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Survey: 84 Percent Of New Yorkers Are Satisfied With Lives In The City

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A survey released this week indicates that 84 percent of New Yorkers are satisfied with their lives in the city.

Released this past Thursday, the Municipal Art Society Survey on Livability found that 84 percent of respondents reported being "satisfied" or "very satisfied." But the intensity of that satisfaction was significantly higher among those making $75,000 or more, and among those who lived in Manhattan or Brooklyn compared with the other three boroughs.

&#149 READ THE SURVEY RESULTS

The survey also found that 84 percent of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied in living with their neighborhoods. But there were differences between borough and race – 91 percent of Staten Island residents said they were satisfied, compared with 77 percent of Bronx residents.

Only 9 percent of whites said they were dissatisfied, compared with 20 percent of African-Americans and 23 percent of Latinos.

When questioned on the greatest threats to living happily in the city, the greatest number – 22 percent – said employment opportunities. Safety followed at 21 percent, and housing, as well of cost of goods and services, at 19 percent.

Employment concerns were the same across the boroughs, but safety concerns varied greatly. It was a concern for 25 percent of respondents from Staten Island, 24 percent from Brooklyn, and 24 percent from Queens.

Manhattanites reported the lowest concern about safety, at only 19 percent.

But Manhattan residents were most concerned about housing costs – a total of 30 percent expressed worry about the issue, followed by the Bronx at 24 percent. Only 7 percent of Staten Island were concerned about housing costs.

When given the choice of more parks or green space or more housing, stores and businesses, 34 percent favored green space, compared with 23 percent for more housing, 16 percent for new retail, and 23 percent for new or better transportation.

But more than 61 percent of New Yorkers argued that creating a world-class ground-transportation hub was an important priority. Sixty-three percent also said New York being a city with major universities and high-quality colleges was a top priority.

A staggering 79 percent also agreed that their neighborhoods were clean, with Staten Island residents being the most positive on that front at 91 percent. Seventy-six percent of respondents – again led by Staten Island residents, said their neighborhood was a good place to raise children.

A total of 87 percent said they felt safe walking in their neighborhoods.

And as to an overall positive attitude, 81 percent of respondents said they were "optimistic" or "very optimistic" – a 5 percent increase from last year's survey. Manhattan ranked as the most optimistic borough at 87 percent, followed by Brooklyn at 85 percent, Queens at 80 percent, the Bronx at 75 percent, and Staten Island at 69 percent.

To conduct the survey, researchers interviewed about 200 people in all the boroughs except the Bronx, where they interviewed about 500. The larger sample will be used in a study specific to the Bronx.

Are you among the 84 percent of satisfied New Yorkers? Tell us below...

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