Who Are the Unheard Third?

By the numbers:

One-third of all New York City's voting age citizens live in a low-income household. Taken together, low-income New Yorkers constitute a sizeable voting bloc, yet politicians rarely speak to their issues and concerns.

CSS defines a low-income household as earning less than 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, or about $34,000 for a family of three. According to the most recent U.S. Census data, in 2006 there were a total of 3.3 million low-income New Yorkers – a number greater than the population of Chicago – totaling 42 percent of the city's population:

• 1.7 million city residents living in poverty, approximately one-in-five New Yorkers; and
• Another 1.6 million "near-poor" city residents, with household incomes between 100% and 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.

New Yorkers are facing multiple hardships according to The Unheard Third. The annual survey revealed that multiple hardships are decreasing for the poor, steady for the near-poor, and increasing for moderate/high income New Yorkers.  It also revealed that food and health hardships are up.

Poor New Yorkers:

Poor New Yorkers reside below the poverty line – they have an income of $17,170 or less for a family of three.

While less poor New Yorkers appear to be facing multiple hardships in 2007, poor New Yorkers are still struggling to make ends meet – nearly half of poor New Yorkers faced economic hardships this year. In addition, the number of poor New Yorkers facing food hardships increased from 38 percent in 2006 to 45 percent in 2007, while health hardships also increased from 30 percent in 2006 to 36 percent in 2007.

Near-Poor:

Near-poor residents earn between 100 percent and 200 percent of the federal poverty line – which represents between $17,170 and $34,340 for a family of three.

The hardship gap between poor and near-poor New Yorkers has lessened over time, and the experiences of the near-poor – many of whom comprise our city's working poor population – now more closely resemble those of the poor. In 2007, 33 percent of near-poor New Yorkers faced multiple hardships. Like the poor, health hardships are increasing – from 28 percent in 2006 to 33 percent in 2007. In addition, 4 in 10 near-poor New Yorkers faced economic hardships this past year, while 3 in 10 faced food hardships.

Moderate and Upper Income New Yorkers:

Moderate and higher income respondents earn more than twice the poverty line – or above $34,340 for a family of three.

Multiple hardships for moderate and upper income New Yorkers have risen steadily over the last several years, and with 16 percent of this population experiencing three or more hardships, was at an all-time high this past year. More than a quarter of this population faced economic hardships compared to 2 percent in 2004; 19 percent faced health hardships compared to 4 percent in 2004; and 18 percent faced housing hardships this past year compared to 6 percent in 2004.

The federal poverty line is $13,690 for a family of two; $17,170 for a family of three; $20,650 for a family of four; and $24,130 for a family of five.

View a demographic profile of survey respondents (PDF).

Sources: CSS tabulations from the U.S. Census Current Population Survey; New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey; The Kaiser Family Foundation; New York State Office of Children and Family Services.