Queens is a borough located in New York, New York in the United States. This borough is the largest of the five boroughs in terms of area, stretching across 178 square miles. In terms of its population, it is the second most populous, falling only behind Brooklyn. In 2017, the population of Queens was estimated to be 2,358,582 residents, giving the borough a population density of over 21,000 people per square mile. It is the fourth most densely populated of the five boroughs.
Queens was first established in New York as one of the original counties. Upon the consolidation of New York City in the late 19th century, Queens was designated as a borough.
Like other New York boroughs, Queens population is spread across many unique neighborhoods. This includes Flushing, Ozone Park, Rockaway Beach and Ridgewood. Each borough has its own identity and ethnic diversity is superfluous in this borough.
Breaking down the population by race shows that nearly 50% of the total population is white. Hispanics make up 28% of the population, Asians over 26%, and blacks over 20%. The total population of Queens accounts for over 27% of New York City’s total population, and close to 12% of the state’s total population.
There are many residents of European ancestries residing in Queens, including Italians, Irish, Germans and Russians. The borough has the largest Colombian, Ecuadorian, Peruvian and Salvadoran populations in New York City. About half of the Asians living in New York City live in Queens.
Queens has a thriving culture and has been the home of many poets, artists and musicians, including LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj, Tony Bennett and Paul Simon. The borough has one of the most diverse economies of all of the boroughs and is home to two of the world’s busiest airports. Popular tourist attractions include Citi Field and Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
The borough of Queens has seen its population rise steadily throughout the years, with the most notable growth occurring between 1920 and 1930. Between the censuses taken in 2000 and 2010, the population grew just 0.1%. However, in the eight years that have passed since the last official census, the population has grown by nearly 6%, putting Queens on track to soon reaching 2.5 million residents.
White
Asian
Black or African American
Other race
Two or more races
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 816,859 | 2.85 | 45.2 | 54.8 |
| Married | 370,408 | 3.63 | 54.4 | 45.6 |
| Non Family | 267,896 | 1.32 | 35.4 | 64.6 |
| Female | 125,444 | 3.52 | 40.5 | 59.5 |
| Male | 53,111 | 3.58 | 41 | 59 |
3.46
Average Family Size
2.85
Average Household Size
45.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 92.02%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 48.68%.
All
Male
Female
$48,770
Average Earnings
$51,949
Average Male
$45,567
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
44.62% of Queens residents speak only English, while 55.38% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 23.39% of the population.
rate
11.69%
Overall Poverty Rate
10.56%
Male Poverty Rate
12.78%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Queens is Hispanic, with 13.71% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Queens is Islander, with 7.67% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.01%. Among those working part-time, it was 12.22%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 21.9%.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
46.0%
Overall Marriage Rate
48.8%
Male Marriage Rate
43.4%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
9.05%
Veteran Poverty Rate
25.57%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
63.7%
Labor Force Participation
59.2%
Employment Rate
7%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
44.86%
Born in Queens
52.86%
Native Born
47.14%
Foreign Born
19.2%
Non Citizen
27.94%
Naturalized
52.86% of Queens residents were born in the United States, with 44.86% having been born in NY. 19.2% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.