Our material hardship research looks at the ability of households to meet their basic needs. Our work examines the prevalence and predictors of hardships such as difficulties affording food, housing, and other essential expenses. We also explore the effects of cash, food, housing, and other policies on hardship and the potential effects of proposed policy changes at the federal and state level and within New York City.
Research
2025
- Predicting national rates of food insecurity in the absence of official data collection, working paper—Oct 2025
- The persistence of food security status across generations,Journal of Human Resources—Aug 2025
2024
- Effects of the expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit for childless young adults on material wellbeing, National Bureau of Economic Research working paper—June 2024
2023
- Intra-year employment instability and economic well-being among urban households: mitigating effects of the social safety net, Children and Youth Services Review—May 2023
- The effects of the monthly and lump-sum Child Tax Credit payments on food and housing hardship, American Economic Association Papers and Proceedings—Mar 2023
2022
- Income support policies and the rise of student and family homelessness, The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science—April 2021
- What the COVID-19 pandemic reveals about racial differences in child welfare and child well-being: an introduction to the special issue, Race and Social Problems—Feb 2021
2021
- What the COVID-19 pandemic reveals about racial differences in child welfare and child well-being: an introduction to the special issue, Race and Social Problems—Feb 2021
2019
- Can Medicaid expansion prevent housing evictions? Health Affairs—Sept 2019
2025
- Predicting national rates of food insecurity in the absence of official data collection—Oct 2025
- Financial wellbeing at age 22: Evidence from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (with Princeton University's Bendheim-Thoman Center for Research on Child and Family Wellbeing and the Columbia Population Research Center)—May 2025
2022
2026
2025
- Spotlight on: Food budget shortfalls in New York City—Nov 2025
- Data snapshot: How is the rising cost of living impacting New Yorkers?—Sept 2025
- Spotlight on: Housing affordability and the threat of cuts to federal housing assistance programs—July 2025
- The tie between wages and material hardship: Evidence from the Poverty Tracker—Apr 2025
- Spotlight on: Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council recommendations: A profile of families that stand to benefit and the economic challenges they face—Feb 2025
- The State of Poverty and Disadvantage in New York City, vol. 7—Feb 2025
2024
- Spotlight on: Food assistance from NYC’s pantry system—Nov 2024
- The prevalence and persistence of energy insecurity in NYC—Jul 2024
- Spotlight on: Young adults in New York City—Jun 2024
- Poverty Tracker: Portrait of disadvantage among women in New York City in 2022—Mar 2024
- The State of Poverty and Disadvantage in New York City, vol. 6—Feb 2024
2023
- Spotlight on: Food hardship and compounding financial and health issues—Nov 2023
- Spotlight on: Liquid assets, financial shocks, and entrances into material hardship—Aug 2023
- Spotlight on: Work and education after the pandemic—Mar 2023
- The State of Poverty and Disadvantage in New York City, vol. 5—Jan 2023
2022
- Spotlight on food assistance in New York City—Nov 2022
- Early Childhood Poverty Tracker: Poverty and hardship among families with young children before and during the pandemic—Jul 2022
- The State of Poverty and Disadvantage in New York City, vol. 4, and a Spotlight on Asian-American New Yorkers—May 2022
- Spotlight on: The Child Tax Credit–Mar 2022
- Spotlight on housing: The looming eviction crisis is likely to exacerbate racial and economic inequity in New York City—Jan 2022
2021
- Spotlight on: Food hardship in NYC during the pandemic—Nov 2021
- Spotlight on: Direct cash benefits during the pandemic—Oct 2021
- The State of Poverty and Disadvantage in New York City, vol. 3—Feb 2021
- Spotlight on: Life in New York City during COVID-19—Feb 2021
2020
- Spotlight on hunger: Food hardship in New York City is rising as New Yorkers wait for a second federal stimulus bill—Nov 2020
- Spotlight on: COVID-19 and the deepening economic insecurity, racial inequity—Oct 2020
- The State of Poverty and Disadvantage in New York City, vol. 2—Feb 2020
2019
- Spotlight on: Mapping hunger in NYC—Nov 2019
- Early Childhood Poverty Tracker: The Youngest New Yorkers—Nov 2019
- Spotlight on: Emergency expenses and financial shocks—Jun 2019
- Spotlight on: Forced moves and eviction in New York City—Apr 2019
2018
- The State of Poverty and Disadvantage in New York City, vol. 1—Dec 2018
- Spotlight on: Public charge—Dec 2018
- Spotlight on food hardship: Many New Yorkers may be going hungry this Thanksgiving—Nov 2018
- Lesbian, gay, & bisexual poverty and disadvantage in New York City: A snapshot of wellbeing using Poverty Tracker data—Sep 2018
- Spotlight on: Single-parent households in NYC—May 2018
2014–2017
- Shortchanged: Underemployment in New York City—Dec 2017
- Spotlight on: Why don't low-income New Yorkers seek help?—Dec 2016
- The persistence of poverty in New York City—Oct 2016
- Dynamics of disadvantage in New York City—Mar 2016
- Meeting needs of low-income New Yorkers—Oct 2014
- Income, hardship & health in NYC—Apr 2014