Wakefield is a working-class section of the northern borough of the Bronx in New York City, bounded by the New York city line with Westchester County or 243rd street to the north,and 222nd Street to the south, and the Bronx River, Bronx River Parkway and Metro-North Railroad tracks to the west. Wakefield is the northernmost neighborhood in New York City (although the city’s northernmost point is actually in Riverdale, at the College of Mount Saint Vincent). The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 12. The United States Census, 2000 reported a total of 67,787 residents.
Formerly, Wakefield was home to large Irish American and Italian-American populations. During the 1980s, these communities were replaced with large African American populations (commonly known as white flight), which now comprise 72.3% of the neighborhood’s total population. 19.6% of the population is Hispanic Many residents are or are descended from West Indian and Caribbean immigrants. The neighborhood is home to many prominent Catholic secondary schools including the all-male Mount Saint Michael Academy, which serves 1,100 students on grades 7-12.
The Wakefield Metro-North Railroad station on the Harlem Line is located at 241st Street. The neighborhood is served by the IRT White Plains Road Line (2 5) of the New York City Subway. The neighborhood’s primary ZIP Code is 10466, with certain areas around East 241st Street and White Plains Road listed as 10470.
Though the crime rate has historically been high, like other sections of New York Wakefield has shown a steep decline in both violent and non-violent crime. The high school drop-out rate is higher than the city average, but lower than central Bronx neighborhoods. Many households in the area are headed by a single mother.
