Queens By
The Numbers By Angela Montefinise If the numbers for the 2000 Census prove anything, it’s that no matter where you’re from, you’re not alone in Queens.
According to the Census, which is a count of the country’s population taken every 10 years, the borough’s foreign-born population grew by 36 percent since 1990, with the Hispanic and Asian populations growing the most. According to the 2000 Census, of the 2,229,379 people who live in Queens, nearly 50 percent of them are foreign born. They identify themselves as belonging to at least 81 different nationalities, from Afghani to Yugoslavian. That’s not even counting the people who checked off "other" for the nationality question – more than 50 percent of the population. The results of the American Community Survey, which was also done by the Census in 2000 and is set to replace the Census long form in 2010, further showed Queens’ diversity. It was released in 2001, and showed that Queens has the second-largest foreign born population in the entire country, right behind Miami-Dade County in Florida. This leaves Queens with a uniquely diverse population – and a unique set of needs.
An Expert Opinion Studying and interpreting Census numbers isn’t boring for New York Department of City Planning Population Division Director Joseph Salvo. From 2000 on, he has looked through an overwhelming amount of Census statistics, percentages and facts, and has used them to uncover a variety of patterns and information. He happily discusses his discoveries, speaking about ethnic shifts, population growth and financial patterns. Of all of the information he has uncovered, however, one piece of information that he is quick to discuss: "I love studying Queens. It’s just a great place and so interesting." Salvo said that Queens "stood out in the 2000 Census," and that it is "completely different than any other borough," because of its ethnic diversity. Salvo explained that the City’s most populated borough is "clearly the most diverse in the City," and said that City Planning borough breakdowns of Census demographic information released two years ago prove it. The demographic statistics show that Queens’ diversity has actually increased since 1990, with the foreign-born population of the borough increasing by 36 percent. In fact, according to the American Community Survey – a set of detailed demographic questions to replace the Census Bureau’s long form in coming years – Queens has the second largest foreign-born population of any county in the United States, with 45.1 percent of people born outside of the country’s borders. That number puts Queens right behind Miami-Dade County in Florida, which has the largest foreign-born population in the United States. According to immigration experts, Queens – with the city’s only international airport in JFK – is the first place immigrants go when they arrive in New York, and many choose to stay because the borough is less expensive than Manhattan and has opportunities for basement and attic housing – a great deal of it illegal – in middle class neighborhoods. In addition, the borough’s many ethnic enclaves are attractive to new immigrants looking to live with people of the same background. One million new immigrants were added to the most populated New York borough since 1990, and of the over two million Queensites counted by the Census in 2000, nearly one million of them were born outside of the United States.
A Mishmash Salvo excitedly told the Tribune, "If you look at any one area in Queens, there is no ethnic group that dominates. Even in Flushing, where there is a strong Asian presence, no one group is the dominant ethnicity. You know how many Asian groups there are? Chinese people only make up 15 percent of the area. "It is conceivable that an area can have a large number of different ethnicities, but no diversity, because the groups stick together and don’t mix. That’s not the case in Queens at all. Southeast Queens may be primarily black and Flushing may be primarily Asian, but within those groups is tremendous diversity. I just love to look at Queens." United States Census Bureau Regional Director Tony Farthing – the man in charge of New York State’s Census count – agreed with Salvo, and told the Tribune that driving through the borough of Queens is like driving through a "cross-section of the world" where "no one ethnic group stands out in any area. It’s a rarity."
The People in Your Neighborhood From Jackson Heights to Flushing to Bellerose to Maspeth, Census figures show that Queens neighborhoods have changed ethnically over the past decade, with increased immigration leading to an increase in the borough’s population and a shift in its ethnic make-up. Where there were once Koreans in Flushing, there are now Chinese immigrants. Where there were once Europeans in Jackson Heights, there are now Hispanics. Where there were once whites in Bellerose, there are now South Asians. Salvo told the Tribune, " You see Hispanics moving into areas like Maspeth, Glendale, Middle Village, Jackson Heights and Corona, which used to be havens for Italians, Germans, Irish and other working class immigrant populations. Those populations have moved East or out of New York State . . . We see Korean populations that used to live in Flushing moving further down Northern Boulevard to Douglaston and Little Neck. These people have been in the country for several years, and are affluent enough to move. Chinese immigrants are now in Flushing." Besides internal population shifts, Salvo said there has been a "tremendous amount of immigration from South Asia, the Caribbean and South America." The neighborhoods that show this the most are Woodhaven and Richmond Hill in Community District 9, according to Salvo, who said, "Those areas have seen unbelievable growth and a complete change in its population." Census numbers show that in 1990, whites outnumbered Hispanics in the area two to one, and the Asian population was less than 10 percent. In 2000, Hispanics outnumbered whites, and the Asian population doubled. City Planning’s online analysis of Census numbers said, "Community District 9 has achieved an unprecedented mix of population by race and ethnicity." Salvo said, "People from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are coming here, and they’re moving to Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and Woodhaven. That’s a major change for that area." Farthing mentioned that Bellerose’s population also completely changed, and said, "That change was overnight. In 1990, that area was almost all white. Now, it’s mostly South Asian. Indians and Pakistani people have moved in and taken over the stores. It’s truly fascinating what happened there." In areas with older populations, like sections of Flushing and Eastern Queens, Salvo said there have been major ethnic shifts because people are either moving away or passing away. He said, "In Douglaston, we’re seeing whites leave for other places and seeing Koreans move in. This has to do with the fact that Koreans have been here a while, and have made enough money to move to the more upper-class areas." Salvo said the neighborhoods to watch over the next 10 years are Astoria and Long Island City, and said, "I think you’ll see the ethnic mix of Jackson Heights move over to those areas. Their populations are already changing somewhat."
