BAY RIDGE

This name was given due to the proximity of the neighborhood to New York Bay, excellent views of which were visible from the ridge. These views attracted wealthy people, who built extravagant summer homes along Shore Road overlooking the water, many of which are worth well over one million dollars.
Once the Subway was extended in 1915 many Manhattan workers looking for quieter surroundings began to flow in, transforming the area into a middle-class neighborhood.

Bay Ridge is a diverse neighborhood with a predominantly Catholic heritage, with strong Muslim and Eastern Orthodox minority populations.

There are 20 % of people who identify themselves as being of Italian descent, another 20% - of Irish descent. There is also a large and active Greek American population. In addition, Bay Ridge is home to one of the oldest Arab-American populations in New York. Several generations ago, the neighborhood was well known for its Scandinavian residents, and the neighborhood still contains several Scandinavian bakeries and hosts an annual Norwegian Day Parade.

Since 1990, Bay Ridge has become a popular location for immigrants from the former Soviet Union.