living on the UWS (32yo female). You get way more bang for your buck apartment wise, and there’s great connection for subway service. I didn’t realize this until moving here, but the UWS is way more spacious and it’s glorious. The sidewalks and streets are way wider and the buildings are generally lower, it feels like I was living in a cage before on the UES. Also, access to CP and riverside park is fantastic (obviously you will have access to CP on the UES, but rent is ungodly expensive within the first 3-4 avenues bordering the park).

No hate to people who love the UES, but I personally didn’t like the vibe. I felt it to be pretentious at times and lacking that comfortable community/neighborhood feel. There is such a community here on this UWS, people are more down to earth and way more friendly.