Census tract · Queens County
Census Tract 281, Queens County, New York
Census Tract 281, GEOID 36081028100, in Queens County, New York, entirely within New York. 6,090 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±708); the 2020 Census counted 5,991.
Residents, 2020-2024
6,090
±708 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 5,991
Median household income
$86,631
±$33,241 (90% margin)
Queens County: $86,136
Median home value
$489,200
±$55,190 (90% margin)
Queens County: $723,800
Median gross rent
$1,922
±$182 (90% margin)
Queens County: $1,956
Where is Census Tract 281?
Census Tract 281 is one of 725 census tracts in Queens County, New York. It covers 0.07 square miles of land, 89,418 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 36081028100, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| New York | 100% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 281: Tract 269.01 ($58,163), Tract 279 ($81,417), Tract 283 ($79,340), Tract 327 ($88,167) and Tract 337 ($107,750). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 281?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 281's population at 6,090 (±708) in 2,495 households; the 2020 Census counted 5,991 residents and 2,495 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 281 | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,090 ±708 | 8,483,844 |
| Households | 2,495 ±274 | 3,334,088 |
| Average household size | 2.44 ±0.18 | 2.48 |
| Housing units | 2,595 ±246 | 3,678,486 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 281?
The median resident of Census Tract 281 is 44.3 years old; 17.3% are under 18 and 19.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 59.4%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 29.9%. 48.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 281 | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 ±5.2 | 38.2 |
| Under 18 years | 17.3% ±2.9 pts | 20.2% |
| 65 years and over | 19.0% ±4.5 pts | 16.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 59.4% ±6.7 pts | 28.5% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 29.9% ±6.0 pts | 31.0% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 20.4% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.7% ±4.1 pts | 14.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.7% ±3.2 pts | 3.9% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 1.4% |
| Born outside the United States | 48.8% ±7.9 pts | 36.6% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 68.9% ±7.6 pts | 47.7% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 1.9% ±1.6 pts | 1.8% |
| With a disability | 16.0% ±4.9 pts | 12.4% |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.1% ±2.1 pts | 6.3% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.2% ±5.9 pts | 83.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 49.2% ±7.8 pts | 41.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 21.8% ±6.1 pts | 17.7% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.1% ±3.7 pts | 90.1% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 281 earn?
Half of the 2,495 households in Census Tract 281 earn less than $86,631 a year (±$33,241), against $86,136 across Queens County: 358th highest of the county's 660 tracts with a reliable estimate. 10.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 281 | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $86,631 ±$33,241 | $80,483 |
| Mean household income | $111,582 ±$15,261 | $129,670 |
| Per capita income | $45,304 ±$6,225 | $51,844 |
| People below the poverty line | 10.4% ±5.4 pts | 17.9% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.1% ±9.7 pts | 23.9% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.5% ±6.9 pts | 21.2% |
| Households with a computer | 94.5% ±3.9 pts | 94.7% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.3% ±4.8 pts | 90.5% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 281?
Owners occupy 47.4% of Census Tract 281's occupied homes and renters 52.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $489,200 by its owner (±$55,190). The median renter pays $1,922 a month including utilities, and 50.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 281 | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $489,200 ±$55,190 | $777,600 |
| Median gross rent | $1,922 ±$182 | $1,821 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 50.0% ±12.9 pts | 43.5% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,354 ±$547 | $3,293 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 47.4% ±8.0 pts | 32.8% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 52.6% ±8.0 pts | 67.2% |
| Housing units | 2,595 ±246 | 3,678,486 |
| Single-family detached homes | 2.2% ±2.5 pts | 9.1% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.2% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.7% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 6.1% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 52.5% ±9.6 pts | 38.2% |
| Households with no vehicle | 43.3% ±9.4 pts | 55.3% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 281 get to work?
22.6% of Census Tract 281's workers drive alone and 13.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 41.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.8%.
| Measure | Tract 281 | New York |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 69.4% ±4.9 pts | 63.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.8% ±4.2 pts | 8.0% |
| Drove alone to work | 22.6% ±11.2 pts | 21.6% |
| Carpooled | 5.1% ±5.3 pts | 4.3% |
| Public transportation | 50.4% ±13.7 pts | 44.0% |
| Walked | 3.5% ±2.7 pts | 9.2% |
| Worked from home | 13.6% ±6.7 pts | 16.9% |
| Mean travel time to work | 41.3 min ±3.7 | 40.3 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 281 compare with the other tracts in Queens County?
Among Queens County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 281 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Queens County | In New York |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 51st of 684 | 264th of 2,229 |
| Residents per square mile | 45th of 724 | 381st of 2,324 |
| Median household income | 358th of 660 | 977th of 2,097 |
| Per capita income | 208th of 681 | 805th of 2,220 |
| Median home value | 553rd of 621 | 1,670th of 1,826 |
| Median gross rent | 380th of 652 | 977th of 2,158 |
| Poverty rate | 300th of 437 | 1,278th of 1,636 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 136th of 673 | 612th of 2,167 |
| Median age | 222nd of 687 | 503rd of 2,236 |
| Owner-occupied share | 361st of 644 | 747th of 1,878 |
The tracts next to it on Queens County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 118 | 355th | $86,754±$13,576 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 484 | 356th | $86,726±$14,742 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 555 | 357th | $86,667±$50,979 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 281 | 358th | $86,631±$33,241 |
| Tract 136 | 359th | $86,601±$10,412 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 12 | 360th | $86,524±$12,222 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 493.01 | 361st | $86,429±$34,363 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 281?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 281 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections