The Municipal Art Society of New York

Supported by The Rockefeller Foundation
Conducted by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion
Released October 2010

Overall Satisfaction

New Yorkers are positive about their neighborhoods and the city as a whole, but residents of some boroughs are less positive about both New York City and their communities.

• New Yorkers are very satisfied living in New York City (84% very satisfied and satisfied)
• the intensity of satisfaction is significantly higher in Manhattan than the other boroughs and among people who make more than $75k

• New Yorkers are very satisfied living in their neighborhoods (82% very satisfied and satisfied)
• although in general people are satisfied, there are differences by borough, income level and race (9 of 10 Manhattanites satisfied, but 3 of 10 Bronx residents dissatisfied; 22% African-American and 29% Latino dissatisfied, vs. only 9% Whites)

• More New Yorkers think the city has gotten better during the time they’ve lived here (40% better vs. 30% worse vs. 29% stayed the same)
• Manhattanites have a much rosier outlook (58% better) than Bronx residents (28% better)
• NY’ers with higher incomes are more likely to say the city is better (53%) than worse (33%)

• Almost half of all New Yorkers think their neighborhoods have stayed the same since they moved into them (46% stayed the same vs. 33% better vs. 21% worse)
• Manhattanites (52%) and Brooklynites (36%) feel things have gotten better, vs only 21% of Staten Islanders
• Bronx residents are most likely to believe that things are worse (32% vs. 12% Manhattan)

City/Neighborhood Longevity

Most New Yorkers are long-time city residents. The average length of time residents have lived in New York is 30 years, and 17 years in their neighborhood. More than half of New Yorkers have lived in the same neighborhood for more than 10 years.

• Affordability and proximity to family and friends were the top reasons New Yorkers chose to live where they do (29% for affordability, 24% proximity)
• If given the opportunity to move, most New Yorkers (62%) would either continue living in the same place or move to another part of the same neighborhood
• 15% of residents would move to another area in New York City
• One-quarter of residents (24%) would move out of New York City altogether
• Manhattanites were most positive about staying put (63%); Bronx residents least positive (35%)
• More Bronx residents (39%) and Staten Island (33%) residents would opt to move out of New York than residents of other boroughs
• Bronx residents are most likely to move out of NYC if given the opportunity (39%)
• More African-Americans (31%) opted to move out of New York than Whites (18%)
• More people earning more than $75k (59%) would stay put, versus people earning less (45%)

Neighborhood Attributes

New Yorkers overall are very positive about a number of neighborhood attributes, but there were some disparities among the boroughs, and along racial and economic lines.

• Cleanliness
• Overall, 76% strongly agree or agree that their neighborhood is clean (Staten Island most positive, 85%)
• 36% of Bronx residents disagree that their neighborhood is clean
• In terms of intensity of feeling, respondents earning more than $75k were more likely than those earning less to strongly agree that their neighborhood was clean (19% vs. 11%); Whites (21%) were more likely to strongly agree than African-Americans (9%) or Latinos (12%) that their neighborhoods are clean.

• Schools
• Overall, 63% of New Yorkers strongly agree or agree that their neighborhood schools are good (Staten Island is most positive, 81% vs. 54% in the Bronx)
• This is a rare instance where Manhattanites are not the most positive (56% strongly agree or agree)
• African-Americans (20%) and Latinos (26%) were much more likely to disagree than Whites (13%)

• Parks and Green Spaces
• Overall, 76% of New Yorkers strongly agree or agree that their neighborhood has good parks and green spaces
• In terms of intensity of feeling, Manhattanites (26%) and Staten Islanders (24%) strongly agree vs. Queens (only 14%)
• More than 30% (32%) of Brooklynites don’t believe they have good parks or green spaces in their neighborhoods
• More African-Americans (29%) and Latinos (28%) don’t believe they have good parks or green spaces than Whites (19%)

• Good Place to Raise Children
• Overall, 72% of New Yorkers think their neighborhood is a good place to raise children (led by Staten Islanders, 84% vs. Bronxites, 55%)
• Almost 4 in 10 (38%) Bronx residents do not feel that their neighborhood is a good place to raise children
• Respondents with higher incomes were more positive about their neighborhoods as a good place to raise children (82% respondents earning more than $75K vs. 68% those earning less than $75k)

• Safe to Walk at Night
• Overall, 74% strongly agreed or agreed that they feel safe walking at night by themselves
• More than 4 in 10 (41%) Bronx residents and more than 3 in 10 (31%) Brooklyn residents say they do not feel safe
• Income disparity – 31% of people earning less than $75k do not feel safe vs. 14% of people earning more than $75k

• Easy Access to Public Transportation Services
• Overall, 93% strongly agreed or agreed that their neighborhood has easy access to public transportation (Brooklyn led with 95% vs. Staten Island, 85%)

• Noise
• More than half of New Yorkers (54%) do not think their neighborhood is noisy, but a majority of Manhattanites (56%) and half of Bronxites (50%) do
• An overwhelming number of Staten Island residents (73%) do not think their neighborhoods are noisy

• People Moving In and Out
• Overall, more than half of New Yorkers (55%) strongly agree or agree that people frequently move in and out of their neighborhoods
• This perception, however, is contrary to the data showing that people lived in their neighborhood for an average of 17 years

• Good Place to Walk
• Overall, 85% of New Yorkers believe their neighborhoods are good places to walk
• African-Americans (18%) and Latinos (19%) are more likely than Whites (8%) to disagree
• New Yorkers earning more than $75k are more than twice as likely to strongly agree than those earning less (33% vs. 15%)

Services and Amenities

New Yorkers are more divided – and less positive overall – about a number of city services and amenities in their neighborhoods.

