For census purposes, the New York City government classifies Astoria as part of three neighborhood tabulation areas: Steinway (north of
Grand Central Parkway), Old Astoria (north of 31st Avenue and approximately west of 31st Street), and Astoria (in the remaining area approximately north of
Northern Boulevard / 36th Avenue and approximately west of Hobart Street / 50th Street). Based on data from the
2010 United States census, the combined population of these areas was 154,141, a decrease of 17,427 (10.2%) from the 171,568 counted in
2000. Covering an area of , the neighborhood had a population density of . The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 52.2% (80,533)
Non-Hispanic White, 4.7% (7,204)
Black, 0.2% (250)
Native American, 14.3% (22,100)
Asian, 0.0% (70)
Pacific Islander, 1.0% (1,532) from
other races, and 2.1% (3,238) from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 25.4% (39,214) of the population. The Astoria and Old Astoria tabulation areas had greater Hispanic / Latino and Asian populations, and the Old Astoria area specifically had a greater Black population. The racial and ethnic composition of Astoria changed significantly from 2000 to 2010. The most significant changes were the decrease in the Other population by 64% (8,919) and the decrease in the Hispanic / Latino population by 13% (5,705). The White majority also decreased by 2% (1,699), while the Asian minority decreased by 5% (1,120), and the change in the small Black population rounded to 0% (11). Taking into account the three census tabulation areas, the White and Asian populations both actually increased in Old Astoria, but decreased enough in Astoria and Steinway to cause an overall decrease; on the other hand, the Black population decreased in Old Astoria and increased equivalently in the other regions. The decreases in the Hispanic / Latino population and in racial groups, however, were relatively even across the three areas. The entirety of
Queens Community District 1, which includes Astoria and parts of Long Island City, is bounded to the east approximately by the
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and 81st Street, and to the south approximately by
Queens Plaza and
Northern Boulevard. It had 199,969 residents according to
NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 83.4 years. This is higher than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are middle-aged adults and youth: 16% are between the ages of 0–17, 41% between 25 and 44, and 22% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 10% and 12% respectively. In 2018, an estimated 18% of Astoria residents lived in poverty, compared to 19% in all of Queens and 20% in all of New York City. Around 8% of residents were unemployed, compared to 8% in Queens and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 47% in Astoria, slightly lower than the boroughwide and citywide rates of 53% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, , Community District 1 is considered to be
gentrifying: according to the Community Health Profile, the district was low-income in 1990 and has seen above-median rent growth up to 2010.
Later populations The 1960s saw a large increase of
Greeks, and after
1974, there was an influx of
Cypriots. This cultural imprint can be seen in the numerous Greek restaurants,
tavernas, bakeries, and cafes, as well as several
Greek Orthodox churches. In the late 1960s, a 'Greek Town' neighborhood coalesced in Astoria. From 1960s to 1980s the number of Greeks constantly increased. While the population of Greeks in Astoria was 22,579 in 1980, it dropped to 18,127 by 1990 due to decreased immigration and lower birth rates. During the 2000s, the Greek immigration dropped again. During the 2010s and 2020s
economic issues in Greece caused a resurgence of Greek immigration. Greek organizations in the area include the Hellenic American Action Committee (HANAC) and the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York. Most of the 20,000
Maltese in New York City live in Astoria, and although this population has steadily been emigrating from the area, there are still many Maltese, supported by the Maltese Center of New York. Beginning in the mid-1970s, the neighborhood's
Muslim population grew from earlier immigrants from
Lebanon to also include people from
Kosovo,
Albania,
Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Montenegro,
Egypt,
Syria,
Yemen,
Tunisia,
Morocco, and
Algeria. In the 1990s,
Steinway Street between 28th Avenue and Astoria Boulevard saw the establishment of many Arabic shops, restaurants, and cafes, which is unofficially called "Little Egypt", due to the number of Arabs residing there and the mostly Egyptian shops and lounges there.
Croatians from
Croatia and
Bosnia-Herzegovina have been numerous since the 1960s and their numbers continue to grow. New populations of South American and Balkan peoples have seen significant growth since the early 1990s, including a large population of
Brazilians, who reside in the 36th Avenue area.
Albanians,
Bulgarians,
Serbs, and
Bosnians have also shown a rise in numbers. Many
Spanish Americans live in Astoria, with most of them being of
Galician heritage from Northwestern Spain; this community is supported by the Casa Galicia (Galicia House) and the Circulo Español (Spanish Circle). At one time, many
Bangladeshi Americans settled in Astoria, but by 2001, many of them had moved to
Metro Detroit. A survey of an Astoria-area Bengali language newspaper estimated that, in an 18-month period until March 2001, 8,000 Bangladeshi people moved to the Detroit area. However, as of 2010, the Bangladeshi American community in Astoria has been increasing. By the early 21st century, Astoria was one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in Queens, with people from around 100 countries residing there . Population losses in Queens were particularly high in immigrant neighborhoods such as Astoria, which suffered the greatest population loss in the city, losing more than 10,000 residents between 2000 and 2010. ==Geography==