Like all states, New York has certain places that are going on hard times. These New York places have an above-average percentage of people living in poverty, out of work, or not making as much as they should be.
Even as the economy continues to improve, it’s worthwhile to look at the places in each state struggling to make ends meet. So we set our sites on locating the poorest places in New York.
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the newest Census data from the American Community Survey for the 170 cities in New York with more than 5,000 people.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Poorest Places In New York For 2025:
What’s the poorest city in New York? According to the facts, Kaser is the poorest place in New York for 2025.
This isn’t a commentary on the people that live there or the vibrant culture and traditions of these places. Instead, it’s just a look at the facts.
For more New York reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In New York
- Cheapest Places To Live In New York
- Most Dangerous Places In New York
- The poorest states in the US
- The poorest cities in the US
The 10 Poorest Cities In New York For 2025
1. Kaser
/10
Population: 5,568
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Median Income: $28,295 (lowest)
Poverty Rate: 61.3% (highest)
People In Poverty: 3,412
More on Kaser: Data
Kaser, unfortunately, ranks as the poorest place in New York thanks to combination of low pay and and a lack of jobs.
The city of 5,568 people averages the lowest median household income in New York and the highest poverty rate. At the very least, the cost of living ranks in the bottom 15% of place in the state, so things like housing are relatively affordable.
2. New Square
/10
Population: 9,712
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Median Income: $28,880 (2nd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 60.8% (2nd highest)
People In Poverty: 5,903
More on New Square: Data
The second poorest city in New York is New Square.
The city ranks as having the 2nd highest incidence of poverty and 2nd lowest median household income. However, the unemployment rate ‘only’ ranks as the 25th highest in the Empire State.
3. Kiryas Joel
/10
Population: 36,572
Rank Last Year: 4 (Up 1)
Median Income: $43,171 (6th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 40.2% (3rd highest)
People In Poverty: 14,716
More on Kiryas Joel: Data
Placing as the third poorest city, Kiryas Joel’s median income ranks as the 6th lowest.
And that’s a sign that there’s a relatively substantial jump in the quality of the economy from second to third place on our list. The poverty rate is 40.24% and ranks near the bottom of places in the state.
But what makes up for the relatively low incomes of the city is its low cost of living. The income you do make here goes further than in most parts of the Empire State.
4. Geneseo
/10
Population: 7,700
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 1)
Median Income: $44,830 (8th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 33.9% (5th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,612
More on Geneseo: Data
Geneseo ranks as the fourth poorest place in New York.
The town ranks as having the 8th lowest median household income and the 5th highest incidence of poverty in the state.
That being said, there’s still a ton of cultural diversity in the city as it hosts many events throughout the year.
5. Binghamton
/10
Population: 47,357
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 1)
Median Income: $44,331 (7th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 32.9% (6th highest)
People In Poverty: 15,570
More on Binghamton: Data
The fifth poorest city in New York is Binghamton.
The city ranks as having the 7th lowest median income in the state. However, an extremely low cost of living prevents a good number of folks from living in poverty as the poverty rate only ranks as the 6th highest in New York.
Still not the best news for Binghamton.
6. Potsdam
/10
Population: 8,507
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 6)
Median Income: $32,061 (3rd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 26.7% (16th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,272
More on Potsdam: Data
Potsdam ranks as the sixth poorest place in the Empire State.
It ranks as having the 16th highest incidence of poverty and the 43rd highest unemployment rate.
7. Elmira
/10
Population: 26,349
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 3)
Median Income: $43,089 (5th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 26.9% (15th highest)
People In Poverty: 7,082
More on Elmira: Data
Elmira places as the seventh poorest city in New York.
The city of over 26,349 ranks as having the 15th highest incidence of poverty in the state. However, it has a very low cost of living which helps to pay the bills each month.
8. Syracuse
/10
Population: 146,211
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Income: $45,845 (12th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 29.6% (8th highest)
People In Poverty: 43,234
More on Syracuse: Data
Syracuse ranks as the eighth poorest city in New York.
The big issue for the town is the unemployment rate which ranks as one of the highest in the state.
9. Endicott
/10
Population: 13,456
Rank Last Year: 9 (No Change)
Median Income: $46,685 (15th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 29.5% (10th highest)
People In Poverty: 3,974
More on Endicott: Data
Endicott couldn’t stay out of the top ten poorest places in New York; it ranks number 9.
While the median income is the 15th lowest, there are a substantial number of people that live below the poverty line. Overall, Endicott ranks as having the 10th most people living in poverty of all the places we analyzed in New York.
10. Salamanca
/10
Population: 5,878
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 3)
Median Income: $39,871 (4th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 24.3% (2highest)
People In Poverty: 1,430
More on Salamanca: Data
And rounding out the top ten poorest cities in New York is Salamanca.
The city of 5,878 people ranks in the bottom 20% for both median income and poverty rate in the Empire State.
Methodology: How We Determined The Poorest Places In New York for 2025
The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think about determining the poorest places is to simply the poverty rate. That is, the number of people living below a federally established level of income for a household of a certain size.
