One in four kids in New York City live in poverty, according to a sobering report released today that sheds light on the impacts of the end of pandemic-era social policies.
That amounts to nearly 420,000 children experiencing poverty in America’s largest city as of 2022, up from 260,000 in 2021—marking an increase of 66 percent, according to the report, released by Robin Hood, an anti-poverty organization, and the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University’s School of Social Work. For adults, the statistics are only marginally better: about 23 percent, or more than 1.5 million New Yorkers, live in poverty, up from about 1.2 million adults, or 18 percent, in 2021. As Robin Hood points out, this puts New York City’s poverty rate at about double the national average. Latino, Asian, and Black New Yorkers are more likely to live in poverty than white New Yorkers, as are women compared to men—trends that also mirror the national landscape.
The sharp increase in poverty rates comes after the suspension of pandemic-era government support and tax credits. In response to Covid, the US expanded the Child Tax Credit, boosted unemployment benefits, helped with rental and childcare assistance, and even sent direct payments to certain households as part of the American Rescue Plan. The results were significant. In 2021, New York City’s adult poverty rate fell by 45 percent, and the child poverty rate dropped by a stunning 68 percent.
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Julianne McShane is Mother Jones’ news and engagement writer, focusing on daily news coverage and stories at the intersection of gender and inequity.
