December 20, 2013
This week, Mayor Bloomberg will visit one of the five boroughs each day to highlight where each borough stood in 2001 and where it stands today in key areas. Today, the Mayor discussed the progress in Queens at the Bard Early College High School, one of 81 new schools opened in the borough since 2001.
Population Growth
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more people are moving into the city than moving out now for the first time since before 1950. o Since 2001, Queens has grown by more than 38,000 people, bringing its population to 470,700.
Public Safety
Queens has become a safer place to live, work and visit than ever before:
Education
In Queens, 81 new schools have opened and more than 41,500 new school seats have been added.
In the 2012-2013 school year, 67.6 percent of Queens high school students graduate within four years, an increase of 25.3 percent from 2005, when the State started its calculation.
Economic Development
As a result of the City’s five-borough economic development strategy, Queen’s economy continues to grow:
The Leisure and Hospitality industry has also expanded in Queens:
Affordable Housing
Over the last 12 years, the City has financed the preservation and construction of more than 17,200 units of affordable housing for Queens residents.
Parks
During the past twelve years, the Administration has invested more than $5 billion in capital improvements in city parks:
Now, approximately 76 percent of New Yorkers live within a 10-minute walk of a park or playground – an increase of a quarter-million people in just the past six years.
Arts & Cultural Affairs
The City has invested more than $3 billion for cultural capital projects in all five boroughs since 2001.
In Queens, more than 75 have been completed, including:
Attendance at City-owned cultural institutions in Queens increased by more than 168,700 from 1,039,442 to 1,208,148 annual visitors.
Compared with 2001, annual regrant support for individual artists and small arts groups in the borough has increased by 78 percent to greater than $135,000.
Public Health
Over the last 12 years, Queen’s quality of life – and length of life – have both improved: On average, men and women in the borough now live more than two years longer than they did in 2001. Between 2002 and 2012, the smoking rate has fallen from 20.8 percent to 14.9 percent – a decrease of 28.4 percent.
Contact:
Marc La Vorgna (212) 788-2958