• Street Repair and Maintenance
• Overall, New Yorkers are divided on this, a slim majority (51%) rate street repair and maintenance in their neighborhoods as excellent or good
• Majorities in Staten Island (59%), Bronx (55%) and Queens (51%) rate these services as fair or poor

• Police Protection
• Overall, 67% of New Yorkers rate police protection as excellent or good (77% of Manhattanites most positive)
• Almost half of Bronx residents (47%) rate it as fair or poor
• Whites were significantly more likely to rate it as excellent or good (77%) than Latinos (58%) or African-Americans (60%)

• Quality of Shopping
• Overall, 65% felt that the quality of shopping in their neighborhood is excellent or good
• Bronx residents (43%) rate the quality of shopping in their neighborhoods as fair or poor

• Quality of Grocery Stores and Markets
• Overall, 71% of New Yorkers say they have excellent or good grocery stores and markets in their neighborhoods (Staten Island leads, 75% vs. Bronx, 60%)
• Nearly 3 in 10 (29%) New Yorkers – and 4 in 10 Bronx residents — rate their neighborhood grocery stores and markets as fair or poor

• Variety of Good Restaurants
• Overall, 63% of New Yorkers say their neighborhoods have an excellent or good variety of restaurants (Manhattan leads, 76% vs. Bronx, 44%)
• More than half of Bronx residents (56%) are dissatisfied with the variety of restaurants in their neighborhoods, rating it fair or poor
• More Whites (75%) than African-Americans and Latinos (57% each) rate the variety of neighborhood restaurants as excellent or good

• Variety of Entertainment (Cinemas and Theater)
• Overall, a majority New Yorkers are dissatisfied with the variety of entertainment in their neighborhoods, with 59% rating it fair or poor
• A majority of Manhattanites (57%) rate their variety as excellent or good, but majorities in every other borough feel otherwise

Support for Goods Made in New York

Surprisingly, a majority (57%) of New Yorkers believe that a “made in New York” label means that they are contributing to the local economy rather than paying more for the product (29%). 14% are unsure.

• Responses divide by race and income
• White residents are significantly more likely to feel they are contributing to the local economy (70% vs. 50% of African-Americans and 53% of Latinos)
• People earning at least $75k are more likely to say the label meant contributing to the economy (75% vs. 52% of those earning less than 75k)
• More than 4 in 10 Bronx residents think the label means they are paying too much for the product

Attitudes Toward Housing and Business Development

Nearly 4 in 10 (37%) New Yorkers oppose more housing development in their communities but 42% support the development of small businesses that fit into their neighborhoods.

• Housing Development
• Overall, when it comes to housing in their neighborhoods, 21% of New Yorkers feel the priority should be to preserve and restore existing buildings; 14% say to build new housing but only in the style of existing housing; 28% to build new housing which is affordable regardless of the style; and 37% of New Yorkers say there shouldn’t be any more housing development in their neighborhoods
• Staten Islanders are most opposed to more housing in their neighborhoods (67%)
• Brooklyn residents are least opposed (28%)
• More than 3 in 10 Manhattanites prefer preservation and restoration of existing buildings
• Almost 4 in 10 Brooklynites (38%) favor the development of affordable housing, regardless of the style
• More African-Americans (39%) and Latinos (34%) favor the development of affordable housing than Whites (15%)

• Business Development
• 78% of New Yorkers favor supporting existing businesses or developing new businesses in their communities
• Overall, when it comes to business development in their neighborhoods, 14% of New Yorkers say to preserve and support existing businesses; 42% support the development of small businesses that fit into their neighborhood; 22% support the development of large businesses that will employ many people regardless of whether it fits into their neighborhood. Only 15% believe there should be no more business development in their neighborhoods
• More African-Americans (30%) and Latinos (28%) than Whites (10%) favored the development of large businesses that employ many people
• 25% of people earning less than $75k favored large businesses than those earning $75k or more (14%)

Attitudes toward Parks and Open Space

When given the choice between having more parks and green space or housing, stores or businesses in their neighborhoods, New Yorkers overwhelmingly favor parks (62% vs. 34%), but income level and race are important factors. Most New Yorkers say they use parks regularly.

