Population 77,643 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Far Rockaway
Household size in Far Rockaway
| Period | Far Rockaway | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.99 | 2.92 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.20 | 3.00 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.34 | 3.03 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.05 | 2.88 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.03 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Far Rockaway are large by national standards, averaging 3.05 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.99, even as the national average fell.
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 Far Rockaway
| Period | Far Rockaway | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.8 | 37.8 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.3 | 38.4 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.1 | 39.9 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.6 | 41.4 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.8 | +3.7 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Far Rockaway is 37.6 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 32.8, as it has nationally. Few Queens neighborhoods are younger: only four of 47.
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 Far Rockaway
| Period | Far Rockaway | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.2% | 13.3% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.8% | 12.9% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 24.0% | 11.7% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 19.8% | 11.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in five households in Far Rockaway (19.8%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 5.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Far Rockaway has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Queens neighborhoods.
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 Far Rockaway
Renters in Far Rockaway
| Period | Far Rockaway | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.4% | 54.5% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 71.8% | 56.2% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 72.5% | 55.2% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 69.2% | 55.1% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | +0.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Far Rockaway: 69.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 35.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the north. The renter share is down 2.2 points from 2006–10, 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 Far Rockaway
| Period | Far Rockaway | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 8.4% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 8.2% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 10.1% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 8.4% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.5 pts | −0.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Far Rockaway: 5.8% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy is down 6.5 points from 2006–10, 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 Far Rockaway
| Period | Far Rockaway | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1950 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1952 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1952 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1955 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Far Rockaway is a place of older homes: half were built before 1967, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Even so, homes here are newer than in Queens overall, where the median home dates to 1955. Of Queens' 47 neighborhoods, only three have newer homes.
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 Far Rockaway
| Period | Far Rockaway | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $960 | $1,239 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,150 | $1,385 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,337 | $1,637 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,464 | $2,042 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$504 | +$803 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
Rent in Far Rockaway runs $1,464 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $504 a month from 2006–10, a 52% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 36.0% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. No other Queens 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 Far Rockaway
Bachelor's degrees in Far Rockaway
| Period | Far Rockaway | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.7% | 29.0% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.4% | 29.9% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.1% | 31.8% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.4% | 36.1% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +7.1 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Far Rockaway than nationally: 26.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the west.
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 Far Rockaway
| Period | Far Rockaway | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.8% | 79.6% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 72.3% | 80.0% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.0% | 81.7% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 78.3% | 82.3% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +2.8 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than one in five adults in Far Rockaway never finished high school, well above the national share: only 78.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.5 points, mirroring the country. Far Rockaway has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Queens 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 Far Rockaway
| Period | Far Rockaway | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 8.7% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 5.6% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 7.2% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Far Rockaway: 10.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of Queens' 47 neighborhoods, only two have higher unemployment. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
Far Rockaway 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Far Rockaway | 3.05 | 37.6 | 19.8% | 69.2% | 5.8% | 1967 | $1,464 | 26.4% | 78.3% | 10.4% |
| Arverne | 2.87 | 35.7 | 22.8% | 67.3% | 5.0% | 1980 | $1,656 | 23.2% | 83.1% | 12.2% |
| Rockaway Park | 2.60 | 45.9 | 9.2% | 48.2% | 11.8% | 1957 | $1,861 | 48.0% | 91.4% | 7.0% |
| Rosedale | 3.48 | 37.9 | 21.5% | 32.1% | 5.4% | 1957 | $2,321 | 32.5% | 92.6% | 4.7% |
| Springfield Gardens | 3.36 | 38.2 | 21.3% | 36.6% | 7.3% | 1960 | $2,046 | 23.5% | 89.1% | 11.6% |
| Laurelton | 3.26 | 41.5 | 19.7% | 25.2% | 5.0% | 1954 | $2,090 | 31.9% | 92.4% | 4.9% |
| Rochdale Village | 2.82 | 40.5 | 20.7% | 67.3% | 6.1% | 1962 | $1,565 | 28.1% | 90.9% | 7.3% |
| South Ozone Park | 3.47 | 42.3 | 13.8% | 29.9% | 6.1% | 1947 | $2,141 | 22.5% | 79.6% | 9.7% |
| Locust Manor | 3.27 | 39.0 | 21.1% | 40.8% | 8.4% | 1953 | $1,907 | 21.2% | 84.1% | 10.2% |
| Howard Beach | 2.96 | 44.3 | 13.9% | 25.8% | 7.5% | 1962 | $2,084 | 33.0% | 85.4% | 8.4% |
| Cambria Heights | 3.09 | 47.5 | 11.8% | 10.8% | 3.7% | 1948 | $1,762 | 35.7% | 92.2% | 7.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Far North Dallas-Keller, Keller, TX · West Ridge, Chicago, IL · Forest Hills, Queens, NY · Estrella, Phoenix, AZ · Westchase, Houston, TX · Cedar Crest, Dallas, TX · East End, Houston, TX · Chelsea, Manhattan, NY · Downtown San Jose, San Jose, CA · Covina-Valley, Covina, 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 Far Rockaway. 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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