Population 29,489 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fresh Meadows
Household size in Fresh Meadows
| Period | Fresh Meadows | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.84 | 2.92 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.87 | 3.00 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.95 | 3.03 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.75 | 2.88 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.03 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Fresh Meadows average 2.75 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Locally, though, the typical household here is smaller than in Queens as a whole, where it has 2.88 people. Household size has dropped from 2.84 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 Fresh Meadows
| Period | Fresh Meadows | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.5 | 37.8 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.0 | 38.4 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.6 | 39.9 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.5 | 41.4 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +3.7 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Fresh Meadows skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.5, 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 40.5 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Fresh Meadows
| Period | Fresh Meadows | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 13.3% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 12.9% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 11.7% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 11.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Fresh Meadows: 7.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, 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 Fresh Meadows
Renters in Fresh Meadows
| Period | Fresh Meadows | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.2% | 54.5% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 45.5% | 56.2% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.8% | 55.2% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 44.4% | 55.1% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | +0.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in Fresh Meadows rent their homes (44.4%), above the national share of 34.8%. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in Queens as a whole (55.1%). Among homeowners, 53.4% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 0.8 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 Fresh Meadows
| Period | Fresh Meadows | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 8.4% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 8.2% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 10.1% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 8.4% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Fresh Meadows: just 5.6% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Fresh Meadows
| Period | Fresh Meadows | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1950 | 1950 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1952 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1952 | 1952 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1955 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Fresh Meadows is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1955, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1950 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the south 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 Fresh Meadows
| Period | Fresh Meadows | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,538 | $1,239 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,635 | $1,385 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,807 | $1,637 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,219 | $2,042 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$681 | +$803 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Fresh Meadows costs $2,219 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $681 a month from 2006–10, a 44% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.7% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the south.
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 Fresh Meadows
Bachelor's degrees in Fresh Meadows
| Period | Fresh Meadows | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.6% | 29.0% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 44.8% | 29.9% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.5% | 31.8% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.2% | 36.1% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Fresh Meadows: 52.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 6.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Fresh Meadows
| Period | Fresh Meadows | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.9% | 79.6% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.2% | 80.0% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.7% | 81.7% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.5% | 82.3% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +2.8 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Fresh Meadows is close to the national rate: 88.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in Queens as a whole (82.3%).
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 Fresh Meadows
| Period | Fresh Meadows | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 8.7% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 5.6% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 7.2% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Fresh Meadows than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Only three of Queens' 47 neighborhoods have lower unemployment. Unemployment is down 4.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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).
Fresh Meadows 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh Meadows | 2.75 | 44.5 | 7.1% | 44.4% | 5.6% | 1955 | $2,219 | 52.2% | 88.5% | 4.0% |
| Auburndale | 2.93 | 45.3 | 8.1% | 34.9% | 5.5% | 1954 | $2,373 | 38.2% | 81.4% | 5.9% |
| Jamaica | 3.12 | 39.4 | 14.2% | 56.6% | 7.5% | 1958 | $1,990 | 29.3% | 78.8% | 10.4% |
| Kew Ggardens | 2.67 | 40.8 | 10.9% | 53.7% | 6.7% | 1954 | $1,936 | 47.0% | 86.5% | 5.9% |
| Hollis | 3.05 | 41.7 | 11.1% | 52.0% | 6.7% | 1946 | $1,790 | 29.0% | 81.3% | 8.8% |
| Oakland Gardens | 2.73 | 46.4 | 6.3% | 30.2% | 8.9% | 1957 | $2,509 | 51.5% | 87.8% | 4.5% |
| Bayside | 2.26 | 42.5 | 6.7% | 60.6% | 3.4% | 1961 | $2,276 | 51.4% | 89.2% | 6.1% |
| Flushing | 2.60 | 46.0 | 7.4% | 58.4% | 7.0% | 1967 | $1,993 | 35.9% | 77.4% | 6.3% |
| Queens Village | 3.21 | 46.4 | 10.5% | 25.9% | 5.6% | 1945 | $1,923 | 33.1% | 85.5% | 8.6% |
| St Albans | 3.35 | 40.5 | 19.1% | 27.6% | 7.3% | 1943 | $1,770 | 26.4% | 88.8% | 6.0% |
| Clearview | 2.43 | 50.2 | 6.9% | 26.8% | 8.2% | 1962 | $2,391 | 49.5% | 86.3% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Northwest, Reno, NV · Journal Square, Jersey City, NJ · Silver Lake, Eastmont, WA · North Side, Mount Vernon, NY · Millard, Omaha, NE · Mililani Waipio Melemanu, Mililani, HI · Los Feliz, Los Angeles, CA · Laurelton, Queens, NY · La Habra City, La Habra, CA · Far South, Fort Worth, TX
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 Fresh Meadows. 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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