Poorest Neighborhoods in Kings County

Discover the 5 Poorest Neighborhoods in Kings County, New York

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Brooklyn, also called Kings County, is the most crowded county in New York and the second most populated in the entire country. In 2020, it had around 2.6 million residents. The typical household in this county earned about $64,987 in 2020, slightly more than New York’s average of $64,034 but slightly less than the national average of $67,521. Unfortunately, the poverty rate in Kings County was 19.2% in 2021, which is higher than the state rate of 13.9% and the national rate of 12.8%.

However, not all parts of Kings County share the same economic and social conditions. Some neighborhoods face challenges like low income, high poverty, high unemployment, limited education, and lack of access to healthcare and social services. In this article, we’ll examine five of the poorest neighborhoods in Kings County using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 estimates. We’ll measure poverty using the following indicators:

  1. Median household income: This is the middle point of the income range for all households in a neighborhood.
  2. Poverty rate: The percentage of people whose income falls below the poverty threshold for their household size.
  3. Unemployment rate: The percentage of people in the workforce who are currently without employment.
  4. Educational attainment: The percentage of individuals aged 25 and above who have completed at least a high school education.

1. Brownsville

Brownsville, located in the eastern part of Kings County near the Queens border, is an urban neighborhood with a history of poverty and crime. It’s home to approximately 86,000 people, mostly from the Black or African American community. Unfortunately, it faces significant socioeconomic challenges. According to ACS data:

  1. The median household income is $28,217, which is 56.6% lower than the county’s median and 58.2% lower than the national median.
  2. The poverty rate is 36%, nearly three times higher than the county and national rates.
  3. Unemployment stands at 14%, more than double the county and national rates.
  4. About 66% of adults in Brownsville have completed high school or higher education.

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2. East New York

East New York, situated in the eastern part of Kings County near Queens, is a diverse urban neighborhood with approximately 182,000 residents. This community includes Hispanic, African American, Asian, and White residents. Despite its population, East New York faces significant economic challenges. According to ACS data:

  1. The median household income is $38,316, which is 41% lower than the county’s median income and 43.3% lower than the national median.
  2. The poverty rate stands at 30%, which is one-and-a-half times higher than the county’s rate and more than twice as high as the national rate.
  3. Unemployment is a concern with an 11% rate, nearly double the county’s rate and almost twice as high as the national rate.
  4. In terms of education, about 71% of adults have completed high school or higher education, indicating that around three-fourths of the adult population have attained this level of education.

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3. Cypress Hills

Cypress Hills is a neighborhood in northeastern Kings County, close to Queens. It’s a diverse urban area mainly inhabited by Hispanic residents. The population is around 38,000 people. Unfortunately, it faces significant socioeconomic challenges:

  1. Median household income: $39,167, significantly lower (about 40%) than the county and national averages.
  2. Poverty rate: 29%, which is over one-and-a-half times higher than the county and more than double the national rate.
  3. Unemployment rate: 10%, exceeding both the county and national rates.
  4. Educational attainment: Approximately 63% of adults have completed high school or higher education, indicating room for improvement.

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4. Bushwick

Bushwick is a neighborhood in the northern part of Kings County, close to Williamsburg and Bedford-Stuyvesant. It’s known for its lively arts and culture scene. Approximately 129,000 people live here, with most being of Hispanic descent. However, it faces significant socioeconomic challenges. According to ACS data:

  1. The median household income is $43,750, which is 32.7% lower than the county’s average and 35.2% lower than the national average.
  2. The poverty rate stands at 28%, which is more than one-and-a-half times higher than the county’s rate and over twice as high as the national rate.
  3. The unemployment rate is 9%, exceeding both the county and national rates.
  4. Only 65% of adults have completed high school or higher education.

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5. Bedford-Stuyvesant

Bedford-Stuyvesant, a neighborhood in central Kings County, close to Clinton Hill and Crown Heights, has a diverse history and culture. It’s home to around 154,000 residents, primarily of Black or African American background. However, it faces significant socioeconomic challenges. Based on ACS data:

  1. The median household income is $46,667, which is 28.2% below the county median and 30.9% below the national median.
  2. The poverty rate stands at 25%, surpassing both the county and national rates, nearly double the national average.
  3. Unemployment affects 8% of the population, surpassing both the county and national rates.
  4. About 77% of adults have completed high school or higher education, indicating that roughly three-fourths of the adult population have this level of education.

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Conclusion

Brooklyn, which is also called Kings County, is a lively and diverse place with many people living close together and a strong economy. However, there are big differences in how much money people make, how many are in poverty, who has a job, and who gets a good education in different parts of Brooklyn. Some of the places in Brooklyn where people have less money are Brownsville, East New York, Cypress Hills, Bushwick, and Bedford-Stuyvesant.

These areas deal with lots of problems like not having much money, many people living in poverty, not enough jobs, not much education, and not enough access to healthcare and services that help people. These problems make life harder for the people who live there, and it will take a lot of work from different groups to help fix them.

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