Brooklynites are unhappy.
Approximately 32% of Brooklyn residents rated quality of life in NYC positively, as “Excellent” or “Good,” in 2023, down from roughly 52% in 2017, according to Straight from New Yorkers, a recently released report by The Citizens Budget Commission (CBC).
Those who rated quality of life as “Poor” increased from 10.5% in 2017 to 24.7% in 2023, according to a news release.
The data includes citywide, as well as borough-respective ratings for comparison purposes. The Survey Navigator tool allows for breakdowns of ratings by location and demographics.
On neighborhood safety, 55.8% of Brooklyn respondents gave a rating of “Somewhat Safe” or “Very Safe” when asked about “walking alone in your neighborhood at night,” down from 70.7% in 2017. Ratings of “Poor” for rat control services in their neighborhood increased from 29.4% in 2008 to 45% in 2023.
Positive ratings of subway services decreased from 53.6% to 47.2% from 2017 to 2023, while ratings of subway safety during the day decreased from 84.4% to 52.6%. Ratings of “Fair” on bus services in their neighborhood stayed roughly the same through all three survey years, at 30-35%.
Overall quality of NYC government services ratings saw a decline, as 75.8% of Brooklynites were unsatisfied with citywide services.
“This feedback straight from New Yorkers is a valuable tool to help focus priorities and drive improvements across all parts of the city,” CBC President Andrew Rein said.
