Researchers at the Cornell School of Industrial Labor Relations conduct the Empire State Poll to survey New York state residents about how work impacts their lives: Are they employed, do their wages meet their needs, how do costs of daily living impact their ability to work or the number of jobs they need to manage, do they feel like they can speak up at work, or are they part of a union? Most important— how do these issues together shape what concerns them most about their future? With over 2,500 residents surveyed across the entire state, this poll provides a window into New Yorkers’ daily lives, needs, and concerns related to labor and employment.
The latest report on the Empire State Poll highlights again the concern New Yorkers have over cost of living, with 68.3% of respondents saying that cost of living was the single most important issue facing their household.
Empire State Poll Data
View the Interactive Dashboard
The Empire State Poll (ESP) is a survey of New York State residents about their views on issues facing the state as well as their experiences with labor and employment. This dashboard allows you to explore some of the key questions posed in the survey, with data going back to 2003.
Empire State Poll Trends over Time
A Portrait of Work in New York State from 2003-2024
Under CAROW and ILR, we have been tracking key employment indicators to help capture the portrait of work in New York State. ESP data from 2003 through 2024 illustrates how the structure of work has remained consistent over time with full-time employment the most common arrangement, but with a significant rise in gig work and a decline in average hours worked after the pandemic.
Over 65% of Empire State Poll respondents said cost of living was the single most important issue facing their own households in the 2024 report.
