A recent study conducted by New York State Comptroller’s Office of Thomas DiNapoli found that almost 2.7 million New Yorkers, or 13.9% of the state’s population, lived in poverty in 2021.
The national percentage of Americans living in poverty is lower than the states, with 12.8% of the population. The report showed that poverty rates did decline before the COVID-19 pandemic, they were higher in 2021 and in 2019.
“While economic hardships existed long before the pandemic, it deepened the financial stress experienced by many households,” NY Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said. “We saw what a large and broad federal response achieved, as the country made historic progress in the fight against poverty. Continued federal resources, along with a greater equity in state services, can help improve the lives of New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet.”
New York currently ranks 13th among states and also has a higher rate of people in poverty than its neighboring states and other large states in the country.
