Summary: Greenburgh's slow population growth over recent decades masks (i) an aging population but also (ii) significant demographic shifts.
Takeaway: Changes in the Town's composition are not reflected in the political establishment, but the times they are a changin' (someday).
Takeaway: Changes in the Town's composition are not reflected in the political establishment, but the times they are a changin' (someday).
I. Slow: The 2000 and 2010 censuses report that Greenburgh's population grew by 1,636 residents (1.9%) during a decade when, by comparison, Westchester County grew by 3%, New York State and New York City each grew by 2.1% and the US by 9.7%. It might be surmised that growth is constrained by limited new housing opportunities but, surprisingly, the Town saw an increase of 4% in housing units (from 34,084 units in 2000 to 35,452 unit in 2010) in a decade when the population grew by less than one-half that rate. Who is filling all that new housing?
II. Old: Along with the slow growth, Greenburgh is rapidly aging: the median age increased in one decade from 39.7 to 42.8 (up to 43.2 in the 2014 Census estimate). This is much older than the New York State median age of 38 in 2010.
III. Diverse: Note: Tracing racial and ethnic changes using the census is not simple. New York's Department of Education divides students into (1) Black or African American," (2) "Hispanic or Latino," (3) "Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander," (4) "White," and (5) "Multiracial." The US Census, however, does not divide the population so conveniently (and misleadingly?). Instead, the Census recognizes Latino or Hispanic status as an ethnicity, not a racial category such as black or white. The census, however, does list "races" both with and without Latin/Hispanic individuals. Below, I'm using the "non-Hispanic" racial categories in order to correlate later with school district population numbers.
Comparing the 2000 and 2010 censuses reveals Greenburgh's demographic trends:
II. Old: Along with the slow growth, Greenburgh is rapidly aging: the median age increased in one decade from 39.7 to 42.8 (up to 43.2 in the 2014 Census estimate). This is much older than the New York State median age of 38 in 2010.
III. Diverse: Note: Tracing racial and ethnic changes using the census is not simple. New York's Department of Education divides students into (1) Black or African American," (2) "Hispanic or Latino," (3) "Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander," (4) "White," and (5) "Multiracial." The US Census, however, does not divide the population so conveniently (and misleadingly?). Instead, the Census recognizes Latino or Hispanic status as an ethnicity, not a racial category such as black or white. The census, however, does list "races" both with and without Latin/Hispanic individuals. Below, I'm using the "non-Hispanic" racial categories in order to correlate later with school district population numbers.
Comparing the 2000 and 2010 censuses reveals Greenburgh's demographic trends:
A. Ethnic Latino/Hispanic Population: The census shows rapid growth in individuals identified ethnically as Latino or Hispanic from 7,825 (9%) in 2000 up to 12,366 (14%) in 2010. This is an increase of 4,541 individuals or 58% in ten years. Latin/Hispanic growth was broad-based, taking place in just about every village and school district (e.g., almost all Greenburgh school districts saw their percentage of Latino students double during the decade). Greenburgh's Latin population is diverse with the largest subgroup listing Puerto Rico as place of origin (21%), followed by Mexico (14%) and then Ecuador and the Dominican Republic (each about 11.5%).
As far as the broad census “racial”
categories of white, black and Asian, it almost useless to use exact numbers
from the census because of evolving definitions (e.g., multi racial) and the wide diversity within each such artificial category (including, of course, Latino/Hispanic). (Note: the schools handle these categories differently.). Nevertheless, a few trends can be identified:
B. Greenburgh’s Asian population (a nonsensical category that includes people with such diverse origins as Indian, China, the Philippines, etc.,) rose about 20% during the 2000s decade, numbering 9,155 or 10.4% of Greenburgh's population in 2010 (compared to US: 4.7%). Unlike the Latin population growth which occurred throughout Greenburgh, the Asian population growth increase took place primarily in the Edgemont and Ardsley school districts.
C. Greenburgh’s Black (non-Hispanic) population dropped 5.6% from 10,993 in 2000 to 10,377 (11.7% of the Town total) in 2010.
D. The non-Hispanic white population fell
significantly (6.7%) from 58,450 (67%) in 2000 to 54,539 (62%) in 2010. (US: 63.7%/ 2014: 62.8%)
E. The multi-racial ("two or more races")category rose slightly from 2,251 in 2000 to 2,404 in 2010.
Some observations about Greenburgh's changing demographics:
1. Poverty: Town residents living in poverty grew from 3,324 (3.9%) in 2000 to 4,156 (4.7%) in 2014 Census estimate. This is a concerning 25% growth in the number of impoverished people.
2. Voting: active registered voters grew rom 2009: 57,069 to 2016: 58,479. Democracy is alive and well in Greenburgh, but....
3. Representation: almost 25% of Greenburgh's population is Latin or Asian. Are these populations fairly represented in town government and leadership? Both population groups look to continue increasing. Are changes in political representation coming?
E. The multi-racial ("two or more races")category rose slightly from 2,251 in 2000 to 2,404 in 2010.
Some observations about Greenburgh's changing demographics:
1. Poverty: Town residents living in poverty grew from 3,324 (3.9%) in 2000 to 4,156 (4.7%) in 2014 Census estimate. This is a concerning 25% growth in the number of impoverished people.
2. Voting: active registered voters grew rom 2009: 57,069 to 2016: 58,479. Democracy is alive and well in Greenburgh, but....
3. Representation: almost 25% of Greenburgh's population is Latin or Asian. Are these populations fairly represented in town government and leadership? Both population groups look to continue increasing. Are changes in political representation coming?
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