Reports

Brooklyn’s Coney Island and Brighton Beach have earned global reputations as destinations, but the dramatic rise in jobs over the past decade is less well known. Despite the pandemic, there were 35,203 jobs in Coney Island and Brighton Beach in 2023, a 101% increase from a decade earlier. The area is home to one of the largest populations of individuals 65 and over among neighborhoods citywide, and recent economic growth has been tied to serving this population.

Small businesses with fewer than five employees grew over 10% in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. Very small businesses were a key source of new economic activity during the first half of the pandemic in the city, as they accounted for more than 71% of all businesses citywide. This report details the growth in New York City’s small businesses, the industries that were most affected, and the areas, Brooklyn and the Bronx, that saw the highest increases.

The North Shore, for many the gateway to Staten Island, has led the borough in population growth since 2010. The North Shore is located just north of the Staten Island Expressway and serves as an important freight and commuting hub. The area accounts for more than one third of the Staten Island population and its residents tend to be younger and more racially diverse than in other parts of the borough.

Communities in the Rockaways were some of the hardest hit by the pandemic. Despite the challenges, local economic indicators have slowly improved as the pandemic has worn on, with the number of Rockaways businesses growing in 2020 and 2021. Since the City’s reopening following the height of the pandemic, local stakeholders in the Rockaways have made concerted efforts to promote economic recovery and improved environmental conditions, with a focus on mitigating the impact of extreme climate events.

From 2010 to 2020, Brooklyn experienced substantial economic growth, with employment and business growth rates outpacing the rest of New York City. However, the pandemic halted its economic progress and exacerbated existing inequalities in the borough. Brooklyn’s economy is showing signs of recovering to pre-pandemic levels, but City and State officials will need to collaborate with community leaders to ensure an equitable recovery.

Flushing, and the surrounding neighborhoods that make up the greater Flushing area, enjoyed outsized employment and business growth from 2000 until Queens became the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Local challenges that existed before the pandemic, such as affordable housing and broadband access, have made recovery more difficult, but key positive indicators such as job recovery are reasons for optimism.

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Population in the Bronx grew by 10.4 percent from 2000 to 2017 (faster than any other borough), driven primarily by the growth in the immigrant population, but it declined in the next two years to 1.42 million residents.

The greater Jackson Heights area in the northwestern portion of Queens (which includes East Elmhurst and North Corona) is one of the most diverse communities in New York City, with immigrants from around the world.

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Staten Island is one of the five boroughs that make up New York City. It is the least populous and most suburban, with one-third of its acreage dedicated to parks and recreation, and is often called the City’s “Greenest Borough.”

The Bronx is the northernmost of New York City’s five boroughs and home to nearly one-fifth of the City’s population. Since 2010, it has been the fastest-growing county in New York State, driven by immigration.

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Brooklyn is the most populous of the five boroughs that make up New York City. It has a large foreign-born population, which has contributed to its success, and is one of the most diverse counties in the nation.

Queens is the largest in size of the five boroughs that make up New York City and the second most populous. Since the end of the recession in 2009, it has added 110,500 private sector jobs, 10 times more than were lost during the recession and more than twice as many as the second-largest expansion in the 1990s.

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The Rockaways is located in the southernmost section of Queens on the Rockaway Peninsula. Superstorm Sandy, which struck New York City on October 29, 2012, damaged thousands of area homes and businesses, and displaced thousands of families.

East Harlem, located in northeastern Manhattan, has one of the largest Puerto Rican communities in New York City.

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Bedford-Stuyvesant is one of the many neighborhoods in Brooklyn to experience a resurgence. In the past 15 years, the population has grown by one-quarter and now exceeds 150,000 people.

The Greater Jamaica area in Queens fell on hard times during the 1970s, but has been slowly recovering.

The Greater Sunset Park area of western Brooklyn is a dynamic area with residential communities, strong commercial corridors and one of New York City’s largest manufacturing and industrial centers.

September 11, 2001, was a tragic day for the nation, one which will never be forgotten. In New York City, the terrorist attacks took the lives of more than 2,700 people, including hundreds of first responders. There was extensive damage to property and infrastructure, and the economy of the City, and of Lower Manhattan in particular, was shaken.

Washington Heights and Inwood extend from 155th Street in Manhattan to the northern tip of the borough. The area has a rich history, and immigrants account for nearly half of the population.

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Over the past decade, Brooklyn has expanded at a rapid pace by attracting new businesses and residents.