via EDC
April 18, 2019 Staff Report
The population of the Big Apple is shrinking and Queens County is no exception.
New York City’s population shrank by nearly 40,000 residents in the past year, according to latest census data. With the City’s population totaling 8,398,748, it hasn’t grown since 2013.
The population of Queens dropped by 18,000 in the past year, to 2,278,906. The county has only experienced modest growth from 2010, when the population was 2,230,578.
What the impact of the declining growth means for massive projects such as Sunnyside Yards and the city’s housing policy remains unclear.
U.S. Census Data
The Sunnyside Yard feasibility study, released in 2017, indicated that up to 22,000 units could be built on the 180-acre yard, which would equate to about 60,000 residents. The EDC is currently creating a master plan under the assumption that the city will grow,
“Cities across the globe are experiencing unprecedented population growth, and NYC is no exception,” according to its site outlining the need for the masterplan.
The shrinkage could also have an impact on New York and its congressional representation. The state’s population also fell from a year ago by 48,510.
There are 435 seats in the House of Representatives. The population totals determine how the seats are divided nationwide.
