Population 7,307 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Chinatown
Household size in Chinatown
| Period | Chinatown | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.15 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.29 | 2.16 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.22 | 2.12 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.21 | 2.08 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.39 | −0.07 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Chinatown are small: just 2.21 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in Manhattan overall, where it has 2.08 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.61, 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 Chinatown
| Period | Chinatown | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.7 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.3 | 38.2 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.5 | 39.4 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.8 | 40.4 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.2 | +2.8 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Chinatown skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 45.7 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Chinatown has the oldest population of any Manhattan neighborhood.
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 Chinatown
| Period | Chinatown | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 10.5% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 9.5% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 8.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 8.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Chinatown: 4.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 4.1 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Chinatown
Renters in Chinatown
| Period | Chinatown | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.4% | 77.2% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 93.2% | 77.4% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 95.6% | 75.9% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 75.5% | 74.9% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −15.9 pts | −2.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Chinatown rent: 75.5% 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, 83.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 15.9 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Chinatown
| Period | Chinatown | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 12.8% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 13.1% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 13.8% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.4% | 15.4% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +13.0 pts | +2.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Chinatown: 23.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 13.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Chinatown
| Period | Chinatown | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1948 | 1952 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1954 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1948 | 1954 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1956 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Chinatown is a place of older homes: half were built before 1959, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1948 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the north.
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 Chinatown
| Period | Chinatown | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $761 | $1,332 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $923 | $1,485 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,227 | $1,922 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,230 | $2,383 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$468 | +$1,051 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
Rent in Chinatown runs $1,230 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $468 a month from 2006–10, a 62% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 36.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Chinatown has the lowest rents of any Manhattan neighborhood.
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 Chinatown
Bachelor's degrees in Chinatown
| Period | Chinatown | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.1% | 57.2% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.2% | 59.6% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.5% | 62.2% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.8% | 64.7% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.7 pts | +7.5 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Chinatown than nationally: 30.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 10.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other Manhattan neighborhood has a lower share of college graduates.
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 Chinatown
| Period | Chinatown | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.2% | 84.9% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 56.7% | 86.6% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 56.9% | 87.8% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 56.4% | 89.9% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +5.0 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than four in ten adults in Chinatown never finished high school, well above the national share: only 56.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 2.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. No other Manhattan neighborhood has a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Chinatown
| Period | Chinatown | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 8.3% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 8.6% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 5.5% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.8% | 8.2% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Chinatown runs well above the national rate: 13.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only one other Manhattan neighborhood has higher unemployment. Unemployment is up 6.0 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).
Chinatown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinatown | 2.21 | 49.8 | 4.5% | 75.5% | 23.4% | 1959 | $1,230 | 30.8% | 56.4% | 13.8% |
| Little Italy | 1.76 | 36.5 | 4.7% | 91.7% | 16.1% | 1942 | $2,406 | 68.8% | 85.3% | 6.5% |
| Lower East Side | 2.13 | 43.0 | 9.1% | 81.9% | 12.6% | 1953 | $1,357 | 39.7% | 71.4% | 9.0% |
| Tribeca | 2.20 | 40.1 | 6.9% | 55.4% | 21.8% | 1960 | $3,238 | 84.3% | 97.6% | 3.5% |
| Soho | 1.78 | 40.6 | 2.9% | 64.5% | 22.7% | 1952 | $3,014 | 89.7% | 99.4% | 2.9% |
| Financial District | 1.96 | 32.1 | 4.5% | 74.8% | 18.1% | 1962 | $3,307 | 83.6% | 96.8% | 3.9% |
| Battery Park | 2.29 | 39.8 | 9.0% | 70.5% | 15.5% | 1991 | $3,501 | 84.9% | 99.4% | 3.3% |
| East Village | 1.91 | 36.5 | 6.4% | 83.2% | 10.9% | 1950 | $2,280 | 63.0% | 89.4% | 7.3% |
| Greenwich Village | 1.79 | 37.9 | 3.1% | 60.4% | 20.0% | 1946 | $3,065 | 88.0% | 98.6% | 5.7% |
| Dumbo | 2.12 | 36.3 | 12.3% | 58.2% | 10.1% | 1974 | $3,023 | 77.1% | 96.6% | 5.5% |
| Brooklyn Heights | 1.94 | 38.9 | 4.2% | 49.4% | 11.1% | 1944 | $2,969 | 84.9% | 97.7% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Rancho Sahuarita, Sahuarita, AZ · Midtown Harrisburg, Harrisburg, PA · Linden Hills, Minneapolis, MN · Howe, Minneapolis, MN · Triple Creek, Beaverton, OR · Highlands, Lincoln, NE · Quintana Community, San Antonio, TX · Ortega Hills, Jacksonville, FL · Riverside, Jacksonville, FL · Lyon Street, Santa Ana, CA
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 Chinatown. 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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