How many people live in New York City in 2026?

According to the latest municipal and U.S. Census Bureau population benchmarks, approximately 8,335,897 people reside within the five boroughs of New York City, while the broader New York metropolitan area (MSA) exceeds 20.1 million residents.

Which NYC borough has the highest population density?

Manhattan (New York County) is the densest borough and the densest county in the United States, with approximately 69,970 residents per square mile (over 27,000 per square kilometer) squeezed into just 22.83 square miles of land.

Which NYC borough has the largest total population?

Brooklyn (Kings County) has the largest resident population of the five boroughs, with approximately 2,590,516 residents, followed by Queens with 2,278,029 residents.

How does Manhattan's daytime population compare to its nighttime population?

While Manhattan has approximately 1.6 million permanent overnight residents, commuter inflows via ferries, subways, PATH trains, and suburban railroads swell the island's daytime population to an estimated 3.94 million people—a daily surge of nearly 147%.

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2026 Municipal GIS & Demographic Matrix

NYC Population & Density Calculator

Select any of New York City’s 5 boroughs or Lower Manhattan micro-districts to simulate resident populations, land areas, residents per square mile, daytime commuter surges, and global capital benchmarks.

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Supertall Vertical Density Multiplier: 1.0x (Standard)

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Territory Overview

New York City (All 5 Boroughs)

Relative Rank #1 Most Populous US City

Resident Population 8,335,897 2026 Census Benchmark

Land Area 300.5 sq mi 778.2 sq km

Population Density 27,740 people / sq mile

Density Classification: Extreme Urban Concentration

Suburban (Staten Island ~8k) Mid-Dense (Queens ~21k) Dense (Brooklyn ~37k) Hyper-Dense (Manhattan ~70k+)

Daytime Commuter Swell Analysis +0 Commuter Delta

Nighttime Sleeping Residents: 8,335,897

Estimated Peak Daytime Swell: 9,850,000

Citywide subway, commuter rail, and maritime ferry lines introduce an estimated 1.5M regional commuters from New Jersey, Westchester, Connecticut, and Long Island daily.

Global Comparison Ratio 0.52x of Paris

At 27,740 residents/sq mi, New York City as a whole has about 52% of the density of central Paris (53,000/sq mi). However, Manhattan alone (69,970/sq mi) exceeds central Paris by +32%.

Comprehensive Census Matrix

Official 2026 NYC Population & Density by Borough

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Borough / District	County Name	Resident Population	Land Area (sq mi)	Density (per sq mi)	Peak Daytime Pop	Character & Housing Form
Manhattan	New York County	1,597,451	22.83	69,970	3,940,000	Supertall luxury towers, brownstones, highest US density
Brooklyn	Kings County	2,590,516	69.38	37,338	2,720,000	Most populous borough, brownstone corridors, waterfront tech
Queens	Queens County	2,278,029	108.72	20,953	2,310,000	Most diverse global county, low-rise residential, airport logistics
The Bronx	Bronx County	1,379,946	42.24	32,670	1,420,000	Mainland borough, Art Deco Grand Concourse, green parkland
Staten Island	Richmond County	495,747	57.29	8,653	460,000	Suburban enclave, single-family homes, maritime ferry connection
New York City Total	All 5 Counties	8,335,897	300.46	27,740	9,850,000	20.1M in greater Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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Master Research Monograph

How Many People Live in New York City? Official Population & Density Guide

Dive into our 3,000-word demographic monograph analyzing historical immigration cycles from 1790 to 2026, the 65,000-resident Lower Manhattan boom, and post-Sandy vertical resilience.

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