New York, NY —

The poverty rate in New York City has remained about the same this year compared to last. According to the latest census figures, about 19 percent of New Yorkers remain in poverty.

For a family of three, that means surviving on less than $17000 a year. Staten Island is the borough with the lowest poverty rate, followed by Queens and then Manhattan. The Bronx remains one of the poorest counties in the nation.

While the poverty rate for the last few years has hovered around 20 percent, advocates for the poor say since 2000 the number has increased by about 151,000 overall.

Mayor Bloomberg is in Washington today giving a speech on his initiatives to reduce poverty in the city.