This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as info-tainment. Don’t freak out.
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There are lots of people who throw the term ‘ghetto’ around. But where is the actual ghetto in New York?
How do you decide if a place is ghetto or not? You ask the internet. According to the Urban Dictionary, a ghetto is defined as:
“urban; of or relating to (inner) city life” and “poor; of or relating to the poor life.”
Using that criteria, it’s not hard to scrape the internet, run some scientific data on where ghettos might exist in a state and then put out a list.
After analyzing all cities with a decent amount of people in them, we came up with this list as the most ghetto places in New York:
- Monticello (Photos)
- Middletown
- Poughkeepsie (Photos)
- Hempstead (Photos)
- Troy (Photos)
- South Jamaica
- Uniondale
- Newburgh (Photos)
- Brownsville
- Utica (Photos)
Read on below to see where your town ranked.
For more New York reading, check out:
- Worst Cities in New York
- Most Dangerous Cities in New York
- Safest Cities in New York
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What ghetto criteria did we use?
In order to rank the most ghetto places in New York, we had to determine what criteria defines a ghetto city or neighborhood.
Since a ghetto is defined as a poor area, we used income levels and education levels as a guide to determine where the most broke citizens of a state live.
Additionally, the staples of inner city life include cheap and discounted retail outlets.
We started by making a list of every place in New York with more than 2,000 people based on the 2013 American Community Survey. That left us with over 500 places in the Empire State.
We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using Yelp and Area Vibes, this is the criteria we used:
- Household income levels
- High school graduation rates
- Number of convenience stores
- Number of drug stores
- Number of discount stores
Note: For the sake of getting reliable numbers, we counted places within a city’s border, as well as within a short driving distance.
All of these results are listed in a per capita basis. Meaning number of stores per person in a state. Additionally, high school graduation rates are determined by looking at the total number of people who live in a city, not the current graduation rate of an area’s high schools.
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1. Monticello
Source: wikipedia
Income: $22,897
High school: 75%
Convenience stores: 41st in NY
Discount stores: 20th
About 90 minutes north of downtown is the small, ghetto city of Monticello. Here, a quarter of the population is uneducated, and the median income is the lowest in the entire state.
The government says the poverty line for a family of 4 is $25,000. In Monticello, the average household earns less than that.
The number of drug stores and discount stores is in the top 5% in the state as well.
A recent raid by state and federal authorities brought down 14 criminals in Monticello, one of NYC suburbs with ties to major gangs. And an NPR story that was written not too long ago talked about how gangs are taking over these once decent middle class suburbs of NYC.
2. Middletown
Source: Public Domain
Income: $53,096
High school: 70%
Convenience stores: 20th
Middletown can also be considered a northern suburb of NYC.
And speaking of the NPR story, a majority of the focus was on Middletown. While, as recently as 2000, Middletown was a decent middle class suburb, it has really gone downhill since. There are ties to major gangs here, and it seems to be getting worse.
And the data backs that up. The average income and education levels in Middletown are far below average.
3. Poughkeepsie
Source: wikipedia
Income: $39,528
High school: 72%
Drug stores: 51st in NY
Three years ago, Forbes Magazine dissed Poughkeepsie big time, calling it one of the most miserable cities in America. If you give Poughkeepsie a Google, you’ll see many mentions from locals and former Vassar College students calling the place a ghetto, too.
The numbers back it up – Poughkeepsie’s overall income levels are in the bottom 10% in the state, and more than a quarter of the population never took the time to finish high school.
The inner city shopping experiences are in the top 20% – not the worst by far, but way up there.
Throw it all together, and what you have is a pretty ghetto city.
4. Hempstead
Source: wikipedia
Income: $53,729
High school: 65%
Drug stores: 11th most
There were 10 murders in Hempstead in 2013, making it one of the most dangerous places in the state. And when you look at the education numbers and number of inner city shopping outlets in the area, Hempstead is by definition, a ghetto.
Located on Long Island, this city has seen its fair share of negative coverage from news outlets across the country. Newsweek Magazine once wrote about the drug war that takes place here.
5. Troy
Source: wikipedia
Income: $38,122
High school: 75%
Convenience stores: 16th most
Troy has the 12th highest violent crime rate in the state of New York, and, statistically, is the 10th most dangerous place in the state overall.
Located on the banks of the Hudson River just north of Albany, Troy has been described as ghetto, grimy, gritty and run down on several internet forums, which backs up the data we analyzed.
6. South Jamaica
Source: Public Domain
Income: $58,343
High school: 66%
Drug stores: 9th most
South Jamaica is a working class neighborhood in Queens that’s pretty famously known as being called one of the most ghetto places in New York.
