These Are the Top 35 Poorest Places to Live in New York State

It's no question that some New York counties struggle a lot more than others.

While some grapple with crime, others suffer from rising poverty. Concerning the latter, these are the most impoverished counties in New York State.

24/7 WallSt did not list all 62 counties in New York for its latest roundup, but a quick Google search highlighted the state's richest county.

Shocking absolutely no one, Nassau County claimed the #1 spot.

Read More: Massive Jump in New York Gas Prices Coming This April

Median household income is over $120,000, which is roughly 70% above the state's average.

Putnam County came in second place, with a median household income of $107,246, which is slightly over 50% above the state average. Suffolk rounded out the top 3 with a median household income of $105,362.

This is a far cry from Bronx County's $47,036 median household income, which is showing that more people are slipping into poverty.

Income Inequality Growing in New York

Income inequality is one of the main concerns heading into the 2024 election.

Inflation has reached a 40-year-high and wages are not keeping pace. While inflation hit a record 8% in 2022, Census data found American incomes fell by nearly 5% since 2019.

The rising cost of energy, food, shelter, gas, and other necessities are is forcing families across the nation to make difficult decisions

Some people have changed their spending habits while others have severely cut back on their monthly allowances. This is painting a concerning picture for certain industries like tourism, since more Americans are focusing their hard-earned money on buying the necessities.

Economists stress Americans should have between three to six months worth of expenses stored in an emergency fund in case disaster strikes - like an unexpected illness or disaster.

The Federal Reserve says American aren't near that number and about 20 percent of the country managed to stash away roughly $20,000 in savings. Another 20 percent has less than $1,000 saved for their rainy day fund.

Newsweek reported that 22 percent of Americans don't have any money saved and have burned through whatever they had to stay afloat. In fact, 23 percent of all respondents felt their emergency fund would last them only a few days.

How much money have you been able to put aside for emergencies? Sound off in the comments below.

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