New York Demographics 2026: Population, Income, Race & Trends Explained, Population Review

Population & Growth

New York's 19,872,319 residents make it the 4th-most populous US state. Over the long term, the state has been gaining population — +118.0% from 1910 to 2024.

Population density: 422 people per square mile. By comparison, the US national average is roughly 94/sq mi, while New Jersey leads with ~1,260/sq mi and Alaska is the lowest at ~1.3/sq mi.

Race & Ethnicity

By Census ACS classification, New York is:

57.1% White (alone)
14.7% Black or African American
0.0% Asian
1.4% Hispanic or Latino (any race)
0.0% two or more races

Hispanic/Latino is counted as an ethnicity separate from race under Census methodology, so totals can exceed 100% in some breakdowns. The full racial composition (including Native Hawaiian, American Indian, etc.) is available on the New York state page.

Income & Economy

Median household income in New York is $84,578, with per-capita income at $49,520. 9.8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Unemployment rate: 3.9%.

Income is concentrated in metro counties — see the county-level rankings on the cities ranking page and counties ranking page for sub-state variation.

Age & Households

Median age in New York: 39.6 years (US median ~39). The population is 48.8% male and 51.2% female.

Largest Cities in New York

New York city — population 8,516,202
Buffalo city — population 276,397
Rochester city — population 209,720
Yonkers city — population 209,529
Syracuse city — population 146,211

Largest Counties in New York

Kings County — population 2,646,306
Queens County — population 2,330,124
New York County — population 1,627,788
Suffolk County — population 1,525,680
Bronx County — population 1,419,250

How New York Compares Nationally

By population: ranked 4th of 50 states. By median household income: see the richest states ranking. By population growth: see fastest growing states. By cost of living: see cheapest states to live.

See the complete New York state page with full demographic breakdown, age pyramid, languages, education, housing, and commute data →

Frequently Asked Questions

New York has a population of 19,872,319 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, ranking 4th among the 50 states. Population density is 422 people per square mile.

New York is gaining population, with a +118.0% change since 1910 (9,113,614 → 19,872,319). This is reported via Census ACS rolling 5-year estimates; for monthly/annual estimates between Census years, see the Census Population Estimates Program.

57.1% of New York's population identifies as White, 14.7% as Black or African American, 0.0% as Asian, and 1.4% as Hispanic or Latino (any race). Hispanic/Latino is counted as an ethnicity separate from race under Census methodology, so totals may exceed 100%.

Median household income in New York is $84,578 per the 2023 ACS. Per-capita income: $49,520. 9.8% of residents live below the federal poverty line.

The median age in New York is 39.6 years. The population is 48.8% male and 51.2% female. Age distribution and population pyramids by 5-year age bands are visible on the New York state page.

The largest cities in New York by population: New York city (8,516,202), Buffalo city (276,397), Rochester city (209,720), Yonkers city (209,529), Syracuse city (146,211).

California is the most populous US state at roughly 39 million, followed by Texas (~30M), Florida (~22M), New York (~20M), and Pennsylvania (~13M). New York ranks 4th. Detailed rankings update each ACS release cycle.

Across recent Census Population Estimates, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Illinois have shown the largest sustained population declines. New York's own trend is gaining. National state-by-state rankings are published annually by the Census Population Estimates Program.

All demographic data on this page comes from the US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, currently the 2023 release. Historical population figures use Census Population Estimates Program annual estimates. Data is public domain and freely available at census.gov.