Bronx Progress

December 21, 2013

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.

• Since 2001, the Bronx has grown by more than 67,154 people, bringing its population to 1,408,473.
• Home to over 47,000 immigrants, the Bronx’s immigrant population increased by 22 percent over ten years.

Public Safety

• The Bronx has become a safer place to live, work and visit than ever before:

• Through December 15th, overall crime is down by 23.9 percent since 2001 – 19,657 in 2013 compared with 25,830 at the same time in 2001.
• Through December 15th, murders have fallen by 57.5 percent – 79 in 2013 compared with 186 at the same time in 2001.
  • More than 2,500 lives have been saved in the borough over the past 12 years because of decreases in the murder rate than if the City had maintained the rate of the 12 years before that.
• Through December 15th, shooting incidents have decreased by 18.6 percent since 2001 – 293 in 2013 compared with 360 at the same time in 2001.
• Through December 15th, traffic fatalities are down by 25.4 percent since 2001 – 44 in 2013 compared with 59 at the same time in 2001.

Education

• In the Bronx, 213 new schools have been opened, including Bronx Success Academy in 2010, which was named one of the 25 top elementary and middle schools in New York State.
  • More than 28,200 new school seats have also been added since 2001.
• In the 2012-2013 school year, 55.4 percent of Bronx high school students graduate within four years, an increase of 29.2 percent from 2005, when the State started its calculation.

Economic Development

• As a result of the diversification of the City’s economy and growth in industries like the tech, tourism and film sectors, Bronx’s economy has continued to grow:
  • Since 2002, private sector jobs in the borough have increased by more than 23,915 to over 214,200 – an increase of 12.6 percent, compared to less than three percent growth nationally.

• The Leisure and Hospitality industry has also expanded in the Bronx:
  • For example, six new hotels have opened since 2002 – with another three under development.
  • In addition, the number of leisure and hospitality jobs has increased by 48.3 percent to more than 15,800 since 2001.

Affordable Housing

• Over the last 12 years, the City has financed the preservation and construction of more than 54,163 units of affordable housing for Bronx residents.

Parks

• During the past twelve years, the Administration has invested more than $5 billion in capital improvements in city parks:
  • This is the biggest investment for parks made by any administration in history.
  • Across the city, approximately 1,755 parks and recreation facilities have been redesigned and upgraded.
• The City also dramatically increased the size of the biggest and best municipal park system in the nation by adding more than 870 acres of parkland and more than 490 acres of new waterfront park land across the city.
  • In the Bronx, 45 new parks have been added, as well as 137 acres of parkland and 108 acres of waterfront acquisitions.
  • As part of the MillionTreesNYC initiative, more than 211,900 new trees have been planted in the borough.
• 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 the Bronx, more than 60 have been completed, including renovations of the Bronx Museum; Wave Hill House; the Bronx Zoo Lion House and Bronx River Art Center; a new parking garage at New York Botanical Garden; and major equipment purchases for Pregones Theater and Ghetto Film School.
  • Commissioned 26 permanent public art installations in the borough through the City’s Percent for Art program.
  • Attendance at City-owned cultural institutions in the Bronx increased to more than 2.9 million annual visitors.
  • Compared with 2001, annual regrant support for individual artists and small arts groups in the borough has increased by nearly 150 percent to $188,640.

Public Health

• Over the last 12 years, the Bronx’s quality of life – and length of life – have both improved:
  • On average, men in the borough live nearly three and a half years longer than they did in 2001, and women now live nearly three years longer.
  • Between 2002 and 2012, the smoking rate in the Bronx fell from 25.2 percent to 15.8 percent – a decrease of 37.3 percent.

Contact: Marc La Vorgna (212) 788-2958