Merely 1 in 3 people graduated from high school here, and the number of reports of dangerous elements here is reported pretty much daily.
Notable residents of South Jamaica include 50 Cent, Nikki Minaj, G-Unit and a rapper called Mr. Cheeks.
7. Uniondale
Source: Public Domain
Income: $72,370
High school: 72%
Drug stores: 11th most
Uniondale is a CDP in Nassau County on Long Island in Hempstead. While not as dangerous as Hempstead, it’s still a pretty ghetto place when you look at the data. While certain parts of the area aren’t ‘ghetto’ by definition, the north side of Uniondale more than makes up for it.
Statistically, the north end of Uniondale is one of the more dangerous areas in the state, where education and income levels are in the bottom 5% of the state.
Here’s what one Twitter user had to say:
“Hempstead, and Uniondale is the ghetto of LI 4 those who don’t know. Ppl are always getting arrested”
8. Newburgh
Source: wikipedia
Income: $36,077
High school: 60%
Convenience stores: 12th most
Newburgh has the 2nd highest number of high school dropouts in the state of New York, and as a result, income levels are just about as low as you can get as well.
New York Magazine called Newburgh the murder capital of New York. It also referred to Newburgh as a place where drugs are openly sold, where gangs thrive, and where residents are afraid to walk on the streets, even in the daytime.
Newburgh is along the Hudson, about an hour’s drive north of downtown.
9. Brownsville
Source: Public Domain
Income: $31,833
High school: 30%
Drug stores: 1st
When you Google Brownsville, Google auto suggests ‘Brownsville New York crime rate’. And, there’s a subsection on the Brownsville Wikipedia page that mentions the police. That’s also not a good sign.
Brownsville is a neighborhood in Brooklyn with a staggeringly low 70% dropout rate, where the income levels are bordering the poverty line.
10. Utica
Source: wikipedia
Income: $31,048
High school: 73%
Convenience stores: 16th most
Utica has been cited in numerous studies as having one of the highest crime rates in the state of New York. When you look at the number of high school dropouts, income levels and inner city shopping options, you can see why.
In many of the chat rooms that talk about Utica, people argue back and forth about whether or not Utica is actually a ‘ghetto.’ Most former and current residents are resigned to the fact that, indeed, Utica has become a ghetto, but that it has potential to turn things around.
There You Have It
If you’re measuring the locations in New York where there are a high number of poor and uneducated residents, and where there are a high number of discounted shopping stores, this is an accurate list.
Additionally, here are the least ghetto places in New York:
- East Shoreham (Pop. 6,266)
- Fort Salonga (Pop. 9,875)
- West Hills (Pop. 5,297)
- Hastings-on-Hudson (Pop. 7,855)
- North Wantagh (Pop. 11,562)
We wrote about the 10 Drunkest Cities in New York if you want another interesting read.
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FAQs
What parts of NYC are the hood? ›
New York City Hoods: Manhattan
While much has changed for the streets of Manhattan, as this borough is one of the country's most gentrified communities, the hoods of Washington Heights, Lower East Side, and Harlem are not nearly the same as they once were.
1. Buffalo, NY. While there's plenty to love about the city of Buffalo, unfortunately, crime runs rampant there. The violent crime rate is lower than many of the other cities on this list, but the 1,018 per 100,000 rate is almost three times the national average.
What is the blackest neighborhood in New York City? ›Black New Yorkers cluster in Central Harlem, the north Bronx, central Brooklyn, and southeast Queens. The Hispanic population predominates in northern Manhattan, the Bronx, Elmhurst/Corona area, north and east Brooklyn, and parts of Staten Island.
Is Central Park safe at night? ›First off, it's never a good idea to go through Central Park at night. While Central Park is an idyllic tourist attraction during the day, it is technically supposed to be closed late at night and in the early hours of the morning. The vast majority of cases of crime and violence in the park occur at night.
Which neighborhood in NYC Is Safest? ›- Tribeca.
- Battery Park City.
- Kips Bay.
- Brooklyn Heights.
- Greenwich Village.
- Murray Hill.
- Nolita.
In New York City, a middle class income is considered between $61,000 and $180,000 for a household of three. Does it make sense to classify all of these income ranges as middle-class?
What are the 5 areas in NYC? ›NYC has five of them—the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island—each with dozens of neighborhoods lending their own local flavor. Here's a quick tour to help you decide where to head next.
