Population 19,776,997 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in New York
Household size in New York
| Period | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in New York average 2.65 people, the same as the country as a whole. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.68, as it has nationally. Households are largest in southeastern New York and smallest in western New York.
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 New York
| Period | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in New York are younger than 40.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 38.3 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 New York
| Period | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in New York (11.6%), the same as the national share. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.5 points, as it has 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 New York
Renters in New York
| Period | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in New York than nationally: 45.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among owners, 44.5% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 0.9 points, in line with the national trend. Only one other state 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 New York
| Period | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in New York as nationally: 9.7%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.6 points, a smaller 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 New York
| Period | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 |
The housing in New York is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1961, 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 1956 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. New York has the oldest homes of any state.
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 New York
| Period | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$698 | +$606 |
Rent in New York runs $1,794 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $698 a month from 2006–10, a 64% jump, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 32.6% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in southeastern New York; the most affordable are in western New York.
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 New York
Bachelor's degrees in New York
| Period | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in New York (39.8%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. New York has a higher share of college graduates than the great majority of states.
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 New York
| Period | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in New York never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only four of the 50 states and D.C. have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 New York
| Period | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in New York: 6.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Few states have higher unemployment: only three of 51. 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).
New York compared with nearby states
| State | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 2.65 | 40.8 | 11.6% | 45.7% | 9.7% | 1961 | $1,794 | 39.8% | 87.3% | 6.6% |
| Connecticut | 2.55 | 42.1 | 11.4% | 33.5% | 7.9% | 1967 | $1,702 | 42.3% | 91.2% | 5.6% |
| New Jersey | 2.76 | 40.9 | 11.3% | 36.2% | 6.6% | 1969 | $1,896 | 43.4% | 90.2% | 6.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 2.46 | 42.0 | 10.7% | 30.7% | 9.1% | 1967 | $1,323 | 35.6% | 91.8% | 5.4% |
| Vermont | 2.31 | 44.2 | 8.6% | 26.8% | 15.7% | 1973 | $1,306 | 44.6% | 94.8% | 3.5% |
| Massachusetts | 2.52 | 41.4 | 10.6% | 37.5% | 7.9% | 1963 | $1,860 | 47.2% | 91.0% | 5.2% |
| Rhode Island | 2.49 | 41.6 | 11.7% | 36.4% | 9.2% | 1961 | $1,448 | 37.8% | 89.4% | 5.9% |
| New Hampshire | 2.51 | 44.2 | 8.5% | 27.2% | 11.7% | 1976 | $1,597 | 41.1% | 94.5% | 3.4% |
| Delaware | 2.58 | 43.0 | 12.3% | 27.0% | 9.6% | 1984 | $1,514 | 35.5% | 91.5% | 5.1% |
| Maryland | 2.68 | 40.6 | 11.7% | 32.4% | 7.1% | 1978 | $1,869 | 43.4% | 90.9% | 5.0% |
| District of Columbia | 2.09 | 36.2 | 12.2% | 58.5% | 10.4% | 1963 | $2,078 | 63.4% | 92.7% | 7.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
States with similar populations: South Carolina · Missouri · Nebraska · Nevada · New Mexico · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania
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 New York. 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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