However, we don’t think that one statistic wholly encompasses what it means to be one of the “poorest places”. So we used Saturday Night Science to look at this set of criteria from the newly released 2019-2023 American Community Survey:
- Poverty Level
- Median Household Income
After we collected the data for all 170 places with more than 5,000 people in New York, we ranked each place from 1 to 170 for each of the criteria, with 1 being the poorest.
We then averaged all the rankings for a place into a “Poor Score” with the place having the lowest overall Poor Score, Kaser, crowned the “Poorest Place In New York For 2025”.
This report has been updated for 2025, which is our tenth time ranking the poorest places in New York.
Summary: The Poorest Cities In New York For 2025
Like we said earlier, when we set out to identify the poorest places in New York, we weren’t sure what we’d encounter, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in New York.
When you look at the data, the cities and places mentioned above meet the criteria for being at the very bottom of the income ladder for everyone that lives there.
If you’re curious enough, here are the richest cities in New York, according to data:
-
Richest: Pelham Manor
2nd Richest: Scarsdale
3rd Richest: Sea Cliff
For more New York reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In New York
- Safest Places In New York According To Science
- Worst Places To Live In New York State
- Most Expensive Places To Live In New York
Detailed List Of The Poorest Places To Live In New York
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Rate | Median Income | People In Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaser | 5,568 | 61.3% | $28,295 | 3,412 |
| 2 | New Square | 9,712 | 60.8% | $28,880 | 5,903 |
| 3 | Kiryas Joel | 36,572 | 40.2% | $43,171 | 14,716 |
| 4 | Geneseo | 7,700 | 33.9% | $44,830 | 2,612 |
| 5 | Binghamton | 47,357 | 32.9% | $44,331 | 15,570 |
| 6 | Potsdam | 8,507 | 26.7% | $32,061 | 2,272 |
| 7 | Elmira | 26,349 | 26.9% | $43,089 | 7,082 |
| 8 | Syracuse | 146,211 | 29.6% | $45,845 | 43,234 |
| 9 | Endicott | 13,456 | 29.5% | $46,685 | 3,974 |
| 10 | Salamanca | 5,878 | 24.3% | $39,871 | 1,430 |
| 11 | Monticello | 7,252 | 29.6% | $47,464 | 2,142 |
| 12 | Rochester | 209,720 | 26.6% | $46,628 | 55,848 |
| 13 | Buffalo | 276,397 | 27.4% | $48,050 | 75,649 |
| 14 | Ithaca | 31,792 | 28.4% | $48,617 | 9,032 |
| 15 | Jamestown | 28,401 | 24.0% | $44,878 | 6,819 |
| 16 | Albion | 5,495 | 23.1% | $45,474 | 1,267 |
| 17 | Olean | 13,798 | 24.1% | $47,553 | 3,329 |
| 18 | Massena | 10,234 | 24.5% | $48,810 | 2,503 |
| 19 | Fredonia | 9,601 | 24.0% | $47,694 | 2,308 |
| 20 | Dunkirk | 12,597 | 24.9% | $49,003 | 3,135 |
| 21 | Utica | 64,440 | 27.6% | $51,513 | 17,798 |
| 22 | Newburgh | 28,649 | 27.1% | $51,006 | 7,761 |
| 23 | Spring Valley | 32,995 | 31.2% | $56,151 | 10,294 |
| 24 | Hornell | 8,173 | 21.6% | $46,321 | 1,763 |
| 25 | Niagara Falls | 48,198 | 23.7% | $48,535 | 11,422 |
| 26 | Lackawanna | 19,779 | 22.6% | $48,185 | 4,475 |
| 27 | New Paltz | 8,028 | 36.4% | $59,375 | 2,919 |
| 28 | Plattsburgh | 19,878 | 24.2% | $53,962 | 4,802 |
| 29 | Fulton | 11,339 | 24.1% | $52,123 | 2,732 |
| 30 | Bath | 5,595 | 18.7% | $45,514 | 1,045 |
| 31 | Gloversville | 15,010 | 21.6% | $49,155 | 3,240 |
| 32 | Watertown | 24,574 | 20.8% | $49,692 | 5,113 |
| 33 | Amsterdam | 18,162 | 20.9% | $50,193 | 3,803 |
| 34 | Mechanicville | 5,143 | 18.5% | $47,331 | 949 |
