The first-ever Straphangers Campaign survey of subway platforms released today finds peeling paint is plaguing 80 percent of underground subway stations.

From July to September, 14 interns and staff from Straphangers Campaign checked 250 random platforms for 12 conditions, including peeling paint, garbage, rats and graffiti, broken lights and broken handrails.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority surveys subway stations twice a year, but the Straphangers Campaign wanted to concentrate on state of the platforms.

"We’re looking at aspects that the riders actually care about. You walk into your station and you see a large section of your wall with peeling paint and I’m pretty sure you’d be upset about that," said Straphangers Campaign field organizer Jason Chin-Fatt.

On the bright side, the survey found none of the platforms had overflowing garbage cans.

However, 53 percent the stations suffered from substantial water damage and half had broken lights. A third had large floor cracks and almost as many had exposed wiring.

Only 20 percent of the stations had substantial graffiti and rats were spotted at 11 percent.

Some subway riders have grown to accept these conditions.

"I've lived here my whole life, but I'm used to it. There are plenty of bad-looking stations all over New York," said one rider.

"It's part of the culture to embrace the old trains, the rust," said another.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials said in a Thursday statement that improving the appearance of subway stations is a top priority.

They also said the Fastrack maintenance program that shut down a section of the Lexington Avenue line recently worked well and will shortly be making many stations along the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Avenue lines look better.

This is in addition to the ongoing work that crews do throughout the subway system attacking the worst of the problems.

The Straphangers Campaign says next year it will check these stations and see whether the system's appearance is improving.