• Parks vs. Other Development
• More residents of Bronx (37%), Brooklyn (39%), Queens (37%) and Manhattan (26%) than Staten Island residents (16%) favor new housing, shopping or business development
• More Whites (71%) than Latinos (51%) or African-Americans (53%) favor parks over new housing or shopping
• More New Yorkers earning at least $75k (74%) favor parks than those earning less than $75k (60%)

• Use of Parks
• Overall, 60% of New Yorkers say they use their neighborhood parks often (a great deal or good amount)
• A majority of residents of every borough except the Bronx use parks often
• Manhattanites (75%) lead the group
• 52% of Bronx residents do not use parks much or at all
• Whites are more likely to use parks often (69%) than Latinos (58%) or African-Americans (53%)
• 70% of New Yorkers earning at least $75k use parks often, as opposed to 57% of those earning less than $75k
• Of those who do not use parks or open spaces, a plurality (33%) say the reason is that they do not have time
• Nearly 1 in 5 Staten Islanders (19%) say they don’t use parks because there aren’t any in their neighborhood
• 1 in 5 Latinos don’t use parks because they feel they aren’t safe
• More New Yorkers earning $75k or more (44%) cite lack of time than those earning less (29%)

Attitudes toward Local Shops vs. Chain Stores

New Yorkers prefer to shop in large chain stores for groceries and clothing, even though they feel that there are many locally-owned businesses in their neighborhoods

• Grocery Shopping
• Overall, 54% of New Yorkers favor large chain retailers for groceries, with Staten Islanders leading the boroughs (68%)
• Fewer Manhattanites favor large chain stores (45%) over small locally-owned shops
• White New Yorkers favor local grocery stores (50%) than Latinos (39%) or African-Americans (31%)

• Clothes Shopping
• Two-thirds of New Yorkers (66%) prefer to buy clothing in large chain stores than locally-owned stores (29%)
• More Manhattanites (37%) prefer local shops than other city residents

• Big Box Retail vs. Local Stores
• More than 7 in 10 New Yorkers (72%) feel that there are plenty of locally-owned small businesses in their neighborhoods
• Only 21% feel that large chain stores have replaced many of their local shops

Borough Bests

When asked to compare boroughs on a host of factors – friendliest, affordability, best for families, New Yorkers display their borough pride, with some interesting surprises.

• Best Place to Live?
• Manhattan wins with 31%, then a tie between Brooklyn and Queens with 24%, Staten Island gets 9% and the Bronx gets 7%
• More people earning $75k or more vote for Manhattan (40%) than those who earn less (29%)
• More Whites vote for Manhattan (37%) than African-Americans (24%) or Latinos (30%)

• Safest?
• Almost 4 in 10 (38%) believe Manhattan is the safest borough; only 5% say the Bronx is the safest borough
• More Bronx residents (42%) vote Manhattan safer than their own borough (25%)

• Friendliest?
• Manhattan wins with 28%, followed by Brooklyn (24%) and Queens (23%)
• Staten Island and the Bronx tie for last place, with 7% each
• More Latinos (35%) vote for Manhattan than African-Americans (26%) and Whites (23%)

• Has Best Job Opportunities?
• Manhattan wins overwhelmingly (78%)
• Bronx and Staten Island tie for last place (2% each)

• Most Family Friendly?
• Queens wins (30%), with Brooklyn a close second (28%)
• Bronx in last place with 7%
• Although 31% of Manhattanites vote for their own borough, slightly more (32%) voted for Brooklyn
• African-Americans (12%) are more than twice as likely to vote for the Bronx as Whites (5%)
• More Latinos (22%) and African-Americans (17%) vote for Manhattan than Whites (10%)
• More Whites (17%) vote for Staten Island than African-Americans (8%)

• Most Affordable?
• Bronx leads (26%), then Brooklyn (23%) and Queens (21%)
• Manhattan last at 4%

Who’s Happiest?

Surprisingly, more than 9 in 10 New Yorkers describe themselves as very happy or happy. Race and income differences are notable.

• Happiest Borough?
• Staten Island (95%), Queens (93%), Manhattan (91%), Brooklyn (89%), and the Bronx (86%)

• Race and Unhappiness?
• Twice as many Latinos (12%) and African-Americans (10%) than Whites (5%) describe themselves as not very happy

• Income and Happiness?
• More New Yorkers earning $75k or more (42%) describe themselves as very happy than people earning less (29%)

How the Survey was Conducted
This survey of 1,005 New York City residents was conducted by The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion from September 29th through October 6th, 2010. Residents 18 years of age and older were interviewed by telephone. Telephone numbers were randomly generated and selected based upon a list of telephone exchanges from throughout the city. The exchanges were selected to ensure that each borough was represented in proportion to its population. The city sample was stratified by borough (with approximately 200 interviews in each) to allow for borough level analysis. The sample was balanced so that each borough reflects its proportion of the New York City adult population. To increase coverage, this land-line sample was supplemented by respondents reached through random dialing of cell phone numbers. The two samples were then combined. Results are statistically significant within ±3.1 percentage points. The error margin increases for cross-tabulations

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