Overview
Kings County is Brooklyn, the most populous borough in New York City. With 2,646,306 residents (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), it ranks higher than 99% of U.S. counties by population, making it one of the most densely concentrated municipalities in the country. If Brooklyn were its own city, it would be the third or fourth largest in the United States.
The numbers that define Kings County are large and often extreme. Median home values hit $889,700 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), higher than virtually every other county in the nation. Median gross rent runs $1,784 per month (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 98% of U.S. counties. The labor force tops 1.34 million (BLS LAUS, 2025). These aren't subtle distinctions. Kings County operates at a scale and cost that puts it in a category shared by only a handful of places nationwide.
Median household income sits at $78,548 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above roughly 82% of U.S. counties but only at the 73rd rank among New York's 62 counties. That gap between national and state standing shows up repeatedly in the data. Brooklyn is expensive by American standards and middling by New York City standards.
Demographics
Kings County skews young. The median age is 36.3 years (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), younger than roughly 88% of U.S. counties. Within New York State, only a few counties have a younger median age.
The population is among the most racially diverse in the country. White residents account for 36.2%, Black residents 27.5%, Hispanic residents 18.9%, and Asian residents 12.0% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). The Black population share ranks higher than 89% of U.S. counties, and the Asian population share ranks higher than 99%. The Hispanic share sits above 86% of counties nationally. White residents, at 36.2%, make up a smaller share than in roughly 94% of U.S. counties.
Educational attainment is high. Some 41.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), a rate above 93% of U.S. counties and 85% of New York counties. Brooklyn draws a well-educated population, though the borough's internal variation is significant. Neighborhood-level differences in education, income, and demographics are steep, even if the county-wide data smooths them out.
Education
Per-pupil spending in Kings County public schools was $18,238 (Education Data Portal, 2020), above the national average of roughly $15,000. Within New York State, however, that figure ranks at the bottom. New York's suburban and upstate districts routinely spend more per student.
The student-teacher ratio is 12.4 to 1 (Education Data Portal, 2021), lower than the national average of about 15.5 to 1, meaning smaller class sizes relative to most of the country. Total enrollment stood at 50,782 students (Education Data Portal, 2021), placing Kings County above 93% of U.S. counties by enrollment.
The graduation rate is where the data turns sharp. At 74.1% (Education Data Portal, 2019), Kings County falls below the national average of roughly 87% and ranks lower than about 95% of U.S. counties. Within New York State, the rate sits near the bottom as well, higher than only about 3% of state counties. The gap between spending and outcomes is wide. Kings County invests more than most of the country per student and gets graduation results that trail most of the country.
Economy & Employment
The labor force in Kings County reached 1,343,204 in early 2025, with 1,269,271 employed and 73,933 unemployed (BLS LAUS, 2025). The unemployment rate was 5.5%, higher than 87% of U.S. counties and 95% of New York counties. Brooklyn's unemployment runs well above both national and state norms.
Median household income of $78,548 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) sits above most American counties but is unremarkable within the New York City metro area. Per capita income reaches $46,057 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), higher than 91% of U.S. counties, reflecting the concentration of high earners even as poverty remains widespread.
The poverty rate is 18.7% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), higher than 83% of U.S. counties and 97% of New York counties. Nearly one in five Brooklyn residents lives below the poverty line. That coexists with a per capita income in the top 10% nationally. The income distribution is polarized: high earners pull the averages up while a large share of the population remains poor.
Average commute time is 34.9 minutes (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), longer than 98% of U.S. counties. Brooklyn residents spend more time getting to work than nearly anywhere else in the country, a function of the borough's reliance on public transit and the geographic spread of jobs across the five boroughs.
Housing & Cost of Living
Housing in Kings County is among the most expensive in the United States. The median home value of $889,700 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) exceeds virtually every other county nationally. Median gross rent of $1,784 per month (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) ranks above 98% of U.S. counties.
Fair market rents set by HUD for 2026 reinforce the picture. An efficiency apartment carries a fair market rent of $2,529, a one-bedroom is $2,655, a two-bedroom is $2,910, a three-bedroom is $3,644, and a four-bedroom is $3,959 (HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026). All of those figures rank above 99% of U.S. counties. A household would need to earn roughly $116,400 annually to afford a two-bedroom at the standard 30% of income threshold. Median household income is $78,548. The math doesn't close for the typical household.
Total housing units number 1,090,187 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), more than nearly every other county in the country. Vacant units total 80,591, producing a vacancy rate of 7.4% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). That vacancy rate ranks lower than 86% of U.S. counties, meaning Kings County's housing stock is more fully occupied than most. The combination of high prices and low vacancy leaves little room for households at the margins.
Within New York State, Kings County's home values rank at the 97th level, and rents sit around the 87th level among state counties. Brooklyn is expensive even by New York standards, though Manhattan and parts of the suburban ring match or exceed it.
Health & Wellness
Health outcomes in Kings County show a distinct pattern. Several indicators come in better than national norms, particularly those tied to preventive care access. Others reflect the stresses of density and poverty.
The obesity rate is 25.0% (CDC PLACES, 2023), lower than roughly 99% of U.S. counties. Depression prevalence is 16.3% (CDC PLACES, 2023), also lower than about 99% of counties. Poor mental health days affect 15.6% of adults (CDC PLACES, 2023), a rate lower than 93% of U.S. counties. These figures may reflect demographics (a younger, more physically active population) as much as health system quality.
