You think New York is crowded NOW? Just wait until 2020
If you've ridden the subway lately—or if, like me, you recently ended up in Times Square on a weekend and had to literally wait in line to cross the street—and thought this city is getting way overgrown, you're not far off. The city's population is growing at a worryingly rapid clip.
According to new U.S. Census data as reported by New York YIMBY, NYC's population has seen a 52,700-person increase since 2013, amounting to a total of 8,491,071. And that's up from a population of 8,175,133 in 2010. Granted, it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that New York is crowded and people like to move here. But these numbers put us just 60,000 people shy of population estimates city planners had projected for 2020. "If the previous year's increase of 52,700 people is matched in 2015—and given construction permits, an even larger jump this year would not be surprising—New York's population will pass the 2020 estimates within the year, if it has not already," says YIMBY.
Which means an increasingly crowded commute, yes, but also even more strain on the city's infrastructure, notably the housing stock, which already has a massive, well-publicized supply-and-demand problem straining affordability. However, if you happen to actually own your place? Now's probably a good time to pop some champagne, as this likely means property values will continue their steady upward march.
Related:
From Brooklyn 'creep' to dog-friendly digs, a real person's guide to housing in 2015
You're not imagining it—your commute is really long
