Filed Under Building Census

144 West 10 Street

There were similarities and differences between the characteristics of the population in 1930 and 1940 in Greenwich Village, New York. According to both the Population Schedule in 1930 and 1940, the majority of people who lived in the neighborhood were white people. Also, the birthplace of the majority was mostly New York; however, the percentage of those who were born in New York reduced from 58 to 47. It was due to the increased number of foreign-born people who accounted for the population in New York at the time. This demonstrated how the Greenwich Village was a diverse community with individuals from various states and countries who could speak languages other than English.

There was also a change in demographics over time. In the aspect of sex of population, the gap between the number of females and males in 1940 slightly reduced (i.e. from 20 to 14), compared with that in 1930. This kind of change in the population ratio also showed in the marital status. In 1930, the married people were 45 and the single ones were 13, excluding people in other categories. In contrast, the married people were 33 and the single ones were 35. Thus, the gap between the single and the married people dropped from 32 to 2.

In addition to the differences in the number of people with certain characteristics, some changes were made in the population schedule itself over time. While the schedule in 1930 asked for the mother tongue and citizenship of each resident, in 1940 the information of the language was not included. Instead, specific details about employment, income, and education were asked in 1940. As the government department of Greenwich Village inquired residents about their financial stability, it can be predicted that they could have managed financial security and controlled economy of the neighborhood with the census. By asking for more details about individual residences, the government could also gather various types of information, and therefore the record enables imagination of how Greenwich Village looked like in the past.

Images

The 1940s Tax Department Photograph
The 1940s Tax Department Photograph Source: 1940s Tax Department photographs, New York city Municipal Archives, https://nycrecords.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_15f802ce-f66d-450a-9c6a-15140e4ffb40/ Date: 1939-1941
Average of Age in 1930 and 1940
Average of Age in 1930 and 1940 Source: Population Schedule Date: 1930-1940
Birthplace in 1930 and 1940
Birthplace in 1930 and 1940 Source: Population Schedule Date: 1930-1940
Gender in 1930 and 1940
Gender in 1930 and 1940 Source: Population Schedule Date: 1930-1940
Marital Status in 1930 and 1940
Marital Status in 1930 and 1940 Source: Population Schedule Date: 1930-1940

Location

144 West 10th Street

Metadata

Robin Song, “144 West 10 Street,” Tours of 1930s NYC, accessed October 1, 2024, https://robinsong.reclaim.hosting/items/show/1.