Population 40,235 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Morningside Heights
Household size in Morningside Heights
| Period | Morningside Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.10 | 2.15 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.22 | 2.16 | 2.85 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.20 | 2.12 | 2.82 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.13 | 2.08 | 2.79 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.07 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Morningside Heights are small: just 2.13 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. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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 Morningside Heights
| Period | Morningside Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.7 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.7 | 38.2 | 38.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.7 | 39.4 | 39.8 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.1 | 40.4 | 40.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +2.8 | +2.4 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Morningside Heights is young: half of its residents are under 34.1, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 31.7, as it has nationally. Only one other Manhattan 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 Morningside Heights
| Period | Morningside Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 10.5% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 9.5% | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 8.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 8.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.6% of households in Morningside Heights, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Compared with other Manhattan neighborhoods, though, Morningside Heights has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
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 Morningside Heights
Renters in Morningside Heights
| Period | Morningside Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.1% | 77.2% | 47.1% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 80.9% | 77.4% | 48.7% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 78.1% | 75.9% | 48.8% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 76.1% | 74.9% | 48.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −2.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Morningside Heights: 76.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 63.0% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 6.0 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 Morningside Heights
| Period | Morningside Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 12.8% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 13.1% | 9.0% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.1% | 13.8% | 9.1% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.3% | 15.4% | 7.9% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +2.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 16.3% of the housing in Morningside Heights, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 7.0 points, 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 Morningside Heights
| Period | Morningside Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1944 | 1952 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1945 | 1954 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1944 | 1954 | 1959 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1944 | 1956 | 1962 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Morningside Heights is a place of older homes: half were built before 1944, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the west.
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 Morningside Heights
| Period | Morningside Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,292 | $1,332 | $1,268 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,504 | $1,485 | $1,377 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,800 | $1,922 | $1,645 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,157 | $2,383 | $2,060 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$864 | +$1,051 | +$792 | +$698 | +$606 |
Rent in Morningside Heights runs $2,157 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in Manhattan overall ($2,383). Rents are up $864 a month from 2006–10, a 67% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.1% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Morningside Heights
Bachelor's degrees in Morningside Heights
| Period | Morningside Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 69.5% | 57.2% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 70.0% | 59.6% | 36.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 72.7% | 62.2% | 39.9% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 71.7% | 64.7% | 43.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +7.5 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Morningside Heights: 71.7% 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 is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Morningside Heights
| Period | Morningside Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.0% | 84.9% | 83.7% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.9% | 86.6% | 84.6% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.3% | 87.8% | 86.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.3% | 89.9% | 86.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +5.0 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Morningside Heights is above the national rate: 93.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Morningside Heights
| Period | Morningside Heights | Manhattan | New York area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 8.3% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 8.6% | 9.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 5.5% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 8.2% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Morningside Heights: 10.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is up 5.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Morningside Heights 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morningside Heights | 2.13 | 34.1 | 7.6% | 76.1% | 16.3% | 1944 | $2,157 | 71.7% | 93.3% | 10.7% |
| 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% |
| East Harlem | 2.21 | 39.0 | 17.7% | 90.7% | 9.8% | 1968 | $1,483 | 32.5% | 78.0% | 12.1% |
| Yorkville | 2.30 | 40.3 | 18.3% | 91.4% | 9.1% | 1961 | $1,443 | 37.8% | 78.2% | 12.0% |
| Upper West Side | 2.02 | 44.5 | 7.8% | 64.5% | 17.0% | 1953 | $2,776 | 77.6% | 95.2% | 6.7% |
| Carnegie Hill | 1.92 | 45.2 | 3.2% | 58.4% | 16.2% | 1951 | $2,950 | 84.7% | 96.7% | 4.5% |
| Mott Haven | 2.61 | 33.4 | 27.6% | 93.4% | 4.5% | 1969 | $1,255 | 15.1% | 65.7% | 15.2% |
| Upper East Side | 1.92 | 43.9 | 4.7% | 62.9% | 22.4% | 1958 | $2,882 | 82.1% | 97.9% | 4.8% |
| Highbridge | 2.63 | 34.9 | 23.5% | 95.6% | 2.6% | 1958 | $1,456 | 18.9% | 72.1% | 13.4% |
| Washington Heights | 2.70 | 39.8 | 15.6% | 87.4% | 8.8% | 1942 | $1,662 | 39.4% | 78.0% | 14.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Green Valley North, Henderson, NV · Kings Bridge, Bronx, NY · West Flagler, Miami, FL · West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA · Irving Park, Chicago, IL · Inwood, Manhattan, NY · Inner Richmond, San Francisco, CA · Hyde Park, Los Angeles, CA · West Omaha, Omaha, NE · Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, 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 Morningside Heights. 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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