The Airport Effect: How Proximity to LaGuardia and JFK Influences Property, Income, and Quality of Life

Author: Noah Miller

Field of Study: Social Sciences

Program Affiliation: Source Project Research Program

Faculty Mentors: Robert Holahan

Easel: 25

Timeslot: Midday

Abstract: How do airports affect surrounding environments as opposed to distant ones in major urban areas? This project examines the impact of airports on local communities, focusing on New York City’s LaGuardia (LGA) and John F. Kennedy (JFK) airports. It explores how proximity to airports and flight paths influences property value, household income, and quality of life in four airport-adjacent neighborhoods—East Elmhurst, Flushing, The Rockaways, and Springfield Gardens to contrast three neighborhoods at greater distances from LGA and JFK–Rego Park, Midtown Manhattan, and Riverdale. This analysis will highlight how airports shape local socioeconomic trends and urban development. The initial four neighborhoods are unique in their proximity to major commercial airports and flight paths, meaning they have developed characteristics setting them apart from the three neighborhoods farther away from LGA and JFK. This research broadens the conversation about how airports work together with the city environments they exist in.