Population 108,519 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Brownsville
Household size in Brownsville
| Period | Brownsville | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.77 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.84 | 2.84 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.38 | 2.77 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 2.78 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | +0.01 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Brownsville average 2.63 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in Brooklyn as a whole, where it has 2.78 people. Household size has dropped from 2.73 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Brownsville
| Period | Brownsville | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.3 | 35.1 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.9 | 35.1 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.1 | 36.2 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.8 | 37.5 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.5 | +2.4 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
At 38.8, the median age in Brownsville is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.3, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Brownsville
| Period | Brownsville | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.2% | 16.5% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.1% | 15.2% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 23.3% | 12.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.9 pts | −4.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly a quarter of households in Brownsville (23.3%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 6.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Brooklyn neighborhood has a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Brownsville
Renters in Brownsville
| Period | Brownsville | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.1% | 69.7% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 75.1% | 70.5% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 72.9% | 69.9% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 76.5% | 70.5% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Brownsville rent: 76.5% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 50.6% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 4.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Brownsville
| Period | Brownsville | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 9.7% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 9.4% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 9.1% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Brownsville than nationally: 7.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is down 3.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Brownsville has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Brooklyn neighborhoods.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Brownsville
| Period | Brownsville | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1946 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1948 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1948 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1953 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Brownsville is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1962, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Still, homes here are newer than in Brooklyn overall, where the median home dates to 1953. The median year built has moved up from 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Brownsville
| Period | Brownsville | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $872 | $1,083 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $975 | $1,248 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,086 | $1,524 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,267 | $1,954 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$395 | +$871 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Brownsville costs $1,267 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $395 a month from 2006–10, a 45% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 35.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Only one other Brooklyn neighborhood has lower rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Brownsville
Bachelor's degrees in Brownsville
| Period | Brownsville | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 27.8% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 30.4% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.1% | 36.1% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.1% | 40.2% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +12.4 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Brownsville: 19.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few Brooklyn neighborhoods have a lower share of college graduates: only two of 39.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Brownsville
| Period | Brownsville | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.6% | 77.3% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 75.8% | 78.5% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 79.5% | 81.7% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 80.1% | 83.6% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +6.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in Brownsville never finished high school, well above the national share: only 80.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 5.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Brownsville has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Brooklyn neighborhoods.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Brownsville
| Period | Brownsville | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 8.5% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.7% | 10.8% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 6.4% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.8% | 8.3% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Brownsville: 13.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only one other Brooklyn neighborhood has higher unemployment. Unemployment is up 0.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Brownsville compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville | 2.63 | 38.8 | 23.3% | 76.5% | 7.0% | 1962 | $1,267 | 19.1% | 80.1% | 13.8% |
| East Flatbush | 2.50 | 41.6 | 17.2% | 78.0% | 13.8% | 1944 | $1,723 | 25.5% | 84.9% | 10.5% |
| Ocean Hill | 2.49 | 37.0 | 20.6% | 77.9% | 6.8% | 1961 | $1,622 | 30.6% | 85.0% | 10.8% |
| Broadway Junction | 2.62 | 35.2 | 24.3% | 83.7% | 6.5% | 1959 | $1,529 | 15.5% | 77.7% | 10.2% |
| Canarsie | 2.87 | 42.5 | 17.7% | 49.4% | 15.2% | 1957 | $1,761 | 29.4% | 88.4% | 8.8% |
| Paerdegat | 2.80 | 44.6 | 15.5% | 46.0% | 19.3% | 1959 | $1,876 | 30.0% | 86.6% | 7.8% |
| Crown Heights | 2.63 | 35.2 | 11.2% | 77.5% | 7.3% | 1942 | $1,698 | 44.6% | 88.2% | 8.9% |
| East Brooklyn | 2.92 | 38.1 | 21.6% | 74.2% | 9.1% | 1957 | $1,640 | 18.5% | 81.2% | 8.4% |
| Bedford-Stuyvesant | 2.51 | 35.0 | 14.8% | 80.3% | 7.2% | 1952 | $1,940 | 42.5% | 86.0% | 9.2% |
| Prospect Lefferts Gardens | 2.23 | 39.0 | 13.3% | 87.6% | 12.2% | 1948 | $2,047 | 43.7% | 87.1% | 11.0% |
| Flatbush-Ditmas Park | 2.45 | 36.8 | 10.2% | 90.5% | 11.6% | 1941 | $1,915 | 41.2% | 87.6% | 6.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: South Side, Corpus Christi, TX · Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY · Southeast Dallas, Dallas, TX · North Scottsdale, Scottsdale, AZ · Canarsie, Brooklyn, NY · Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY · Flushing, Queens, NY · West San Jose, San Jose, CA · Sugarland, Houston, TX · Paradise Valley, Phoenix, AZ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Brownsville. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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