[6] The neighborhood was renamed for Thomas Dongan, the Irish-born governor of the Province of New York after the Kingdom of England acquired it from the Netherlands in 1682.

Population growth accelerated in the area when the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge linking Staten Island with Brooklyn was opened in November 1964.

Indeed, recent arrivals from Brooklyn have overwhelmed the descendants of the original residents, and now form a majority of the neighborhood's population.

[7] For census purposes, the New York City government classifies Dongan Hills as part of a larger neighborhood tabulation area called Old Town-Dongan Hills-South Beach.

[8] Based on data from the 2010 United States Census, the population of Old Town-Dongan Hills-South Beach was 24,835, a change of 1,818 (7.3%) from the 23,017 counted in 2000.

[2] In 2018, an estimated 14% of Dongan Hills and Mid-Island residents lived in poverty, compared to 17% in all of Staten Island and 20% in all of New York City.

Based on this calculation, as of 2018[update], Dongan Hills and Mid-Island are considered high-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying.

[17] Dongan Hills is served by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY)'s Engine Co. 159/Satellite 5, located at 1592 Richmond Road.

[11]: 14 The concentration of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of air pollutant, in Dongan Hills and Mid-Island is 0.0069 milligrams per cubic metre (6.9×10−9 oz/cu ft), less than the city average.

[11]: 13  In Dongan Hills and Mid-Island, 24% of residents are obese, 9% are diabetic, and 26% have high blood pressure—compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively.

[22] Dongan Hills and Mid-Island generally have a similar rate of college-educated residents to the rest of the city as of 2018[update].

[11]: 6  The percentage of Dongan Hills and Mid-Island students excelling in math rose from 49% in 2000 to 65% in 2011, though reading achievement declined from 55% to 52% during the same time period.

[23] Dongan Hills and Mid-Island's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is lower than the rest of New York City.

[12]: 24 (PDF p. 55) [11]: 6  Additionally, 87% of high school students in Dongan Hills and Mid-Island graduate on time, more than the citywide average of 75%.