The Close of 'Big City': Reflecting on New York's Inequality and Its Future

'Big City' launched as a weekly column in September 2011, aiming to explore New York through the lens of economic inequality. Over the years, it documented a social unraveling in a city once known for its strong working-class roots. Now, the column draws to a close at a moment as significant as its inception.

Coincidentally, its debut came just one week before the Occupy Wall Street movement began, sparked by the occupation of Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan. Though lacking clear goals, the movement highlighted the growing disparities fueled by the financial elite, resonating especially with younger generations burdened by debt and disenchantment.

In the 14 years since, New York has been led by three different mayors, with an election looming that is likely to usher in another. Recent polls suggest the frontrunner was just 19 years old and attending Bowdoin College when Occupy Wall Street emerged. Without a dramatic shift in ideology, this candidate could become the most progressive mayor since John Lindsay in the 1960s and ’70s. Although his primary victory two months ago stunned many, some New Yorkers remain skeptical about his prospects for a four- or eight-year tenure.

The past decade and a half offers a clear context for how a candidate focused solely on housing affordability has gained such momentum. For instance, the number of individuals sleeping in city shelters has more than doubled, reaching 105,000. This reflects the widening economic gap that originally inspired Occupy Wall Street.

According to data from the U.S. Census tracked by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, income inequality in New York City's boroughs has steadily increased from 2010 through 2023. The upward trajectory of these trends underscores the persistent and growing economic divide.