In recent years, Bushwick has become a target for a seemingly never-ending barrage of amenity-packed buildings and swanky restaurants. This thin veil of luxury masks the oftentimes overlooked reality that many people in the neighborhood are struggling. In fact, more than one in four Bushwick residents is living in poverty.
According to data from the 2016 American Community Survey (ACS) and presented by the NYU Furman Center, 28.7 percent of households in Bushwick live below the poverty threshold. This is higher than the rate in Brooklyn (20.6 percent) and citywide (20.1 percent) and ranks Bushwick as the neighborhood with the tenth highest poverty rate in the city.
And, even while Bushwick has experienced significant change over the past decade, the poverty rate has remained relatively flat. In 2006, the poverty rate was 32.9 percent, and in 2010, it was 28.5 percent.
The ACS uses the Census Bureau’s definition of poverty, which varies based on a household’s size and number of children.
One way to improve outcomes for residents living in poverty is to support organizations in and around the neighborhood, like Riseboro and Make the Road, that are doing important work around issues related to housing, education, and health.
So that’s your fast fact of the week, Bushwick! Have a question about the neighborhood that you want us to try and answer using data? Leave a comment below!
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Cover image courtesy of a previous Bushwick Daily post.