Population 50,889 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Long Island City
Household size in Long Island City
| Period | Long Island City | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.19 | 2.92 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.09 | 3.00 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.17 | 3.03 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.13 | 2.88 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.03 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Long Island City is a place of small households, averaging 2.13 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.19, in line with the national trend. Long Island City has the smallest households of any Queens 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 Long Island City
| Period | Long Island City | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.0 | 37.8 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.2 | 38.4 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.1 | 39.9 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.9 | 41.4 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +3.7 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Long Island City is young: half of its residents are under 33.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. No other Queens neighborhood is younger.
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 Long Island City
| Period | Long Island City | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 13.3% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 12.9% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 11.7% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 11.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.8% of households in Long Island City, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 6.5 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only four of Queens' 47 neighborhoods 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 Long Island City
Renters in Long Island City
| Period | Long Island City | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.8% | 54.5% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 82.6% | 56.2% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 84.5% | 55.2% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 83.9% | 55.1% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +0.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Long Island City: 83.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 41.6% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has edged down 1.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. No other Queens neighborhood has a higher share of renters.
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 Long Island City
| Period | Long Island City | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 8.4% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 8.2% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 29.0% | 10.1% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.2% | 8.4% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +13.3 pts | −0.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 25.2% of the housing in Long Island City, 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 has risen 13.3 points since 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 Long Island City
| Period | Long Island City | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1950 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1952 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1952 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1955 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +32 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Long Island City is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1959 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the northwest. No other Queens neighborhood has 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 Long Island City
| Period | Long Island City | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,393 | $1,239 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,606 | $1,385 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,279 | $1,637 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,850 | $2,042 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,458 | +$803 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
Rent in Long Island City runs $2,850 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,458 a month since 2006–10, up 105%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Long Island City has the highest rents of any Queens 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 Long Island City
Bachelor's degrees in Long Island City
| Period | Long Island City | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.3% | 29.0% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 54.2% | 29.9% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.6% | 31.8% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 69.9% | 36.1% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +20.6 pts | +7.1 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Long Island City: 69.9% 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 20.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other Queens neighborhood has a higher 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 Long Island City
| Period | Long Island City | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.7% | 79.6% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.5% | 80.0% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 81.7% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.2% | 82.3% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +2.8 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Long Island City is a bit above the national rate: 91.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Long Island City has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of 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 Long Island City
| Period | Long Island City | Queens | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 8.7% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 5.6% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 7.2% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.6 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.7%, unemployment in Long Island City is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in Queens as a whole (7.2%). Unemployment is down 4.6 points from 2006–10, as it has 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).
Long Island City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Island City | 2.13 | 33.9 | 5.8% | 83.9% | 25.2% | 1991 | $2,850 | 69.9% | 91.2% | 4.7% |
| Roosevelt Island | 2.10 | 36.9 | 5.7% | 81.1% | 12.6% | 1989 | $3,007 | 76.6% | 95.7% | 4.4% |
| North Sutton Area | 1.84 | 49.5 | 4.3% | 46.1% | 22.0% | 1958 | $2,933 | 85.4% | 98.7% | 5.6% |
| Sunnyside | 2.22 | 38.7 | 7.6% | 81.3% | 8.4% | 1943 | $1,991 | 48.0% | 88.1% | 6.6% |
| Murray Hill | 1.74 | 38.4 | 3.4% | 66.1% | 20.8% | 1967 | $3,164 | 86.0% | 98.0% | 3.6% |
| Upper East Side | 1.92 | 43.9 | 4.7% | 62.9% | 22.4% | 1958 | $2,882 | 82.1% | 97.9% | 4.8% |
| Astoria | 2.20 | 37.7 | 7.7% | 81.1% | 15.7% | 1953 | $2,118 | 53.4% | 89.5% | 8.1% |
| Greenpoint | 2.06 | 35.3 | 6.1% | 80.0% | 6.3% | 1964 | $2,877 | 69.5% | 94.2% | 5.5% |
| Kips Bay | 1.75 | 37.0 | 4.6% | 75.2% | 18.9% | 1968 | $2,709 | 72.9% | 96.7% | 6.7% |
| Midtown | 1.71 | 42.3 | 2.8% | 69.8% | 25.6% | 1969 | $3,083 | 82.1% | 97.8% | 4.9% |
| Gramercy | 1.82 | 37.5 | 6.0% | 77.9% | 17.6% | 1954 | $3,002 | 83.8% | 96.8% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Valley Oak, Stockton, CA · Estrella, Phoenix, AZ · Far Northwest, Fort Worth, TX · Flagami, Miami, FL · Fordham, Bronx, NY · Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY · Humboldt Park, Chicago, IL · Lone Mountain, Las Vegas, NV · University City, San Diego, CA · University Heights, Bronx, NY
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 Long Island City. 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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