New York City Has More Children in Poverty Than Nearly a Decade

Child poverty in New York City has surged to its highest level in eight years, according to a new report from the Robin Hood Foundation. The findings underscore the increasing economic struggles that many families face across the city.

Newsweek reached out to the New York City Mayor’s office via email for comment.

Why It Matters

The latest report reveals that nearly one in four children in NYC lives in poverty, a staggering increase compared to when the report was first created. This shift has significant implications for education, healthcare and the overall well-being of the city’s youngest residents.

With rising living costs and the expiration of pandemic-era financial relief programs, more families are struggling to afford basic necessities. Experts warn that without immediate intervention, the long-term consequences could be devastating for both individuals and the city’s economic future.

A child joins his father as Bronx residents receive food at the St. Helena Pantry in the Bronx on September 28, 2022 in New York City.
A child joins his father as Bronx residents receive food at the St. Helena Pantry in the Bronx on September 28, 2022 in New York City.
Spencer Platt / Staff/Getty Images

What To Know

The Poverty Tracker Annual Report by the Robin Hood Foundation, in collaboration with Columbia University, provides a detailed look at poverty trends across NYC. The 2025 report found that child poverty rates have risen from 25 percent to 26 percent, the highest rate since 2017. In contrast, the national child poverty rate during the same period was 14 percent.

Compared to previous reports, this year’s findings mark a stark reversal of progress. In 2021, child poverty rates had briefly declined due to government stimulus payments and increased access to social programs. However, with those supports gone, families are now facing greater financial insecurity than before.

Christopher T. Wimer, director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia told Newsweek the two main factors for the rise in child poverty were the expiration of robust pandemic-era policies and the soaring costs of basic goods like food and housing. The report shows between 2022 and 2023, this was the case both nationally and in New York City, as the cost of essential goods outpaced income growth, causing a significant increase in the poverty threshold.

To address this, Wimer suggests a more robust policy response, including an expanded state Child Tax Credit, state housing vouchers and increases in public assistance benefits. He mentions that some of these policies have been proposed in the Governor’s recent budget but emphasizes that more needs to be done to tackle child poverty.

What People Are Saying

Christopher T. Wimer, director of the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia, told Newsweek: “Since poverty is based on the costs of affording these basics, the accelerating affordability crisis in the city is throwing more families into poverty.”

What Happens Next

In the report, the New York State Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council (CPRAC) recommends expanding the Empire State Child Credit, increasing the maximum amount per child and ensuring eligibility for low-income families.

CPRAC also calls for a state housing voucher program to assist families ineligible for federal aid due to funding shortages, an expansion of Public Assistance benefits, and the creation of a state food benefit for those excluded from SNAP due to citizenship status.

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