Just the Facts In Queens, overall population increased from 1.95 million to 2.22 million people from 1990 to 2000, and 46 percent of those people are foreign-born. Salvo told the Tribune, "Queens has, by far, the biggest foreign-born population in New York." The area of Queens with the most immigration, the biggest population and the greatest population increase was Jackson Heights and North Corona, according to Census statistics. That area had a 31 percent population increase since 1990, and has now over 169,000 people living there. The Woodhaven and Richmond Hill area experienced a 28.3 percent increase in population, and the population of Elmhurst and South Corona increased by 21.9 percent. The area with the least population growth was the Rockaways, according to Census statistics, and that population still grew by six percent. Salvo told the Tribune, "There is a clear correlation between immigration and population increases in New York City. In Queens, where immigration is the highest, we’ve seen the most changes in area population. In areas with extremely high immigration or migration, like Jackson Heights and particularly Richmond Hill, population increases were huge . . . Queens really stood out in this Census. The changes were fascinating."
The Most Diverse Salvo’s favorite area to look at in Queens is Jackson Heights, which he said, "Is the most ethnically diverse area in Queens, no doubt about it." He said, "The area used to be a working class neighborhood for Germans and Italians, and over the last 20 years, has become a haven for a variety of immigrant groups."
Salvo said, "In Jackson Heights, you still have pockets of working class European immigrants, you have blacks and Asians, and you have Hispanics, who come from a variety of countries. Many Mexicans are moving there from other parts of New York, as well as Dominicans and Puerto Ricans. The category of Hispanic doesn’t mean just one group. That group is diverse within itself." Census statistics for Community District 3, which includes Jackson Heights and North Corona, show that 57.3 percent of the population is Hispanic. Salvo said, "There is a mix of Hispanic culture in Jackson Heights . . . There are also South Asians from India and Pakistan in Jackson Heights, and large numbers of Caribbean people. You can really find any ethnicity there."
Unique Needs The results of the American Community Survey and the Census thrilled Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, who said, "Queens County continues to be a magnet for immigrants in search of the American Dream." But the large foreign-born population in Queens also leaves the borough in a unique – and sometimes difficult – position. Marshall said, "And while we embrace this wave of immigration to what is already the nation’s most extraordinary diverse county, it brings additional challenges related to language and cultural differences." Bryan Pu-Folkes, the founding executive director the group New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE) agreed, and said. "Almost half of the population in Queens is foreign born. Those people born outside the country have different needs that need to be addressed. We have to seriously look at those needs, and work on policy changes and social changes to help the foreign-born population thrive here." Marshall has done her part in the effort, forming the Queens General Assembly – a diverse organization that looks to improve communication and information sharing between racial and cultural groups. NICE is also one agency trying to help immigrants in Queens, raising money for their needs, improving their access to government programs, and fighting to help their voices get heard in the political arena. Pu-Folkes said, "As the numbers indicate, the number of foreign-born people here is huge and still growing, so we have to do what we can to bring these people into our society, either with policy initiatives or other means." One topic NICE is focused on right now is immigrant voting rights. Pu-Folkes explained that under New York State’s current policy, immigrants must become citizens before they can vote, even if they’re already legal residents.
Queens Miscounted? According to Census statistics, a quarter of all New Yorkers over the age of 18 has "trouble with English," adding to difficulties in Census taking, particularly in Queens. Farthing said, "We definitely hit some roadblocks taking the Census because of language barriers. But we consciously tried to find Census takers who could speak the languages needed in certain areas so we could get a comprehensive count." While Farthing said the Census Bureau has declared a net undercount of almost zero for the 2000 Census, he said, "Some of our demographics may be misleading because people did not return the long form. We have what we think is an accurate population count, but possibly slanted numbers in terms of immigrants and ethnicities." Demographic information is compiled from the Census long form, something Census officials are considering eliminating for the 2010 Census. Salvo explained, "Census takers go into neighborhoods once every 10 years and then disappear. New immigrants who don’t understand the Census will not trust it, and will not return the long form or will return incomplete forms." Salvo said that this problem was especially strong in Queens, saying, "The most foreign-born New Yorkers are in Queens, so that’s where we had the biggest problems with long form returns were. That means Queens’ data may be skewed somewhat by who returned the forms." In addition, because the Census does not count illegal immigrants or illegal apartments – a huge problem in Queens – statistics don’t account for those populations. Farthing said, "Our job is to count documented people. We can’t comment on illegal populations." Another problem with the Census is the way its asks the ethnicity question, according to Salvo, who said, "Asians and Hispanics have the opportunity to check off a specific race, like Japanese or Chinese and so on. Whites and blacks don’t have that opportunity. There are so many different kinds of whites and blacks. Southeast Queens is a very ethnically diverse area, but statistics show it as 72 percent black. There are Jamaicans there, Africans from all different nations, Guyanese people, Caribbean people and a host of others." Although the "country
of origin" question of the Census allows for more detail, Salvo said,
"Queens is even more diverse than the statistics show."
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