As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 1,332,650 people, 463,212 households, and 314,984 families residing in the borough. The population density was 12,242.2/km? (31,709.3/sq?mi). There were 490,659 housing units at an average density of 4,507.4/km? (11,674.8/sq?mi). The racial makeup of the borough was 35.64% Black or African American, 14.5% White, 0.85% Native American, 3.01% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 24.74% from other races, and 5.78% from two or more races. 48.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. (The 2005 U.S. census estimates that the percentage of Latinos has increased to a majority: 51.3%.) The Bronx has one of the highest percentages of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans in the U.S. with 24.0% and 20.0%, respectively. However, the Puerto Rican population has slowly been declining over the last few years as the Dominican population has increased.
West Africa is the most frequent region of origin for immigrants to the Bronx. U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service data shows that in 1996, about two-thirds of those Ghanaians arriving in the United States, and nearly three-fourths of those naturalized, live in The Bronx. Many have clustered in Bronx communities, including Morris Heights, Highbridge, and Tremont.[13]
Based on sample data from the 2000 census, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 47.29% of the population five and older speak only English at home. 43.67% speak Spanish at home, either exclusively or along with English. Other languages or groups of languages spoken at home by more than 0.25% of the population of the Bronx include Italian (1.36%), Albanian (1.07%), Kru, Ibo, or Yoruba (0.72%), French (0.54%).
The African American and Puerto Rican population have recently began to decline, with many of them relocating to cities elsewhere in New York State such as Rochester, Albany, and the southern United States. The Dominican population has increased significantly in the last five years, and by 2010 are expected to be doubled in population compared to 2000. The Jamaican population continues to increase with large amounts of immigration. The White population is seeing growth in some neighborhoods of the Bronx but also losses in others. Some neighborhoods, such as Kingsbridge Heights and Riverdale (both located in the Northwest and already White-Majority neighborhoods) are becoming homes to many ex-Manhattanites (mostly Whites) looking for cheaper rent. Albanians and Russians are some of the recently arrived European immigrants located mainly in the east Bronx. The size of southern Asian-origin ethnicities has grown, as many immigrants are from Bangladesh and other countries are moving to the Bronx.
There were 463,212 households out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.4% were married couples living together, 30.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.37.
The age distribution of the population in the Bronx was as follows: 29.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $27,611, and the median income for a family was $30,682. Males had a median income of $31,178 versus $29,429 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $13,959. About 28.0% of families and 30.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.5% of those under age 18 and 21.3% of those age 65 or over.
Despite the stereotype that the Bronx (especially South Bronx) is a typical poor urban area of New York City, it is not true of the entire borough. The Bronx has much affordable housing (as compared to most of the rest of the New York metropolitan area, as well as upscale neighborhoods like Riverdale, City Island, Pelham Bay, Kingsbridge Heights, Woodlawn, and Country Club).
