Population 147,478 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Harlem
Household size in Harlem
| Period | Harlem | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.38 | 2.15 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.16 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.37 | 2.12 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.08 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.07 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Harlem is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in Manhattan as a whole, where it has 2.08 people. Household size has edged down from 2.38 in 2006–10, as it has 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 Harlem
| Period | Harlem | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.3 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.1 | 38.2 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.2 | 39.4 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.6 | 40.4 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +2.8 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Harlem is 38.6 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.3, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the northeast.
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 Harlem
| Period | Harlem | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.8% | 10.5% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.5% | 9.5% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.8% | 8.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.6% | 8.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in Harlem (17.6%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 4.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Manhattan neighborhoods have a higher share of single-parent households: only two of 30.
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 Harlem
Renters in Harlem
| Period | Harlem | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.8% | 77.2% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 86.8% | 77.4% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 87.4% | 75.9% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 84.3% | 74.9% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Harlem: 84.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 54.1% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the southwest. The renter share has fallen 2.5 points since 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 Harlem
| Period | Harlem | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 12.8% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 13.1% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 13.8% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 15.4% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | +2.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Harlem is close to the national rate: 10.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in Manhattan overall (15.4%). Vacancy has fallen 2.9 points since 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 Harlem
| Period | Harlem | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1949 | 1952 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1955 | 1954 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1954 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1956 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Harlem is a place of older homes: half were built before 1957, 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 1949 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the center 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 Harlem
| Period | Harlem | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $776 | $1,332 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $938 | $1,485 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,199 | $1,922 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,510 | $2,383 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$734 | +$1,051 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
The median renter in Harlem pays $1,510 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in Manhattan overall ($2,383). Rents are up $734 a month from 2006–10, a 95% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 33.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Harlem
Bachelor's degrees in Harlem
| Period | Harlem | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.2% | 57.2% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.5% | 59.6% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.5% | 62.2% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.6% | 64.7% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.4 pts | +7.5 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Harlem than nationally: 41.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in Manhattan as a whole (64.7%). The share with a degree has risen 10.4 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 Harlem
| Period | Harlem | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.8% | 84.9% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.4% | 86.6% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.6% | 87.8% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.5% | 89.9% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +5.0 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in six adults in Harlem never finished high school, more than nationally: 84.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 6.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Harlem
| Period | Harlem | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 8.3% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 8.6% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 5.5% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 8.2% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Harlem runs well above the national rate: 12.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Harlem has higher unemployment than the great majority of Manhattan neighborhoods. 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).
Harlem 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlem | 2.34 | 38.6 | 17.6% | 84.3% | 10.7% | 1957 | $1,510 | 41.6% | 84.5% | 12.4% |
| Hamilton Heights | 2.64 | 34.7 | 13.1% | 85.9% | 8.5% | 1941 | $1,724 | 40.6% | 82.6% | 13.0% |
| Morningside Heights | 2.13 | 34.1 | 7.6% | 76.1% | 16.3% | 1944 | $2,157 | 71.7% | 93.3% | 10.7% |
| East Harlem | 2.21 | 39.0 | 17.7% | 90.7% | 9.8% | 1968 | $1,483 | 32.5% | 78.0% | 12.1% |
| Mott Haven | 2.61 | 33.4 | 27.6% | 93.4% | 4.5% | 1969 | $1,255 | 15.1% | 65.7% | 15.2% |
| Yorkville | 2.30 | 40.3 | 18.3% | 91.4% | 9.1% | 1961 | $1,443 | 37.8% | 78.2% | 12.0% |
| Highbridge | 2.63 | 34.9 | 23.5% | 95.6% | 2.6% | 1958 | $1,456 | 18.9% | 72.1% | 13.4% |
| South Bronx | 2.65 | 34.2 | 27.1% | 90.8% | 4.3% | 1973 | $1,265 | 16.5% | 67.1% | 14.6% |
| Carnegie Hill | 1.92 | 45.2 | 3.2% | 58.4% | 16.2% | 1951 | $2,950 | 84.7% | 96.7% | 4.5% |
| Washington Heights | 2.70 | 39.8 | 15.6% | 87.4% | 8.8% | 1942 | $1,662 | 39.4% | 78.0% | 14.0% |
| Upper West Side | 2.02 | 44.5 | 7.8% | 64.5% | 17.0% | 1953 | $2,776 | 77.6% | 95.2% | 6.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Wakefield-Williamsbridge, Bronx, NY · Bullard, Fresno, CA · Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY · Corona, Queens, NY · Sugarland, Houston, TX · Jamaica, Queens, NY · Westlake, Los Angeles, CA · South Bronx, Bronx, NY · South Mountain, Phoenix, AZ · South Side, Corpus Christi, 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 Harlem. 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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