The State of Poverty and Disadvantage in New York City, 2012—2017

This annual report from the Poverty Tracker explores rates of income poverty, material hardship, and health problems in New York City between 2012 and 2017. The report also provides new insights into the dynamic nature of poverty and hardship, with a focus on who is able to successfully exit poverty and what it takes to remain stably out of poverty over time.

As you will see in this report, the city has made progress in the fight against poverty, particularly for adults. But there is still more work to be done. The poverty rate for New York City remains well above the national poverty rate, and large disparities by race/ethnicity and other demographic characteristics remain pronounced. In addition, one third of New Yorkers continue to face ongoing hardships, like not having enough food to feed their family. These challenges persist even for some households who have earned enough income to move above the official poverty line. The report also shows that many households struggle to achieve permanent mobility out of poverty, falling back into hardship after only a year or two.

The Poverty Tracker is a longitudinal study of the dynamics of poverty and disadvantage in New York City. It is a joint project of Robin Hood and Columbia University.