NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – More than half of New Yorkers believe that the overall quality of life in New York City has declined over the past seven years as the cost of living increases, according to a new survey.
The Citizens Budget Commission surveyed over 6,600 households across New York to learn how people feel about the city's quality of life and government services and compared current views with those from previous surveys in 2017 and 2008.
In New York, only 30% of people think their quality of life is "good" or "excellent," according to the study. This has gone down from 50% in both 2017 and 2008. Now, one-third say it's poor.
The Citizens Budget Commission
Similarly, a significant 76% of respondents believe that NYC does not effectively promote economic growth.
When it comes to transportation, 70% of respondents find the overall ease of travel within the city unsatisfactory. Additionally, a striking 89% of respondents do not believe that NYC spends tax dollars wisely. Only 11% think the government uses tax money well, down from 21%.
Safety concerns also remain similar to 2017, with 51% of respondents feeling unsafe riding the subway during the day and 49% feeling unsafe walking alone on a street in their neighborhood at night. Public safety overall is a significant concern for 63%.
Overall households making less than $35,000 a year feel slightly better about their lives than those making up to $99,999, but not as good as those making more than $100,000.
A separate study about the cost of living from the United Way living in New York City is pretty sobering which found that income inadequacy has surged from 36% to 50% since 2021. People of color and immigrants are disproportionately more likely to struggle with economic insecurity. Additionally, 86% of single mothers with young children experience the highest rates of income inadequacy.
Still, according to the CBC report, half of New Yorkers like their neighborhood, even though in the Bronx's south and center, only up to 20% think the city or their area is good.
The Citizens Budget Commission
People with more than $200,000 income reported being the happiest, with 45% liking the city's life. But only 37% think their neighborhood is safe, down from 50% in 2017.
"It's a really painful reality that the middle class is choosing to vote with their feet and leave the city, especially for child care," Grace C. Bonilla, president of United Way said. "So many families wanted to raise their families here and when you pay more for child care than you do for rent, you have no choice."
