Bay Ridge is a neighborhood in the southwest corner of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. It is bounded by Sunset Park on the north, Seventh Avenue and Dyker Heights on the east, The Narrows Strait, which partially houses the Belt Parkway, on the west and 86th Street and Fort Hamilton on the south. While Fort Hamilton is officially a separate neighborhood, it is often considered part of Bay Ridge. Bay Ridge and Fort Hamilton both share the zip code of 11209. Bay Ridge is patrolled by the NYPD's 68th Precinct. It is served by Engine 241, Engine 242, and Ladder 109 of the New York City Fire Department.
Bay Ridge is a largely middle class neighborhood. With its strong family presence, it is not uncommon to see third or fourth generation families living in the region. Until the early 1990's Bay Ridge was a primarily Irish, Italian, and Norwegian neighborhood. Today, Bay Ridge maintains a sizable Irish, Italian, and Greek population, but like other areas in South/Southwest Brooklyn, late in the 20th century it saw an influx of Russian, Polish, and Arabs, and lesser numbers of Chinese. In recent decades, many Syrian/Lebanese Americans have moved to Bay Ridge. Bay Ridge has many international restaurants and bars, especially along 3rd and 5th Avenue, its main commercial strips. Many refer to the community as "Brooklyn's Gold Coast."
Bay Ridge has a high elderly population. It has been called a NORC or a naturally-occurring retirement community because many of its families have grown up in the neighborhood while their children move away. In 2006, it was reported that 20% of the population of Bay Ridge is 60 or over. Local newspapers include The Home Reporter-Sunset News, The Spectator, The Bay Ridge Paper, The Bay Ridge Courier and The Bay Ridge Eagle.