This Is The Worst County To Live In New York

Buffalo NY

29 July, 2021

11:38 AM

Description

By Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. Buffalo 2021-07-28 Life expectancy fell by 1.5 years in the United States in 2020. The decline, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid crisis, represents the most pronounced regression in public health in the United States since World War II. While the most recent dip in life expectancy in the U.S. is alarming, there are many parts of the country where poor health outcomes and other socioeconomic hardships have long been the norm. Using an index of three measures — life expectancy at birth, bachelor's degree attainment, and poverty rate — 24/7 Wall St. identified the worst counties to live in in every state. Bronx County, one of the five boroughs of New York City, ranks as the worst place to live in New York state. The 28.0% poverty rate in the Bronx is the highest of any of New York's 62 counties and nearly double the 14.1% state poverty rate. The area's high poverty is likely due in part to widespread unemployment. As of May 2021, the unemployment rate in the Bronx was 13.5%, the highest of any county in the state and well above the 7.8% jobless rate across New York. Widespread economic insecurity in the Bronx is likely due in part to low educational attainment rates. Only 72.8% of adults in the county have completed high school, and 20.1% have a bachelor's degree. Meanwhile, across the state, 86.8% of adults have completed high school, and 36.6% of adults have a bachelor's degree. Data on bachelor's degree attainment and poverty are from the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey and are five-year estimates. Data on average life expectancy at birth came from the 2021 County Health Rankings, a joint program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, and are based on mortality data from the years 2017 to 2019. Supplemental data on population and income are from the ACS, and unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted for May 2021 and are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the worst county to live in every state. Can't see the article's infographic? Click here to view the original story.This story was originally published by 24/7 Wall St., a news organization that produces real-time business commentary and data-driven reporting for state and local markets across the country.