Immigrants in NYC: Now More Than Ever

New York City is the nation's melting pot, and Queens is the crucible. That's my take on the release of "The Newest New Yorkers, 2000" by NYC's Department of City Planning. The report examines Census and other local data for insight into the immigrant population in the greater NYC metropolitan area.

The NY Times does a good summary of the report. The most telling statistic is that "6 in 10 babies born in the city since 2000 have at least one foreign-born parent," which means immigrant birthrates far outpace those of native Americans.

The report confirms that Queens is the most diverse borough (basically the most diverse place in the world), with Elmhurst ranking as the neighborhood with the largest share of immigrants at 70% of residents are foreign-born, followed by Jackson Heights, Flushing, Corona, and Woodside, each around 60% foreign-born residents.

Immigrants have been tremendous for Queens, bringing us the best honest ethnic eats of more cuisines than anywhere else, and revitalizing and reshaping many neighborhoods. The report is fascinating, giving great insight into neighborhoods.

The Times quotes Mayor Bloomberg about the ultra-diverse Rockaways:

"Noticing its unusually high numbers of non-English speakers on a map of literacy needs [Bloomberg] asked them, 'What's going on down there?'"

What's going on down there is that the Rockaways are dirt cheap (at least the eastern end), there's a chance to buy a home for less than $250,000, and you're at the ocean by subway. It's a place to take a chance on the American dream.

• The Newest New Yorkers, 2000: Immigrant New York in the New Millennium