New numbers from the Census Bureau show that the poverty rate is down citywide.
According to the latest figures, all five boroughs saw increases in average household income. Child poverty rates are also down.
But advocates said times are still tough for a lot of New Yorkers.
"The poverty rate may be down because incomes have gone up, generally speaking," said Jennifer Jones Austin, the CEO of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies. "More people are working, maybe people are making more — not significantly more, in many instances — but it doesn't mean that they still have enough money to pay their bills.
"So that's why you see homelessness in New York City. The cost of living has risen dramatically in New York City since 2010."
Austin said the economic future is uncertain because of federal proposals to cut programs which support the country's most vulnerable.