Mayor Bill De Blasio: NYC's Poverty Rate Reaches Historic Low

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio says New York City's poverty rate has reached a historic low.

New federal data places the city's 2018 poverty rate at 17.3%.

That's the lowest rate New York has seen since the 1970s based on estimates projected from the census.

Unemployment in the city has also dropped, reaching just 4.1%, the lowest rate since the data was made available.

De Blasio credits part of the changes to measures like raising the minimum wage, universal pre-K, and paid safe and sick leave.

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• Unemployment
• Bill de Blasio
• New York