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2013 New York City Telephone Survey of Registered Voters 50+

by Angela Houghton, AARP Research, August 2013; updated November 2014

This and Related Reports

In advance of November 2013 citywide elections during which New York City was to elect a new mayor, new city council and all new borough presidents,  AARP commissioned a survey of 50+ registered voters in the five New York City boroughs on a variety of issues concerning adults age 50 and older living in NYC. Survey topics include affordable housing, caregiving, age discrimination in the workplace and age-friendly communities.

Among the key findings from this research:

  • NYC’s lack of affordable housing is considered a “major problem” by 54% of 50+voters and many are concerned about their ability to afford housing expenses such as rent, taxes and utilities in the coming years.
  • Nearly four in ten (39%) voters age 50+ have been caregivers to an adult relative, friend or spouse within the past 5 years.  A plurality of 50+ caregivers (41%) are themselves the primary provider of care to their loved one and about one-fourth is simultaneously working full time.   A majority of all 50+ caregivers (59%) report either overwhelming strain or a good deal of strain on their families as a result of caregiving responsibilities, including emotional stress, financial hardship and stress at work.  
  • Among voters age 50-64, significant numbers are unemployed and looking for work (ranging from 10%-19% by different racial and ethnic groups).   46% of all 50+ voters in the labor force are extremely to very concerned about age-discrimination in the workplace.
  • Since 2008, 23% have personally experienced some type of consumer fraud or scam; and 75% of all 50+ voters in NYC are extremely or very worried about identity theft.

A total of 1,302 telephone surveys were conducted in English and Spanish between May 17 and June 30, 2013. An oversample of Asian voters age 50 and older was also included with interviewing in Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, Korean and Hindi.  

For more information, contact Angela Houghton at (202) 434-2261.