What city has the most crime? ›| 2022 rank | Metro area | Violent crime per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 13.5 |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | 11.7 |
| 3 | Albuquerque, NM | 10.1 |
| 4 | Lubbock, TX | 9.2 |
Central and West Harlem are generally considered safe. Crime is increasing in Harlem, but most crimes involve residents with personal disputes. By the numbers, Harlem is a moderately dangerous neighborhood, and tourists should exercise caution when visiting.
What is the roughest city? ›Tijuana – Mexico
Tijuana is the most dangerous city in the world with 138 homicides per 100K people. Almost seven people are killed every day in this city. This city is famous for poverty and violent crime like rape, homicides, and kidnapping, etc.
What is the poorest part of New York City? ›
New York's persistently high-poverty neighborhoods are tightly clustered. Roughly half of them are in the Bronx, which contains only two turnaround neighborhoods.
Where do rich people live in New York? ›The most expensive neighborhoods in NYC for 2022 are Noho, Hudson Yards, Tribeca, Central Park South, and Nolita, and the median sales price in all of these areas is above $3 million dollars. As you probably expect, most rich New Yorkers live in Manhattan.
What is the quietest neighborhood in NYC? ›Times Square is a lively and fairly busy area both day and night. It is also a magnet for pickpockets and other petty thieves who blend into the crowded streets. Always be aware of your surroundings and keep your valuables tucked away and out of reach.
Is the Bronx safe? ›The Bronx is safe for tourists. However, it would be best to take precautions when walking around at night. Tourists should also avoid some of the rougher neighborhoods.
Who owns Central Park? ›Central Park is owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation but has been managed by the Central Park Conservancy since 1998, under a contract with the municipal government in a public–private partnership.
What is the cheapest city to live in New York? ›- Hornell. Hornell is located near the state's southern border, about 70 miles south of Rochester. ...
- Oneida. Oneida, New York, is located 30 miles east of Syracuse. ...
- Ogdensburg. Ogdensburg is located on the Saint Lawrence River, just south of the Canadian border. ...
- Norwich. ...
- Niagara Falls.
The most affordable neighborhoods in NYC for 2022 are the Bronx's Parkchester, Bedford Park, and Fieldston as well as Lindenwood and Briarwood in Queens. Median sales prices are under $300,000 in each of these NYC neighborhoods.
Where is the cheapest place to live near NYC? ›- Albany.
- Buffalo.
- Geneva.
- Hudson.
- Lake Placid.
- North Tonawanda.
- Saratoga Springs.
- Syracuse.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Earners | $201,139 | $16,761 |
| 75th Percentile | $163,972 | $13,664 |
| Average | $108,692 | $9,057 |
| 25th Percentile | $68,321 | $5,693 |
What is a good wage in NYC? ›
A good salary in New York, NY is anything over $54,000. That's because the median income in New York is $54,000, which means if you earn more than that you're earning more than 50% of the people living in New York. The average salary in New York is $64,741. A good hourly wage in New York is $25.96 per hour.
What kind of salary do you need to live in NYC? ›Living in NYC will require an annual salary of anywhere between 40K-100K after taxes. Of course, these figures vary depending on your living expenses, children (if any), and other monthly bills related to entertainment, health insurance, or transportation.
Why is it called Hell's Kitchen? ›The block of West 39th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues saw so much fighting it was nicknamed Battle Row. In 1881 an article in The New York Times referred to a particularly scurrilous tenement on the block as Hell's Kitchen, its first known use in print.
What does SoHo stand for? ›SoHo (an acronym for South of Houston Street) still features galleries, though these days the work within them tends toward the more high-end commercial—matching the luxury boutiques and independent-designer outposts that characterize the area.
Which New York borough is the nicest? ›“Manhattan has the highest number of Michelin-rated restaurants, highest-rated Zagat restaurants, most popular nightclubs, and trendiest bakeries than any other borough. Brooklyn is getting more now that there's more money in the gentrified neighborhoods like Dumbo, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and Bushwick.
What is America's most violent city? ›- Detroit, MI.
- Memphis, TN.
- Birmingham, AL.
- Baltimore, MD.
- St. Louis, MO.
- Kansas City, MO.
- Cleveland, OH.
- Little Rock, AR.
Louisiana came in first as the most dangerous state in the nation with a violent crime rate of 564 per 100,000 people and had 738 murders in 2021. At the bottom of the list was Kansas with a violent crime rate of 345.8 per 100,000 people and 141 murders last year.
What is the safest state to live in? ›Vermont is the safest state in the United States, according to a new report from WalletHub. The ranking is based on 53 different indicators ranging from unemployment rates to assaults per capita. Vermont is followed by Maine, New Hampshire, Utah, and Hawaii, respectively.
