New Survey Shows 72% of New Yorkers Think NYC Made Them More Empathetic - ThrillistSkip to main content Like Thrillist on Facebook.Follow Thrillist on Instagram.Follow Thrillist on Twitter.Follow Thrillist on Snapchat.Subscribe to Thrillist on YouTube.Follow Thrillist on TikTok.SUBSCRIBEGo to NavigationNew YorkNewsLocal News

Living in New York Makes People Feel More Optimistic & Empathetic Study Finds

New survey shows how much New Yorkers love their city

By Serena TaraPublished on 9/20/2022 at 3:06 PM Photo courtesy of The Living Portrait of NYCNew York City has its detractors, whether that's due to noise, cost of living, or even the city's famously gruff residents. But according to those who actually live in the city, life in the Big Apple is pretty great, a new survey shows. As part of The Living Portrait of NYC immersive experience presented by Citizens, New Yorkers were interviewed and surveyed to answer all kinds of questions dedicated to NYC. After 400 hours of interviews and 5,000 survey responses, data showed that the average New Yorker cares deeply about the city they live in. The way the city impacts its residents seems to start from within. An impressive 72% said that living in NYC makes them more empathetic, and 62% admitted it makes them more optimistic. Of all boroughs, the Bronx wins the golden medal for being the most optimistic borough in NYC. Optimism and happiness likely have to do with the relationships New Yorkers form along the way. Nearly 1-in-5 New Yorkers say that being around people who understand them and finding their own community is what keeps them glued to the city, and 82% of them said that they met their closest friends in the Big Apple. If it wasn't already clear enough, New Yorkers seem to have a tendency to follow their heart. When it comes to work, 56% of them said they'd rather take a job about something they're passionate about than a job with a higher salary, and 64% of them hope to make a difference in their local community through their work. While NYC has been recognized as the soulmate capital of the world, New Yorkers are a bit picky when it comes to relationships. While over a third of singles in NYC are looking for a long-term relationship, one in five New Yorkers wouldn't date someone who lives in a different borough, and 45% of surveyed respondents consider a couple living in different boroughs to be in a long-distance relationship. Everybody has heard that living in a NYC apartment can be tough. Units are overpriced and oftentimes too small, and making rent seems to become more difficult every year. Yet, New Yorkers have learned to embrace their unique living situations. Seven out of 10 said that, despite the tiny studio apartments or the occasional pest infestation, they just love their NYC home. Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.Serena Tara is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.Thrillist TVHistory ofThe History of the McRibBy signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.