But what about the residential areas? NYC is very spotty, for example. Residential areas are hopping because that's where people live and work now, and midtown is shuttered. Usual salad and coffee places near the offices have no reason to be open right now.
Downtown is dead, yes, but Polk Gulch and Valencia Street (for example) are very much alive.
the city is so small that any exodus of existing residents isn’t going to be that noticeable because there are still people moving here everyday.
but yes the residential areas feel pretty much the same as far as crowdedness goes.
I live a few blocks from Union Square -- can confirm.