Demographics

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2004, New York was the third largest state in population after California and Texas, with a population of 19,227,088, a 0.2% increase over the 2003 population (19,190,115).

According to 2003 estimate, 20.4% of the population was foreign-born. The racial makeup of the state was:

• * 62.0% White, not of Hispanic origin
• * 15.9% Black
• * 15.1% Hispanic
• * 5.5% Asian
• * 0.4% Native American
• * 3.1% mixed race

The top 5 ancestry groups in New York are African American (15.9%), Italian (14.4%), Irish (12.9%), German (11.2%), English (6%).

New York contains the nation's largest Dominican population (concentrated in Upper Manhattan) and largest Puerto Rican population (concentrated in the Bronx). Brooklyn and the Bronx are home to many blacks and Queens has a large population of Latin American origin, as well as the state's largest Asian population.

The 2000 Census revealed which ancestries were in which counties. Italian-Americans make up the largest ancestral group in Staten Island and Long Island. Albany and southeast-central New York are heavily Irish. In most rural areas of Upstate New York, the largest ancestry group is British. In Buffalo and western New York, German-Americans are the largest group; in the northern tip of the state, French-Canadians.

6.5% of New York's population were reported as under 5 years of age, 24.7% under 18, and 12.9% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51.8% of the population.

The bulk of New York's population lives within two hours of the city. According to the July 1, 2004 Census Bureau Estimate [1], New York City and its six closest New York State satellite counties (Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Orange) have a combined population of 12,626,200 people, or 65.67% of the state's population.