Is Hell's Kitchen Safe? ›Hell's Kitchen is no longer the dangerous place its name suggests. The neighborhood, stretching from about 34th Street to 59th Streets, and west from Eighth Avenue to the Hudson, has become a safe and desirable place to live, with prices still generally lower than in surrounding areas.
Is Manhattan safe? ›While Manhattan is a safe area overall, there are certain neighborhoods with lower rates of violent and property crime. You might notice that the population of these neighborhoods is largely composed of singles, families with young children, and retirees.
Is Brooklyn safe? ›
Yes, Brooklyn is safe to visit, given you know where to go.
Safe neighborhoods also exist throughout the borough, but many lack notable attractions. There are also dangerous parts of Brooklyn. Areas like East New York and Brownsville are dangerous neighborhoods that tourists should avoid at all costs.
1. Afghanistan. With a 2022 score of 3.554 (actually slightly safer than 2021's 3.631), Afghanistan remains the most dangerous country in the world for the fifth year in a row.
What city has the lowest crime rate? ›- Glens Falls, NY. Population: 14,722. ...
- Ridgefield, CT. Population: 25,011. ...
- Midland, MI. Population: 83,445. ...
- Port St. Lucie, FL. ...
- McKinney, TX. Population: 202,690. ...
- Frisco, TX. Population: 210,719. ...
- Sunnyvale, CA. Population: 152,258. ...
- Portland, ME. Population: 68,313. Median Household income: $61,695.
1. Venezuela: Venezuela is considered one of the countries with highest crime rate in the world with widespread of violent crimes such as murder and kidnapping being on the increase annually.
Where should I avoid in NYC? ›Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, and Dumbo are the risky NYC neighborhoods to steer clear from. There are a few select neighborhoods in New York City that you should avoid if you want to stay safe. If you decide to move with moving companies Brooklyn, avoid these places in that area.
What is the safest area in New York? ›- Tribeca.
- Battery Park City.
- Kips Bay.
- Brooklyn Heights.
- Greenwich Village.
- Murray Hill.
- Nolita.
Central and West Harlem are generally considered safe. Crime is increasing in Harlem, but most crimes involve residents with personal disputes. By the numbers, Harlem is a moderately dangerous neighborhood, and tourists should exercise caution when visiting.
What is the safest borough in New York City? ›The only borough that's considered safer is Staten Island, but it also has a population that is 5x smaller than in Queens. NYC is among the safest large cities in the world, but that doesn't mean it's without its dangerous areas.
Is it safe to walk in NYC now? ›Stay alert to your surroundings and stick to the tourist areas rather than exploring off the beaten path by yourself. Overall, New York City is a rather safe city for solo travelers. New York City is safe at night too, because the streets have plenty of lights, and people are walking around at all hours.
Is Brooklyn or Manhattan safer? ›Crime Rates - Manhattan and Brooklyn Are Equally Safe
The crime indexes in Manhattan and Brooklyn are, according to Neighborhood Scout, 30 and 32, respectively. There are many more crimes committed in Brooklyn, but that's also because the population is much larger than in Manhattan.
Which part of New York is the best to live in? ›
The nicest neighborhoods in New York are Park Slope, the East Village, and Astoria. These areas have an excellent array of restaurants, nightlife, parks, and local events.
Which New York borough is the best? ›“Manhattan has the highest number of Michelin-rated restaurants, highest-rated Zagat restaurants, most popular nightclubs, and trendiest bakeries than any other borough. Brooklyn is getting more now that there's more money in the gentrified neighborhoods like Dumbo, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and Bushwick.
Where do the rich live in NYC? ›The most expensive neighborhoods in NYC for 2022 are Noho, Hudson Yards, Tribeca, Central Park South, and Nolita, and the median sales price in all of these areas is above $3 million dollars. As you probably expect, most rich New Yorkers live in Manhattan.
What percent of Harlem is black? ›The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 9.5% (11,322) White, 63% (74,735) African American, 0.3% (367) Native American, 2.4% (2,839) Asian, 0% (46) Pacific Islander, 0.3% (372) from other races, and 2.2% (2,651) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.2% (26,333) of the population.
Is the Bronx or Brooklyn worse? ›The Bronx vs Other Boroughs in NYC
The Bronx has the highest rate of violent crime in the city. The rate of violent crime in the Bronx is close to twice what it is in Brooklyn and Manhattan and nearly three times that of Queens and State Island.
Meanwhile, the cleanest are Stuy Town in Manhattan, Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill in Brooklyn, Co-op City in the Bronx, Springfield Gardens in Queens and Grymes Hill in Staten Island. The study found that the winter months of February and March are the worst for complaints.