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.