Months after the start of the pandemic, New York City is faring much worse economically than the rest of the country. Black and brown communities have disproportionately shouldered the burden of the economic and public health fallout from COVID-19. We explore the data, and recommend urgent state and federal action.
The latest poverty and income measures from the U.S. Census Bureau show a modest decline in the number of New Yorkers living below the poverty line – but rents continue to rise faster than incomes, and New York City households face far higher rent burdens than the rest of the nation.