Population 11,656 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Brooklyn
Household size in Downtown Brooklyn
| Period | Downtown Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.97 | 2.77 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.85 | 2.84 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.94 | 2.77 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.78 | 2.78 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | +0.01 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Downtown Brooklyn are small: just 1.78 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. Household size has dropped from 1.97 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Downtown Brooklyn has the smallest households of any Brooklyn neighborhood.
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 Downtown Brooklyn
| Period | Downtown Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.4 | 35.1 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.6 | 35.1 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.5 | 36.2 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.1 | 37.5 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.3 | +2.4 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 33.1, Downtown Brooklyn is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 34.4 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Few Brooklyn neighborhoods are younger: only three of 39.
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 Downtown Brooklyn
| Period | Downtown Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 16.5% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 15.2% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 12.8% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 12.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −4.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Downtown Brooklyn: 4.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 5.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Brooklyn's 39 neighborhoods, only three have a lower 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 Downtown Brooklyn
Renters in Downtown Brooklyn
| Period | Downtown Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.0% | 69.7% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 63.9% | 70.5% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 69.7% | 69.9% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 76.4% | 70.5% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +19.4 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown Brooklyn: 76.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Nearly three in ten owners (29.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 19.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Downtown Brooklyn
| Period | Downtown Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.7% | 9.7% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 9.4% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 9.1% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Downtown Brooklyn than nationally: 7.5%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 7.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Downtown Brooklyn
| Period | Downtown Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1946 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1948 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1948 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1953 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +15 | +6 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Downtown Brooklyn is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1989, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the southwest. Downtown Brooklyn has the newest homes of any Brooklyn neighborhood.
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 Downtown Brooklyn
| Period | Downtown Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,597 | $1,083 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,888 | $1,248 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,989 | $1,524 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,413 | $1,954 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,815 | +$871 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Downtown Brooklyn costs $3,413 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,815 a month from 2006–10, a 114% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 25.8% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Downtown Brooklyn has the highest rents of any Brooklyn 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 Downtown Brooklyn
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Brooklyn
| Period | Downtown Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 62.5% | 27.8% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 72.9% | 30.4% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 80.0% | 36.1% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 80.3% | 40.2% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +17.8 pts | +12.4 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Downtown Brooklyn is highly educated: about eight in ten adults 25 and older (80.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 17.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the east.
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 Downtown Brooklyn
| Period | Downtown Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.3% | 77.3% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.0% | 78.5% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.8% | 81.7% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.3% | 83.6% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +6.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Downtown Brooklyn: 97.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 7.0 points, mirroring the country. Only two of Brooklyn's 39 neighborhoods have a higher 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 Downtown Brooklyn
| Period | Downtown Brooklyn | Brooklyn | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 8.5% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 10.8% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 6.4% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 8.3% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Downtown Brooklyn is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in Brooklyn as a whole (8.3%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 8.6 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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).
Downtown Brooklyn 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Brooklyn | 1.78 | 33.1 | 4.6% | 76.4% | 7.5% | 1989 | $3,413 | 80.3% | 97.3% | 4.8% |
| Boerum Hill | 2.07 | 35.2 | 9.1% | 77.6% | 9.2% | 1966 | $2,833 | 71.5% | 92.4% | 6.8% |
| Brooklyn Heights | 1.94 | 38.9 | 4.2% | 49.4% | 11.1% | 1944 | $2,969 | 84.9% | 97.7% | 3.8% |
| Dumbo | 2.12 | 36.3 | 12.3% | 58.2% | 10.1% | 1974 | $3,023 | 77.1% | 96.6% | 5.5% |
| Cobble Hill | 2.33 | 37.0 | 3.9% | 58.4% | 7.9% | 1938 | $3,177 | 85.1% | 97.7% | 7.7% |
| Columbia Street Waterfront District | 2.34 | 37.6 | 5.1% | 61.3% | 8.3% | 1947 | $2,823 | 82.8% | 96.2% | 4.7% |
| Fort Green | 2.38 | 34.4 | 10.5% | 78.1% | 8.0% | 1965 | $2,515 | 63.6% | 90.5% | 7.7% |
| Carroll Gardens | 2.33 | 38.7 | 5.4% | 62.2% | 10.2% | 1947 | $3,048 | 75.8% | 96.0% | 6.4% |
| Clinton Hill | 2.64 | 32.3 | 8.6% | 64.4% | 11.0% | 1963 | $2,713 | 63.6% | 91.7% | 7.5% |
| Lower East Side | 2.13 | 43.0 | 9.1% | 81.9% | 12.6% | 1953 | $1,357 | 39.7% | 71.4% | 9.0% |
| Red Hook | 2.21 | 41.6 | 22.4% | 89.1% | 8.5% | 1940 | $1,374 | 33.0% | 73.9% | 8.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Oceanway, Jacksonville, FL · Cathedral Park, Portland, OR · Airport-Pines Road, Shreveport, LA · Cheltenham, Chicago, IL · Copperfield, Houston, TX · Highland Hills, Henderson, NV · La Sierra Acres, Riverside, CA · Yorkshire, Charlotte, NC · Airport North, Orlando, FL · University District, Portland, OR
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 Downtown Brooklyn. 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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