NYC poverty rate on the decline, but these 2 boroughs saw increases last year

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The poverty rate across New York City fell slightly over the past year, but despite the overall decrease, two boroughs saw their numbers rise.

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey 1-year estimates shows that 1,497,323 of the 8,331,991 residents in New York City, roughly 18%, are living in poverty.

In 2023, the 1,474,343 residents living in poverty represented roughly 18.2% of the 8,108,776 residents across the city.

While there are now roughly 23,000 more people living in poverty, the poverty rate has declined because the increase in the number of those living in poverty was outweighed by the overall increase in population.

The decrease in the citywide poverty rate was driven by declines in three boroughs, with Staten Island seein