RANK #371 / 1001 NAT · #26 / 45 NY · POP 2,323,052
1YR FORECAST: +0.7%
5YR OUTLOOK: +30%
Flushing Meadows Corona Park, home to the iconic Unisphere from the 1964 World's Fair, anchors Queens County, New York. This borough, the largest in New York City by area, sits on Long Island, bordering Brooklyn and Nassau County to its east. Commuting to Manhattan is common, with subway lines like the E, F, N, R, and 7 providing direct access, alongside extensive bus routes and ferry services. Queens offers a diverse community feel, with neighborhoods ranging from the urban density of Long Island City and Astoria to more suburban areas. Outdoor recreation is accessible through numerous parks, including Alley Pond Park with its hiking trails and the Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk, the city's only legal surfing beach.
Life in Queens is characterized by its diversity, with nearly half of its residents being foreign-born. The borough is considered a desirable location for families, offering a blend of urban amenities and community spirit, with public schools generally performing above average. The economy is diverse, with growth in sectors such as business services, healthcare, and leisure and hospitality. Recent developments indicate continued investment in residential and commercial properties, particularly in areas like Long Island City, Sunnyside, and Woodside, which are experiencing increased business activity and housing development.
Queens County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +5.5% YoY, population -0.3%, wages +4.9%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Moderate climate & terrain
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 31.5x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Ravenswood Generating Station Redevelopment & Offshore Wind Hub (Queensboro Renewable Express)
Rise Light & Power, TotalEnergies, Corio Generation
|
$20,000M | Planned |
|
OneLIC (Long Island City Neighborhood Plan)
NYC Department of City Planning, City Council
|
$2,000M | Planned |
|
Jamaica Neighborhood Plan
NYC Department of City Planning, City Council
|
$700M | Approved |
|
Ravenswood Generating Station Battery Storage
Undisclosed (approved by NYS Public Service Commission)
|
$316M | Under Construction |
|
Astoria Energy Storage Project (East River Energy Storage Project)
174 Power Global (supported by NYCIDA)
|
$150M | Planned |
|
Queens Solar Energy Portfolio (JFK Airport Solar Carport & Community Solar)
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (JFK), various (Community Solar)
|
$90M | Operating |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 63/100, Queens County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. and median household income stands at $86,136 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in NY.
Affordability is a real challenge in Queens County. The median home is valued at $723,800 — with an income-to-home-value ratio of just 0.12, that's significantly harder to afford than in most U.S. counties. Median rent runs $1,956/month.
Queens County's job market is contracting (-2.5% YoY) while population is roughly stable (-0.3% change). Home values are +5.5% over the past 12 months. Hiring headwinds without an offsetting exodus — residents are staying, but local employers are shedding payroll.
Not particularly — 1.76% of Queens County's population moved in from another state, which is below the national average. Most residents are long-term locals rather than recent transplants.
Home values climbed +5.5% year-over-year, which is a solid pace of appreciation. The median home in Queens County is now valued at $723,800. That kind of growth typically reflects sustained demand rather than speculative frenzy.