Report: The Bronx is Setting Records for Population, Business, and Job Growth

Since 1980, The Bronx’s population has grown by 36% to just below the historic high set in 1970 regaining the population lost during decades of disinvestment during the burning years.

This growth has been fueled by immigrants who have more than doubled in our borough since 1980 helping create one of the most diverse counties in the country.

Immigrants are also half the workforce here as well as representing 60% of entrepreneurs who identify as self-employed.

According to New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, “…The Bronx is setting records for population, business, and job growth.” during a press release highlighting a lot of important statistical data on our once forgotten borough.

Between 2007 and 2017 The Bronx added 40,900 jobs making it the ONLY New York City borough which didn’t lose jobs.

Some highlights from the report include:

• The Bronx is home to NYC’s largest Dominican population with almost 220,000 residents
• Residents have some of the highest rates of asthma for Medicaid recipients in the state

• Health care is the largest employer in The Bronx, accounting for 27 percent (65,800 jobs) of all private sector jobs. The sector added more jobs (11,300) than any other sector between 2007 and 2017.
• The leisure and hospitality sector had the fastest growth since 2007, increasing by 54 percent and adding 7,500 jobs (mostly in restaurants).
• Three-quarters of all immigrants in The Bronx are from Latin America, with more than half coming from the Dominican Republic (219,700). The Bronx is home to nearly half of all Dominican immigrants in New York City.
• The Bronx has the lowest median age (33.6) of the five boroughs. Children under the age of 18 made up one-quarter of the population, a larger share than any other borough.
• The share of residents (age 25 and older) with at least a high school diploma rose from 69 percent in 2010 to 72 percent in 2016, but remained below the citywide share of 82 percent. While the share of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher rose by 1.5 percentage points since 2010 to 18 percent, it was less than half the citywide share (37 percent).
• Reported crime declined by 75 percent between 1990 and 2017, with an 89 percent reduction in the number of reported murders. Nonetheless, the crime rate exceeds the citywide average and there was an increase in the number of murders during the first half of 2018.
• In 2018, The Bronx was named the least healthy county in New York for the ninth consecutive year. Despite some improvement, it ranked at the bottom for quality of life and health factors, including smoking and obesity.

The report also highlights that despite such major gains, The Bronx still has a long way to go.

We are still have the lowest median income in NYC and the highest percentage of peopleliving in poverty.

Despite the economic gains we still have the highest unemployment rate in the city as well.

“The Bronx has made great progress and has come a long way,” DiNapoli said. “It has set employment records for ten consecutive years. However, too many residents remain in poverty, unemployment is particularly high among the borough’s youth, and affordable housing is a big concern. I hope this report provides the borough’s elected officials, business community and social service providers with helpful information as they work to continue The Bronx’s revival.”

A lot of this growth is a testament to the people of the Bronx and their resiliency.

Take a look at the full report (pdf file).