City Overview
- Location & Size
- Population & Households
- Income & Employment
- Housing
- Land Use & Development
- Natural Resources
- Transportation Networks
- Governmental Structure
The City of Mount Vernon is a New York City inner-ring suburb located just north of The Bronx and also bordered by the Villages of Pelham and Pelham Manor to the East, the Village of Bronxville and the Town of Eastchester to the North and the City of Yonkers to the West.
The City is 4.4 square miles and is home to approximately 73,893 residents (according to the US Census conducted on April 1, 2021), making it the 8th largest city in New York State; the 2nd most densely populated city in New York State; and 11th most densely populated city (with a qualifying population over 50,000) in the United States. Given the City's location within the New York City Region and its transportation infrastructure, Mount Vernon is extremely accessible to all areas of the New York Metropolitan Region.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the City of Mount Vernon's 67,292 residents are comprised of 36,717 females (54.6%) and 30,575 males (45.4%). The median age was 38.4 years. 22.9% of the population was under 18 years of age while 13.8% of the total population was 65 years and older. Of the total population considered one race alone, 24.3% were White; 63.4% were Black or African American; 3.7% were Two or More Races; while 1.8% were Asian. American Indian and Alaska Native; Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander and Some Other Race combined comprised of approximately 6.8% of the total population. 14.3% of the City's total population were of Hispanic Origin.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, there were 26,260 households in the City of Mount Vernon. The average household size was 2.53 people. Families made up 62.2% of the households in the City of Mount Vernon comprising both Husband-Wife families (32%) and other families (30.2%). Nonfamily households consisted of 37.8% of all households in the City of Mount Vernon. Most of the nonfamily households were people living alone but included some families composed of non-related people living in households. Also, the 2010 U.S. Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates indicated that of the total population 25 years and older 33.2% had graduated from high school (includes equivalency) while 14.5% of the total population had a bachelor's degree or higher.
The 2010 U.S. Census records that 34% of the City's total population were foreign-born while 66% were native-born. 55% of the total population of the City of Mount Vernon were born in New York State. According to the U.S. Census 2008 to 2010 American Community Survey 3-year estimates, among the total population at least five years old or older, 24.1% spoke a language other than English at home. Of the 24.1% of the total population who speak a language other than English at home, 52.8% spoke Spanish and 47.2% spoke some other language.
The median household in the City of Mount Vernon was $46,940 according to U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS) 2010 1-year estimates. 81.2% of the City's total households received earnings while 12.1% received retirement income other than Social Security. 23.9% of the City's total households received Social Security. The average income from Social Security was $13,750.
These income sources are not mutually exclusive; that is, many of the total households received income from more than one source. The City of Mount Vernon has various types of employers among the most common occupations were: Management, professional, and related occupations (36.6%); Service occupations (23.3%); Sales and office occupations (21.6%); Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations (9.7%); and Production, transportation, and material moving occupations (8.9%). In terms of the type of employment, 78% of the total population employed were private wage and salary workers; 17.5% were Federal, state, or local government workers; and 4.4% were Self-employed in own not incorporated business workers.
According to the 2010 ACS 1-year estimates, for the total employed population 16 years and older, the leading industries in the City of Mount Vernon were Educational services, health care, and social assistance (34.3%); and Construction (10.6%).
According to the U.S. Census American Community Survey 2010 1-year estimates, the City of Mount Vernon had a total of 29,786 housing units, 12.8% of which were vacant. Of the total housing units, 33.9% were in single-unit structures, 18.1% were 2 to 4 unit structures and 47.9% were in structures with five units or more. Of the City's total housing stock, 57% of the housing units were built in 1949 and before, and only 5.7% of housing units were built in 1990 or late.
The U.S. Census American Community Survey 2010 1-year estimates indicate that the City of Mount Vernon had 25,975 total occupied housing units of which 9,584 (36.9%) are owner-occupied and 16.391 (63.1%) are renter occupied. Of the City's total households, 27.8% did not have access to a car, truck, or van for private use. Of total occupied households 43.1% had one vehicle available, 21.5% had two vehicles and 7.7% had three or more vehicles.
The U.S. Census American Community Survey 2010 1-year estimates also indicate that 88.9% of the total population at least one-year-old living in the City of Mount Vernon were living in the same residence one year earlier; 6% had moved during the past year from another residence in the same county, 1.6% from another county in the same state, 1.4% from another state, and 2.1% moved from abroad.
The City's land use consists of 70% residential, 29% commercial/industrial, and 1% undeveloped/vacant land. Currently, the City is also operating under the framework of a Master Plan that was last updated in 1968.
View City of Mount Vernon Parcel Based Land Use Map (Created with data from the Westchester County Department of Planning)
Defined by the river valleys of the Hutchinson River Basin along its eastern border and the Bronx River Basin along its western border, there are two watershed systems that traverse the City of Mount Vernon from North to South. These watersheds drain into the Hutchinson River and Bronx River respectively. The City of Mount Vernon has 241 acres of parks, playgrounds and open space either owned by Westchester County or the City.
The Bronx River, Cross County and Hutchinson Parkways traverse Mount Vernon and Interstates 87 and 95 are each less than a mile from the City's borders. The City is also well served by a network of mass transit options that allows every resident in Mount Vernon to be within a seven to ten-minute walk of a bus, subway or train line. Midtown Manhattan, Downtown White Plains and Downtown Stamford, Connecticut are less than a one-half hour express trip by rail from Mount Vernon's three Metro-North Railroad Stations.
Two New York City subway lines, the Number 2 and Number 5 trains, terminate/commence within three City blocks of the Mount Vernon/Bronx border.
The Westchester County Bee-Line System operates nine bus routes in Mount Vernon that provide bus transit throughout Westchester County and into New York City. The City of Mount Vernon is less than a fifth a mile from the Wakefield and Pelham Metro-North Train Stations.
Mount Vernon is governed by a Mayor and a City Council. The City Council consists of five representatives, one of which is the City Council President. Each council member is elected at large and; therefore, represents all of the citizens of the city. The city also has an elected Comptroller who serves as the Chief Financial Officer for the City. The City's school district is an independent entity.