Our Community

The Bronx population is 1.3 million residents with 57 percent Latino and 28 percent Black/African American. People in the Bronx live sicker and die younger than they should and residents continue to suffer from heart disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and other chronic conditions. The health status of Bronx residents is documented annually by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. In 2024, for the 16th year in a row, the RWJF ranked the Bronx the “least healthy” of the 62 counties in New York State. They note that 23% of adults in the Bronx reported being in fair or poor health; 35% of adults are obese; and 35% of children live in poverty—almost double the national rate of child poverty. It is home to the poorest Congressional district in the country.

Starting from the 1960s the Bronx has been among the most challenged and neglected communities in New York. However, through community-driven efforts the Bronx has emerged as an example of urban renewal and increased opportunities to address the socio-economic factors that determine the health and well being of the borough.