Sunset Park Over Time

Sunset Park is a historically immigrant neighborhood with a majority of its population composed of Asian or Hispanic residents. In the last decade, Sunset Park experienced a 5% growth in their population, which is in line with the average increase at the borough and city level. This growth in population was experienced differently in relationship to racial and ethnic characteristics, primarily by Asian and White residents – the latter being an indicator of growing gentrification in the neighborhood.

Population Change Between 1980 – 2020

MEMBERS OF THE ASIAN COMMUNITY are steadily increasing in Sunset Park, and at a much higher rate than members of the Hispanic community. The graph shown below shows the racial changes in demographics, with both the Asian and Hispanic populations growing consistently in the last 50 years. However, this trend is starting to change in recent years, given that the previous figure shows a steady and significant increase in Asian populations, with a 20% increase in the last decade, while Hispanic residents have actually decreased in recent years, showing a 7% reduction since 2010. This is approximately 4,000 people from the Hispanic community that have left Sunset Park.

On the other hand, the percentage of White population has also grown in Sunset Park in recent years: while “white flight” created a drastic reduction in previous decades, since 2010 there has been a slight growth –corresponding to a 4% increase– due mainly to gentrifying forces moving south from northern Brooklyn (Gowanus and Park Slope).

SUNSET PARK IS CHARACTERIZED BY a slightly larger than average young population. While the percentage of adults in Sunset Park is similar to that of the borough and New York City as a whole, the percentage of people under 18 years-old is higher. Underage people make up 24% of Sunset Park, but only 22% of Brooklyn and 20% of New York City. Likewise, Sunset park also has a smaller elderly population with 11% being 65 years and over, while Brooklyn has a 14% and NYC a 15% average.