Subject Guides: Place Based Research: NEIGHBORHOODS

What's in a name?

While we tend to think of neighborhoods as stable, geographic places, neighborhoods seldom have "official" boundaries and their social, economic, and geographic character can change over time. Researchers Osborn Elliot and Michael E. Clark note that while people don't always agree on neighborhood boundaries, "neighborhoods are 'real' social entities." By researching neighborhoods, we can come to understand a city and its residents. In the process, we might also learn about some of the different ways that cities are organized. This map created in 2014 by the NYC Department of City Planning displays neighborhoods; however, notice that there are no lines indicating where one neighborhood ends and another begins.

Exploring Zips, Districts, Wards, & Tracts

Assembly Districts (NYC Board of Elections)
New York like the rest of the country is divided into several districts for state and federal elections. Assembly Districts are based on population but some loosely correspond with NYC neighborhoods.
Community Districts (NYC Department of Planning)
New York City has 59 community board districts. These districts were established in 1975 and primarily serve a political purpose. According to the NYC Department of Planning, community districts range in size from about 900 to 15,000 acres, and in population from about 50,000 to 200,000 residents.
Enumeration Districts & Census Tracts
Census enumeration districts (EDs) were areas designated by the U.S. government beginning in 1880 for statistical data gathering. Each ED encompassed the geographic area that could be covered by a single census taker. Over time, census collection procedures changed and Census Tracts replaced EDs after the 1940 census.
*For more information on census data and demographic research, consult the "People" section of this guide.
Landmarks & Historic Districts
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (established in 1965) surveys properties and neighborhoods and officially designates city landmarks and historic districts. There is an official report written by the agency for every landmark and historic area, which details "historical, architectural, and cultural significance."
NYC Wards
Wards were an early geographic designation in New York City. Used for political purposes, people in each ward elected aldermen to represent them on City Council. Wards were abolished in 1938 after widespread corruption but they are helpful for historical research.
Zip Codes (United States Postal System)
Established in 1963 to improve postal delivery services, Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) Codes are often used to differentiate neighborhoods. However, some neighborhoods may have more than one ZIP and some ZIPs may encompass more than one neighborhood.

Neighborhood History on the Web

Brooklynology
Blog maintained by the Brooklyn Collection at the Brooklyn Public Library featuring historic materials from their collection
Curbed: New York
Digital magazine covering real estate, architecture, and history topics
Digitized Maps
From the New York Public Library Collection
Forgotten New York
Long running web-blog on New York City history with a section on neighborhoods
Researching New York City Neighborhoods
New York Public Library guide to neighborhood research