Well-being rises sharply in LIC, Sunnyside and Woodside, outpacing citywide average. Via Getty Images
May 23, 2025 By Ethan Marshall
Residents of Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside are experiencing a sharp rise in overall well-being, according to the latest data from the American Human Development Index.
A new report by Measure of America shows that these three Queens neighborhoods saw major gains in life expectancy, income, and education indicators in 2022—the most recent year analyzed.
Based on a 10-point scale, Long Island City posted a near-perfect well-being score of 9, while Sunnyside registered 7.21 and Woodside came in at 6.36. Together, the three neighborhoods averaged 7.52, a significant jump from the 5.97 average they posted in 2015 when the DATA2GO.NYC mapping tool first launched.
The well-being index combines health, education, and income data to provide a composite picture of life quality across neighborhoods. The 7.52 average across LIC, Sunnyside, and Woodside now ranks higher than the Queens boroughwide average of 7.3 and well above the New York City average of 6.14—which, though improved from 5.18 in 2015, still lags behind the western Queens cluster.
Health outcomes also improved. The average life expectancy across the three neighborhoods climbed to 86.4 years, up from 85.4 years in 2015. Long Island City and Sunnyside both posted an average of 87.2 years, while Woodside came in at 84.8 years. By comparison, life expectancy across New York City averages 82.6 years, and Queens boroughwide sits at 81.3 years.
Via Getty Images
On education, however, the trio fell just short of the boroughwide average. The education index—which factors in school enrollment and educational attainment—was 8.2 in Long Island City, 6.2 in Sunnyside, and 5.5 in Woodside, for an average of 6.63. That’s slightly below Queens’ average education index of 7.8.
Income disparities within the area were stark but contributed to a high overall economic score. Median personal earnings—defined as the earnings of a worker at the exact middle of the income distribution—were highest in Long Island City at $106,500, one of the top figures among nearly 200 neighborhoods citywide. In contrast, Sunnyside posted $55,200 and Woodside $47,300, resulting in an average of $69,667 across the three neighborhoods. That number remains well above the Queens average of $46,200, largely due to LIC’s influence.
The combined population of the three neighborhoods totaled 123,823, with Long Island City at 28,430, Sunnyside at 47,507, and Woodside at 47,886. The average neighborhood population stood at 41,274, compared to the boroughwide population of 2.25 million.
The report highlights the ongoing transformation of western Queens—especially Long Island City—into one of the most prosperous and healthy areas in New York City, though gaps in education and income inequality remain across adjacent neighborhoods.
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