New York State is 54,562 square miles but 75% of the population lives in 1,016 square miles - which works out to be 1.8% of the state's land and water area. If you include only land, the blocks where 75% of New York State's population lives is 2.1% of state's landmass.
Friday November 6, 2026 — NYS Census - Population
In 2023, according to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), 14% of New York households were financially insecure. Yet this measure failed to account for an additional 33% of households that were also experiencing financial hardship. These households are ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — with income above the FPL, but not enough to afford basic expenses in the county where they live.
Between ALICE households and those living in poverty, an estimated 48% of households in New York were below the ALICE Threshold in 2023. Households below the Threshold are forced to make impossible choices — like deciding whether to pay for utilities or a car repair, whether to buy food or fill a prescription.
Learn more about ALICE from United for ALICE.
