About the Unheard Third:

"The Unheard Third," the Community Service Society’s annual survey of low-income New Yorkers, is the only public opinion poll in the nation to regularly chronicle issues facing low-income individuals and families.  The survey is a unique resource that enables CSS to monitor the experiences of people living at or near the poverty line in New York City – their hardships and financial struggles, their attitudes and opinions about local and national issues, and their thoughts about what policy interventions would be most effective in helping them get ahead.

A comprehensive telephone survey of approximately 1,000 low-income and 500 moderate and higher-income New York City residents is conducted each summer by the polling firm Lake Research, a national survey research firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. The survey is conducted in English, Spanish, and Chinese. More on the survey's methodology (PDF).

The Unheard Third, conducted by CSS and fielded by national polling firm Lake Research Partners, is a unique snapshot of the policy preferences and experiences of low-income New Yorkers. The survey is partially funded through the generous support of Independence Community Foundation, The New York Community Trust, The Rockefeller Foundation, and United Way of New York City.

CSS has used the survey to inform and guide its research, direct service programs and policy recommendations. It has served to narrow the agency's agenda on the working poor and reinforce its belief that public policy aimed at this population must, in part, be guided by the life experiences and ideas of New Yorkers living in poverty.

CSS aims to distribute its annual survey as widely as possible, to ensure that the voices of low-income New Yorkers are heard by politicians, community leaders, the media, researchers, and the public.

To find out more about "The Unheard Third," or to contact one of our experts, visit our media center or e-mail us at: unheardthird@cssny.org.

This year will mark the sixth consecutive release of "The Unheard Third" survey. View previous editions of the survey.