Poverty In New York City Essay

The U.S. is considered to be the wealthiest nation in the world, yet we can still find a great amount of poverty within its rural and urban areas. Urban poverty even affects the largest city in the nation, New York City. New York City is home to over ten million people. Although the city is known for its strong economy and job market, like other cities throughout the world, it faces a vast amount of poverty. Even today it is said that nearly one in four New Yorkers live under the poverty line (Robin Hood). In order for anyone to be considered within the poverty line they must have a family income of $23,000 or less (Institute of Research and Poverty). With gentrification taking a toll within the city, New Yorkers are struggling to afford rent or even make ends meet. Columbia University and Robin Hood Population Research Center found that 23% of New Yorkers live under the poverty line (Robin Hood). Even with the rise of employment many New Yorkers are still struggling and find it …show more content…
Immigration and industrialization began to develop the city’s economy, this was also known as the Progressive Era. However, with the rise of industrialization, a small group of the population gained a vast amount of wealth while over 90% of the city’s population faced an enormous amount of poverty (Poverty’s History). The poor earned unbelievably low wages and lived in tenement apartments, known to be in trash-filled areas. Poor families had no other choice but to live in these crowed apartments and neighborhoods. This type of housing also led to the spread of diseases, use of alcohol, and high crime rates within the area. Since this time period the city has come a long way. The city placed many labor and housing laws in order to deal with reforms. During this time as well as the Great Depression, New York City faced its highest crime rates and poverty levels through out the five boroughs (Poverty’s