Introduction to the Survey
The Citizens Budget Commission published a revealing survey showing low ratings among New Yorkers regarding quality of life, feelings of safety, government services, public spending, and neighborhood satisfaction. The “Straight from New Yorkers” survey of 1,750 New York City residents paints a bleak picture of resident satisfaction with post-pandemic NYC, extending a trend of low confidence with government since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the city in 2020. However, the survey shows a slight uptick in resident satisfaction and feelings of safety when compared to the same survey’s results in 2023.
Quality of Life
Overview
Roughly 34 percent of surveyed New Yorkers rated their quality of life as “excellent” or “good,” according to the survey, marking a 17 percentage point drop in that area compared to the same question in 2017, when 51 percent of respondents reported their quality of life as “excellent” or “good.” In 2023, the last time this survey was conducted, this metric stood at 30 percent. One in four respondents rated their quality of life in New York as “poor,” the survey reported.
Income Level and Quality of Life
Notably, respondents across all income levels reported overall similar satisfaction with quality of life, with variation between lower, middle, and upper class within only a few percentage points. The least satisfied group of respondents was those making an income of $35,000 to $50,000, 29 percent of whom reported “excellent” or “good” quality of life. Of those reporting an annual income of $0 to $35,000, 35 percent reported “excellent” or “good” quality of life — the same percent of those making over $200,000 annually who reported likewise. Those earning $50,000 to $100,000 reported slightly higher than other economic groups for quality of life, with 36 percent reporting “excellent” or “good.” Thirty-two percent of those earning $100,000 to $200,000 annually reported the same.
Racial and Ethnic Demographics
Though the majority of respondents from each of the survey’s designated economic, racial, and ethnic demographic groups came in at less than 50 percent satisfaction with quality of life, Hispanic, Black, and Asian respondents overall rated their quality of life lower than white New Yorkers. While 40 percent of white respondents reported “excellent” or “good” quality of life, 28 percent of Hispanic respondents, 31 percent of Black respondents, and 33 percent of Asian respondents reported the same.
Geographic Satisfaction
Respondents from Manhattan reported being most satisfied with quality of life overall, with 47 percent of responding Manhattanites rating their quality of life as “excellent” or “good.” In contrast, only 24 percent of Bronx respondents reported the same. Results from Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island came in at 31 percent, 33 percent, and 33 percent, respectively.
Feelings of Safety
Overall Safety
Overall, survey respondents reported feeling safe in the city and in their neighborhoods at a higher rate than they did in 2023. A spike in crime rates during the pandemic contributed to these safety concerns, and though crime rates have since dropped significantly, feelings of unease persist, according to the survey’s results, especially for Black and Hispanic New Yorkers and residents of the Bronx. Of respondents, 42 percent rated public safety in their neighborhood as “excellent” or “good,” an increase from 37 percent in 2023 but a decrease from 50 percent in 2017.
Subway Safety
In stark contrast to 2017, when 82 percent of surveyed New Yorkers reported feeling safe on the subway, that same response is now down to 51 percent of surveyed New Yorkers — a two percent increase from 2023. Only 22 percent of respondents in the 2025 survey reported feeling safe on the subway at night — the same as 2023 — compared to 46 percent in 2017.
Overall Dissatisfaction with City Government and Public Services
New Yorkers continued to report strong dissatisfaction with city leadership and public services in CBC’s 2025 survey, continuing a post-pandemic trend. Even before the pandemic, in 2017, only 44 percent of surveyed residents rated overall government services as “excellent” or “good.” Now, that statistic sits at 27 percent despite small improvements since 2023 in some areas, like public education. Respondents overall lacked confidence in the city’s emergency preparedness, ability to protect residents from terrorism, and economic growth. Only 12 percent of 2025 respondents said they thought the city spends money wisely, and just 10 percent had confidence that the city was adequately addressing New Yorkers’ housing needs.
Conclusion
The survey results paint a bleak picture of New York City’s quality of life, feelings of safety, and government services. Despite a slight uptick in resident satisfaction and feelings of safety, the overall trend is one of dissatisfaction and low confidence in city leadership. The Citizens Budget Commission encourages local leaders to take heed of the survey results and focus on improving quality of life, safety, and government services.
FAQs
Q: What was the main finding of the Citizens Budget Commission survey?
A: The main finding of the survey was that New Yorkers are dissatisfied with the quality of life, feelings of safety, and government services in the city.
Q: How has the quality of life in New York City changed since 2017?
A: The quality of life in New York City has decreased since 2017, with only 34 percent of respondents rating it as “excellent” or “good” in 2025, compared to 51 percent in 2017.
Q: Which demographic group reported the lowest quality of life?
A: Hispanic respondents reported the lowest quality of life, with only 28 percent rating it as “excellent” or “good.”
Q: How has the feeling of safety in New York City changed since 2023?
A: The feeling of safety in New York City has increased slightly since 2023, with 42 percent of respondents rating public safety in their neighborhood as “excellent” or “good” in 2025, compared to 37 percent in 2023.
Q: What is the Citizens Budget Commission’s recommendation for improving quality of life and safety in New York City?
A: The Citizens Budget Commission recommends that local leaders focus on improving quality of life, safety, and government services, and that the city take on the task of producing regular surveys to track resident satisfaction and concerns.
