Foodscapes

Foodscape: Long Island City/Astoria

by NYC Food Policy Editor

Long Island City/Astoria Foodscape

About Foodscapes

Access to affordable and nutritious food is one of the cornerstones of good health. Without this, individuals—and communities—are at a higher risk of food insecurity and serious chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. To improve the health of New Yorkers, we must recognize that each neighborhood has a distinct food environment.

Purpose

These Foodscape reports provide a community-level snapshot of a community’s food environment, including data on healthy and unhealthy food consumption, food access, and diet-related diseases. Additionally, the reports detail a comprehensive guide of the many food-related resources available to residents within their neighborhoods to support them in eating healthier. The Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center has compiled this information from various sources, presenting it in a user-friendly format to help NYC residents and communities better understand their local foodscapes.

*All data from Community Health Profiles includes: Astoria, Astoria Heights, Queensbridge, Dutch Kills, Long Island City, Ravenswood and Steinway 

*All data from DATA2GO includes: Long Island City and Astoria 

Zip codes include: 11101, 11102, 11103, 11105, 11106, 11109

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

DEMOGRAPHICS:

  • Total Population: 199,969 (2.34% of NYC population) (1)
  • Population by Race and Ethnicity of Long Island City/Astoria and New York City (1)
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 29% Latino | NYC: 29% Latino
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 10% Black | NYC: 22% Black
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 43% White | NYC: 32% White
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 16% Asian/Pacific Islander | NYC: 15% Asian
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 2% Other | NYC: 2% Other
  • Long Island City/Astoria Population by Age: (1)
    • 0-17 years: 16%
    • 18-24 years: 10%
    • 25-44 years: 41%
    • 45-64 years: 22%
    • 65+ years: 12%
  • Life Expectancy: 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 83.6 years (2) | NYC: 82.1 years (2)
  • Born Outside the US: 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 40% (1) | NYC: 37% (1)

NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD:

  • Supermarket to Bodega Ratio: One (1) supermarket in Long Island City/Astoria to 10 bodegas (1)
  • Meal Gap (# of meals needed per year for food security): 4,755,505 (2)
  • Food Insecurity: 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 13.4% of residents (2)| NYC: 15.4% of residents (2)
  • Residences that Lack a Kitchen: 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 0.5% of housing units (2)| NYC: 0.8% (2)
  • Households Receiving SNAP Benefits: 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 13.6% of households (2)| NYC: 22.4% of households (2)
  • Walking Distance to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: (4)
    • 5 minutes or less: 62% (Compared to 49% New York City-wide)
    • 5-10 minutes:  20% (Compared to 18% New York City-wide)
    • 10 minutes or more: 17% (Compared to 32% New York City-wide)

FOOD CONSUMPTION:

  • At Least One Serving of Fruits or Vegetables Per Day (percent of adults): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 89% (1) | NYC: 87% (1)
  • No Fruits and Vegetables Yesterday: 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 11% of adults (2) | NYC: 12.9% of adults (2)
  • One or More 12-ounce Sugary Drinks Per Day (percent of adults): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 24% (1) | NYC: 23% (1)

HEALTH AND DISEASE STATUS:

  • Adults Reporting Their Own Health as “Excellent,” “Very Good” or “Good” (percent of adults): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 79% (1) | NYC: 78% (1)
  • Obesity (percent of adults): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 19% (1) | NYC: 24% (1)
  •  Childhood Obesity (percent of public school children in grades K through 8): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 22% (1) | NYC: 20% (1)
  • Diabetes (percent of adults): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 11% (1) | NYC: 11% (1)
  • Hypertension (percent of adults): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 23% (1) | NYC: 28% (1)

ECONOMIC AND LIVING-CONDITION STRESS, CONTRIBUTORS TO FOOD INSECURITY:

  • Median Household Income: 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: $63,592 (2) | NYC: $63,132 (2)
  • Poverty (percent of households with incomes below poverty): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 16.7% (2) | NYC: 19.7% (2)
  • Unemployment (percent of people ages 16 and older): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 4.2% (2) | NYC: 4.5% (2)
  • Extreme Housing Burden (percent of renters): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 22.9% (2) | NYC: 29.5% (2)

EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BURDEN

  • Air Pollution (micrograms of fine particulate matter per cubic meter): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 7.8 (1) | New York City-wide: 7.5 (1)
  • Bicycle Network Coverage (percent of streets with bike lanes): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 14% (1) | New York City-wide: 10% (1)
  • Pedestrian Injury Hospitalizations (per 100,000 people): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 14 (1) | New York City-wide: 23 (1)
  • Any Physical Activity in the Past 30 Days (percent of adults): 
    • Long Island City/Astoria: 73% (1) | New York City-wide: 73% (1)

LONG ISLAND CITY/ASTORIA GREENTHUMB GARDENS:

There are over 600 GreenThumb community gardens across the city, and any resident can join a garden. There are no GreenThumb gardens in Long Island City/Astoria. Find the most up-to-date list of gardens using GreenThumb’s searchable Garden Map. (5)  

LONG ISLAND CITY/ASTORIA SCHOOL GARDENS:

  • HS 555 Newcomers High School: 28-01 41st Ave
  • HS 258 Energy Tech High School: 36-41 28th St
  • Hunters Point Community Middle School: 1-50 51st Ave
  • PS 112 Dutch Kills: 25-05 37th Ave
  • PS 70 : 30-45 42nd St
  • IS 10 Horace Greeley: 45-11 31st Ave
  • PS 17 Henry David Thoreau: 28-37 29th St
  • IS 204 Oliver W. Holmes: 36-41 28th St
  • PS 78 Robert F. Wagner: 48-09 Center Blvd
  • PS 122 Mamie Fay: 21-21 Ditmars Blvd
  • PS 166 Henry Gradstein: 33-09 35th Ave
  • HS 299 Bard High School Early College Queens: 30-20 Thomson Ave
  • IS 141 The Steinway: 37-11 21st Ave
  • HS 610 Aviation Career & Technical Education High School: 45-30 36th St
  • MS 321 Growing Up Green Middle School: 36-49 11th St
  • HS 450 Long Island City High School: 14-30 Broadway
  • The 30th Avenue School (G&T Citywide): 28-37 29th St
  • PS 277 The Riverview School 277Q: 1-50 51st Ave
  • Adventureland Child Care Center: 32-04 31st Ave
  • PS/MS 84 Steinway: 22-45 41st St
  • HS 600 Queens Vocational and Technical High School: 37-02 47th Ave
  • PS 4 PS004Q@ Skillman Avenue: 24-30 Skillman Ave
  • PS 110 : 48-25 37th St
  • HS 445 William Cullen Bryant High School: 48-10 31st Ave
  • Charter 321 Growing Up Green Charter School: 39-37 28th St
  • IS 126 Albert Shanker School for Visual and Performing Arts: 31-51 21st St

LONG ISLAND CITY/ASTORIA FARMERS’ MARKETS: 

To ensure the below farmers’ markets are open, please call or check the listed websites for the most up-to-date information.

Many farmers’ markets accept cash, SNAP/EBT, debit/credit, WIC and Senior FMNP coupons. They may also offer Health Bucks for EBT users — for every $5 spent in EBT, customers receive a $2 Health Buck coupon to purchase additional fruits and vegetables. For an updated list of farmers’ markets near you (including days/hours of operation) visit nyc.gov/health and search “farmers markets” or text “SoGood” to 877-877.

LONG ISLAND CITY/ASTORIA OFFICIAL SNAP ENROLLMENT SITES IN NYC – HUMAN RESOURCES ASSOCIATION (HRA):

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides.

*It is possible to apply for SNAP benefits online at https://www.ny.gov/services/apply-snap

LONG ISLAND CITY/ASTORIA WIC SITES:

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides.

LONG ISLAND CITY/ASTORIA PANTRIES AND SOUP KITCHENS:

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides.

*Food pantry and soup kitchen hours subject to change, and requirements may be needed to register for food pantries. Call a specific location for more information before going for the first time. 

LONG ISLAND CITY/ASTORIA RETAIL FOOD STORES:

*This list below includes all retail food stores from a Google Maps Places API search with keyword search terms “bakery, cafe, convenience store, deli, food, grocery, supermarket.” 

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides.

PARKS IN LONG ISLAND CITY/ASTORIA:

To ensure the below businesses and organizations are open, please call or check the listed websites for the most up-to-date information.

FOOD POLICY ORGANIZATIONS IN LONG ISLAND CITY/ASTORIA:

To ensure the below organizations are and services are being offered, please call or check the listed websites for the most up-to-date information.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Last updated: 4/10/21

REFERENCES:

  1. Hinterland, K, et al. “Community Health Profiles 2018, Queens Community District 1: Long Island City and Astoria.” Community Health Profiles 2018, Queens Community District 1: Long Island City and Astoria, 2018, pp.1-20.
  2. “Data2Go: Astoria & Long Island City.” data2go.Nyc, Measure of America of the Social Science Research Council and Helmsley Charitable Trust, https://data2go.nyc/cd/?id=401*36047015900*ahdi_puma!undefined!ns*!buttonHolder~other_pop_cd_506~ahdi_puma_1~working_poor_cd_421~life_expectancy_puma_562~sch_enrol_cd_112~high_cost_h_cd_216~unemployment_cd_408~age_pyramid_male_85_plus_cd_20~ex_high_cost_h_cd_historical_402~poverty_ceo_cd_417~bodega_supermarket_cd_148~median_household_income_puma_397~fruits_veggies_cd_164~median_personal_earnings_puma_400!*air_qual_cd~ahdi_puma*family_homeless_cd_245#14/40.7734/-73.9108
  3. “Annual Vital Statistics Data Show Fewer Premature Deaths and Fewer Births in New York City in 2017.” NYC Health, The City of New York.
  4. “A Foodscape of Long Island City/Astoria.” New York City Food Policy Center at Hunter College, Mar. 2017, https://www.nycfoodpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/FS401_2017.pdf.
  5. “Green Thumb Garden Map.” NYC Parks, https://greenthumb.nycgovparks.org/gardensearch.php.

Article Image: “New York City (NYC) Neighborhood Maps – By Borough – Queens.” NYCdata, Baruch College Zicklin School of Business, https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/nycdata/population-geography/maps-boroughs.htm.

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Copyright © 2021 Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center. All Rights Reserved.
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