Inequality Grows In Queens Even As Unemployment Drops, Comptroller Says

QUEENS — Income inequality in Queens is growing even as the borough sees a drop in unemployment, according to a report released by the NYC Comptroller's office.

"Queens Neighborhood Economic Profiles" includes a detailed economic analysis of each neighborhood. Its finding show that the unemployment rate fell from 7.3 percent to 6.9 percent between 2000 and 2015.

There are currently 48,477 businesses operating in Queens, which shows a 33 percent increase since 2000.

"But it’s also true that the benefits of that business growth have not always been broadly distributed, and that deep disparities persist along racial, educational and geographic lines," said Comptroller Scott Stringer.

The number of residents who earn less than $25,000 in Queens increased by 19 percent while the number of residents earning more than $75,000 increased by 12 percent, according to the report.

The borough's population has increased six percent since 2000, with the elder population increasing 11 percent and the number of residents under 18 going down by 6 percent.

For the full study and neighborhood-specific data, click here.

Lead image via Francisco Daum/Flickr