New York City More Diverse Than Ever

"The latest results represent a three-year rolling count by the American Community Survey, a continuing profile of the country compiled by the Census Bureau, from 2005 to 2007.

'It was taken on the eve of a downturn,' said Andrew A. Beveridge, a sociologist at Queens College, who analyzed the results for The New York Times. 'There’s been a shift in the cities, but can it sustain itself? The increase in children in Manhattan, for example, is fueled by the fact that the parents have a lot of money. But that is tied to the financial industry, directly or indirectly.'

Joseph J. Salvo, director of the Department of City Planning’s Population Division, was more sanguine about the potential impact of the recession.

'If 9/11 gives us any experience,' he said, 'the dislocation will be of a temporary nature. There may be some changes in migration, but people really like to seek out the city as a destination to live.'"