Desk Report: Poverty in New York City has reached a new record, with nearly 2.2 million residents now living below the poverty line, according to a new report. The figure represents more than one in four people in the city.
The poverty monitoring report, released Monday, found that the city’s poverty rate has increased for the third consecutive year. The rate rose from about 25 per cent in 2023 to 26 per cent in 2024. This is nearly double the national poverty rate in the United States, which stands at about 13 per cent.
The report also notes that around 1.7 million adults and approximately 450,000 children are currently living in poverty across the city. The study was based on an analysis of the living conditions of nearly 3,000 households and took into account basic needs such as food, housing, and utilities.
Researchers found that more than half of New Yorkers live in households that struggle to meet at least one basic necessity. According to the study, economic hardship in New York City has become a near-normal reality for many families in 2024.
Richard Buery, head of an anti-poverty organization, said that having a roof over one’s head, putting food on the table, or paying electricity bills should not be considered luxuries but necessities.
He also noted that the rules for accessing government assistance are becoming stricter. As an example, he pointed to new work-related eligibility requirements for food assistance programs that took effect this month. Experts fear that these tighter rules could push even more
people into poverty in the future.