| 35 | Auburn | 26,475 | 20.0% | $49,377 | 5,289 |
| 36 | Port Jervis | 8,709 | 20.8% | $50,721 | 1,807 |
| 37 | Hudson | 5,900 | 22.1% | $55,394 | 1,305 |
| 38 | Cortland | 17,465 | 21.9% | $55,368 | 3,833 |
| 39 | Schenectady | 68,521 | 23.1% | $56,398 | 15,862 |
| 40 | Troy | 51,054 | 23.8% | $57,688 | 12,166 |
| 41 | Oswego | 17,028 | 21.1% | $53,286 | 3,599 |
| 42 | Johnson City | 15,130 | 19.6% | $51,667 | 2,963 |
| 43 | Cohoes | 18,043 | 25.3% | $62,111 | 4,559 |
| 44 | Liberty | 5,083 | 17.7% | $49,125 | 901 |
| 45 | Watervliet | 10,285 | 19.9% | $55,897 | 2,047 |
| 46 | Albany | 100,081 | 23.4% | $59,485 | 23,368 |
| 47 | Norwich | 6,880 | 19.0% | $51,713 | 1,305 |
| 48 | Herkimer | 7,335 | 19.5% | $57,281 | 1,430 |
| 49 | Ogdensburg | 9,600 | 19.5% | $59,306 | 1,869 |
| 50 | Rome | 31,795 | 18.1% | $58,857 | 5,764 |
| 51 | Brockport | 7,153 | 17.6% | $58,237 | 1,259 |
| 52 | Newark | 9,040 | 17.1% | $58,096 | 1,546 |
| 53 | Canton | 7,222 | 19.7% | $62,438 | 1,423 |
| 54 | Saranac Lake | 5,099 | 18.6% | $60,494 | 948 |
| 55 | Poughkeepsie | 31,778 | 18.0% | $60,050 | 5,732 |
| 56 | Lockport | 20,699 | 15.9% | $59,153 | 3,301 |
| 57 | Rensselaer | 9,247 | 19.6% | $66,046 | 1,810 |
| 58 | Oneonta | 14,467 | 19.2% | $65,031 | 2,771 |
| 59 | Batavia | 15,494 | 12.8% | $57,150 | 1,986 |
| 60 | Kingston | 23,942 | 19.1% | $65,413 | 4,580 |
| 61 | Corning | 10,666 | 15.8% | $61,017 | 1,682 |
| 62 | Malone | 5,466 | 14.3% | $59,489 | 779 |
| 63 | Ilion | 7,636 | 15.0% | $61,880 | 1,143 |
| 64 | Geneva | 12,573 | 18.3% | $68,242 | 2,295 |
| 65 | Hudson Falls | 7,401 | 13.6% | $62,237 | 1,008 |
| 66 | Oneida | 10,240 | 12.8% | $60,380 | 1,306 |
| 67 | Haverstraw | 12,273 | 17.0% | $67,447 | 2,083 |
| 68 | Horseheads | 6,494 | 10.4% | $59,267 | 677 |
| 69 | Webster | 5,734 | 15.2% | $66,584 | 869 |
| 70 | Solvay | 6,590 | 10.3% | $58,944 | 676 |
| 71 | Tonawanda | 15,044 | 12.0% | $61,619 | 1,802 |
| 72 | New York | 8,516,202 | 17.4% | $79,713 | 1,478,412 |
| 73 | Middletown | 30,227 | 15.5% | $77,174 | 4,688 |
| 74 | North Syracuse | 6,727 | 12.1% | $66,158 | 813 |
| 75 | Mount Vernon | 72,528 | 13.6% | $77,171 | 9,863 |
| 76 | North Tonawanda | 30,338 | 12.1% | $66,774 | 3,683 |
| 77 | Yonkers | 209,529 | 14.7% | $81,816 | 30,737 |
| 78 | Hempstead | 58,569 | 14.8% | $82,454 | 8,691 |
| 79 | Medina | 5,799 | 10.1% | $63,972 | 585 |
| 80 | Glens Falls | 14,678 | 11.6% | $70,089 | 1,698 |
| 81 | Canandaigua | 10,542 | 9.4% | $63,268 | 994 |
| 82 | Walden | 6,871 | 12.9% | $89,652 | 884 |
| 83 | Glen Cove | 28,101 | 13.3% | $91,355 | 3,745 |
| 84 | West Haverstraw | 10,663 | 12.6% | $86,167 | 1,339 |
| 85 | Johnstown | 8,153 | 8.2% | $62,333 | 671 |
| 86 | Fairport | 5,436 | 12.9% | $99,805 | 700 |
| 87 | Kenmore | 15,097 | 9.7% | $75,768 | 1,458 |
| 88 | East Rochester | 6,263 | 9.1% | $72,036 | 571 |
| 89 | Baldwinsville | 7,732 | 9.6% | $80,104 | 743 |
| 90 | Port Chester | 31,162 | 12.0% | $99,916 | 3,736 |
| 91 | Hilton | 5,990 | 9.9% | $85,390 | 594 |
| 92 | Depew | 15,065 | 8.3% | $75,226 | 1,247 |
| 93 | Peekskill | 25,484 | 10.0% | $91,042 | 2,543 |
| 94 | Wappingers Falls | 5,694 | 4.8% | $58,455 | 272 |
| 95 | Airmont | 10,082 | 12.5% | $101,868 | 1,264 |
| 96 | Ballston Spa | 5,080 | 8.4% | $82,341 | 424 |
| 97 | Saratoga Springs | 28,542 | 10.3% | $100,485 | 2,945 |
| 98 | Mount Kisco | 10,782 | 9.3% | $93,057 | 1,002 |
| 99 | New Rochelle | 81,591 | 10.6% | $103,813 | 8,681 |
| 100 | Beacon | 14,629 | 8.4% | $93,347 | 1,224 |