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Brooklyn leads city’s population growth

March 14, 2013 By Raanan Geberer Brooklyn Dialy Eagle

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More people are moving to New York City than are moving out for the first time since before 1950, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates released Thursday.

While each of the five boroughs registered gains in population, the largest percentage change occurred in Brooklyn, where the population grew by 2.4 percent, or 60,900 people.

This was followed by Manhattan (2.1 percent, or 33,200 people); Queens (1.9 percent, or 42,000 people); the Bronx (1.7 percent, or 23,400 people); and Staten Island (0.4 percent, or 2,000 people).

All in all, the estimates show New York City’s population has hit an all-time record high of 8,336,697.

Borough President Marty Markowitz commented, “I can’t say I’m surprised. When you really get down to it—considering our historic, hip and diverse neighborhoods, unique cultural attractions, hot music and literary scene, amazing restaurants, great shopping and, of course, world-class wonders like Prospect Park, Coney Island, the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets—who would want to live anywhere else?”

The increase is fueled by a continuing increase in people moving to the city and a decline in the number of people leaving the city, as well as the continued growth in the surplus of births over deaths due to life expectancy in the city reaching new record highs, according to Mayor Bloomberg’s Office.

Related to this was the MTA’s announcement that subway ridership for 2012 was the highest in 62 years. Average weekend ridership on the subway grew by three percent, matching the all-time historic high for weekend ridership set in 1946.

“For the first time since before 1950, more people are coming to New York City than leaving,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “We have many indicators of quality of life in the city – record low crime, record high tourism, record high life expectancy, record high graduation rates, record job growth and more – but there’s no better indication of the strength of our city than a record high population and a net population influx. People are voting with their feet.”

The year 1950 is significant, because it marks the beginning of the move to the suburbs, not only in New York, but in cities across the nation. Starting in the 1980s, cities began to reinvent themselves as centers for culture, excitement, nightlife and opportunities.