Harlem Lost Young People This Decade, Census Data Shows

HARLEM, NY — Harlem is a more populous neighborhood now than it was a decade ago, but it's also an older neighborhood, according to the latest census data.

Between 2010 and 2020, the number of Harlem residents under 18 years old dropped by more than 7,600 — from 67,486 to 59,799. That decline came even as the neighborhood's overall population swelled by more than 20,000 people.

Children now make up just 18 percent of Harlem's population, compared to 22 percent in 2010. That's a steeper decline than the rest of the city, whose youth population dropped from about 22 to 20 percent.

Every part of Harlem has fewer children now than it did in 2010, according to Patch's analysis of the data, which was released last month following the 2020 Census. Zoom in on the map below to see the change in each part of Harlem.

Hamilton Heights-Sugar Hill saw the biggest drop, losing 1,957 young people. The smallest decline was in Central Harlem North, which had a net loss of 397 children.

The loss in Harlem's youth population coincides with the neighborhood's ongoing gentrification. Harlem lost 10,000 Black residents since 2010 while gaining 18,000 white people, Patch reported last month.

It's far from the only gentrifying area whose population has grown older. A 2019 study examining the "booming cities" of Austin, Denver and Portland found that all three were losing children even as their populations grew — a trend that researchers attributed to a lack of housing suitable for larger families.

"As housing prices rise, families with children in particular face diminished choices about where to live," researchers wrote.

As a share of its overall population, West Harlem-Manhattanville has been hardest-hit by the youth population decline, seeing a 31 percent drop since 2010, the data shows.

This is part of a series of articles breaking down insights from the 2020 Census in Harlem. To stay on top of future installments, subscribe to the newsletter from Harlem Patch.

Previous coverage:

• Here's Where Harlem Grew, Shrunk The Most Since 2010
  
• Harlem Lost 10K Black Residents, Gained 18K Whites This Decade