The tables present data on the total population of New York City and the distribution of residents between Manhattan and the other four districts in 1800, 1900 and 2000.
Overall, the population New York City increased dramatically over the 200-year period. While Manhattan initially accounted for the vast majority of residents, its share declined significantly over time, with the outer districts becoming dominant by 2000.
In 1800, New York City had a relatively small population of just 79,216 people. The vast majority of these residents lived in Manhattan, which had 60,515 inhabitants, representing 76% of the total. By contrast the combined population of the other districts was only 18,701, or 24%.
By 1900, the city’s population grown rapidly to over 3.4 million. Manhattan remained the largest district with 1.85 million people, although its proportion fell to 54%. Meanwhile, the population in the other district rose substantially to around 1.59 million, accounting for 46% of the total.
In 2000, the total population reached just 8 million. However, Manhattan’s population declined slightly to about 1.54 million , making u only 19% of the total. In contrast, the outer districts experienced significant growth, with their population increasing to approximately 6.4 million, or 81% thereby becoming the dominant residents areas.