High blood pressure prevalence is 28.8% (CDC PLACES, 2023), lower than 88% of U.S. counties. Poor physical health days affect 12.4% of adults (CDC PLACES, 2023), better than roughly 77% of counties nationally.
Diabetes prevalence sits at 11.1% (CDC PLACES, 2023), roughly mid-range nationally but above 95% of New York counties. Cholesterol screening rates are high at 88.1% (CDC PLACES, 2023), above 98% of U.S. counties. Annual checkup rates reach 79.4% (CDC PLACES, 2023), higher than 93% of counties. Brooklyn residents are more likely to see a doctor regularly than residents of most American counties.
The uninsured rate is 8.9% (CDC PLACES, 2023), lower than roughly 71% of U.S. counties. About 91 out of every 100 residents have some form of health coverage. That's better than much of the country but still leaves over 235,000 people without insurance in a borough of 2.6 million.
Climate & Natural Disasters
Kings County has 24 FEMA disaster declarations on record, a count higher than 68% of U.S. counties for unique disaster types (FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026). That's above average, but the number undersells the risk. Most of the declarations are concentrated in a handful of high-impact event types: hurricanes, flooding, and severe storms.
Hurricanes are the primary threat. The county has seen federal hurricane declarations in 2005, 2011, 2012, and twice in 2021. Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 (DR-4085) was the defining event, triggering both a major disaster declaration and an emergency declaration within days of each other. The 2021 Atlantic season brought the same pattern, with back-to-back emergency and major disaster declarations for Henri and Ida (EM-3565, EM-3572, DR-4615) across a three-week span in August and September.
Flooding is the other recurring hazard. The most recent federal declaration, from January 2024 (DR-4755), was flood-related. Two earlier flood declarations go back to 1971 and 1984. The county's low-lying coastal geography makes it structurally vulnerable to both storm surge and heavy precipitation events, issues that Sandy brought into sharp focus.
The record also includes three snowstorm declarations (1993, 2003, 1996), a tornado declaration in 2010 (DR-1943), and the September 11 fire disaster declaration in 2001 (DR-1391). The 2020 COVID-19 biological declarations (DR-4480, EM-3434) account for two more entries.
Climate projections point toward more frequent and intense coastal flooding events as sea levels rise, which means the hurricane and flood risk that defined the last two decades is likely to grow, not stabilize.
Financial Profile
IRS data from tax year 2021 shows 1,247,270 returns filed from Kings County, with total adjusted gross income of $101.4 billion and total income of $102.5 billion (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021). Average AGI per return was $81,266, and average total income was $82,143. Both figures rank above roughly 84% of U.S. counties and about 76% of New York counties.
The sheer volume of returns (above 99% of U.S. counties) reflects the borough's population scale. Total AGI ranking at the 99th level nationally confirms that Kings County generates an enormous aggregate tax base, even if individual returns vary widely.
Social Security beneficiaries total 365,705 (SSA OASDI, 2024), more than virtually any other county in the country. That figure represents roughly 13.8% of the total population, a lower share than most counties, consistent with Brooklyn's younger median age. The borough has a large retired population in absolute terms but a smaller one relative to its total size.
Data on banking access from the FDIC is not available for Kings County.
Key Comparisons
Kings County's data tells different stories depending on the comparison frame.
Against the nation, Brooklyn is an outlier on almost every metric. Population, housing costs, rents, labor force size, and educational attainment all rank in the top 1% to 5% of U.S. counties. Health indicators like obesity and depression rank among the lowest (best) in the country. The poverty rate, unemployment rate, and commute times rank among the highest.
Against New York State, the picture shifts. Income and home values are high but not exceptional. Per-pupil spending ranks near the bottom of the state. The poverty rate is higher than 97% of New York counties, and unemployment exceeds 95% of state counties. Brooklyn's health metrics are mixed: diabetes rates rank higher than 95% of state counties, but obesity ranks lower than 97%.
The graduation rate stands out as a persistent weak point regardless of comparison frame. At 74.1%, it trails both national and state averages by double-digit margins. Per-pupil spending of $18,238 exceeds the national average yet produces outcomes well below it.
Housing affordability is the defining pressure. A two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent ($2,910) requires an income of roughly $116,400 to be considered affordable. Median household income falls nearly $38,000 short of that threshold. The vacancy rate of 7.4% offers little relief. These numbers describe a municipality where most residents pay a disproportionate share of income toward housing.
Kings County operates at extremes. Its scale, diversity, and economic output place it among the most significant municipalities in the country. Its poverty rate, unemployment, and housing costs place real constraints on the people who live there. The data doesn't average out to a tidy conclusion. It points in multiple directions at once.
Data Sources
- Census ACS 5-Year, 2023 (population, income, housing, demographics, education attainment, commute)
- BLS LAUS, 2025 (unemployment, employment, labor force)
- CDC PLACES, 2023 (health metrics, insurance coverage)
- HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026 (fair market rent by bedroom count)
- FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026 (disaster declarations and history)
- IRS Statistics of Income, 2021 (tax returns, AGI, total income)
- NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025 (precipitation, snowfall)
- SSA OASDI, 2024 (Social Security beneficiaries)
- Education Data Portal, 2019/2020/2021 (per-pupil spending, enrollment, student-teacher ratio, graduation rate)