In the expensive city
According to the American press, raising children in New York City is always a challenge, especially for families with many children.
A 3-bedroom apartment in Manhattan - a central district of New York City - currently has an average rental price of more than 7,000 USD/month (about 180 million VND), the highest in the past 6 years. Meanwhile, the cost of childcare for 3 children each year can cost up to 50,000 - 100,000 USD (1.3 - 2.6 billion VND).
Escalating living costs have forced many families to leave the city in recent years, changing both New York's demographics and cultural landscape.
According to the Urban Future Center, the number of households with 3 or more children in the city has decreased by nearly 17% in the past 10 years. The number of households with 1 child increased slightly, while the household with 2 children remained almost unchanged.
If we cant keep families, were losing the pillars of neighborhoods, schools, and the citys tax sources, said Eli Dvorkin, the centers managing editor and chief policy officer. He said the decline was much more noticeable than in other major US cities, and could impact New York's "sustainable development goals".
In the midst of that picture, many middle-class families still try to stay, despite knowing the limits of this expensive city.
Stephanie Park, 39, has just given birth to her third child. She once thought that the couple's stable income was enough to buy a house, but in reality, they had to temporarily put that plan on hold. We have a good job, but in New York, the dollar doesnt go far when we add all the costs. The days of our parents seem to be easier, she said.
Similarly, Rachael Kaighin- Shields, 46, a social worker in Brooklyn, was forced to quit her job after giving birth to a third child because her salary was not enough to cover childcare. Rachael shared: "We made the cakes ourselves and went to the playground to celebrate our children's birthdays. I think that is fine, but if I think carefully, I will sometimes feel sad.
In Queens, Kat case, a psychotherapist, uses the second floor of her house as a clinic for the week and rents it out on weekends to cover living expenses. You have to have a masters degree in media and logistics management to be able to maintain a large family here, she joked, adding: super pham management skills are needed so you dont spend all your money taking care of your children.
The difficulties of large families now shape the entire New York economy. Political figures have begun to speak more about family-friendly policies.
Mayor Eric Adams pledged to make New York the best place to raise children, while Governor Kathy Hochul pushed to expand child care. candidate for Mayor Zohran Mamdani even pledged to provide free child care for children from 6 weeks old - an ambitious promise.
However, the reality is still harsh. According to data from StreetEasy, the average rental price of 3-bedroom apartments or more across the city has increased from $3,300 in 2019 to $4,800 (126 million VND). The competition is even fiercer when young single people rent this type of apartment together, making it more difficult for families to find a place to live.
About 43% of 3-bedroom apartments have been stably rented for over 10 years - almost freezing the market.
Housing prices have also increased sharply. 3-bedroom apartments are currently being offered at an average price across the city of 1.8 million USD (46 billion VND), much higher than in 2019. In the central district of Manhattan, the figure is up to $4.15 million (106 billion VND).
Part of the reason lies in market structure: Investors often focus on building studio apartments or one bedroom to maximize profits, while large apartments are less prioritized. Of the 191,000 newly built apartments in the past decade, only about 3% have 3 or more bedrooms.
However, Mr. Dvorkin believes the situation is not to the point of despair. He said the city could encourage the development of additional family housing on public land, or subsidize low-cost housing projects with large apartments. In addition, expanding affordable housing for the elderly can also free up thousands of spacious apartments, including public houses, because they do not need large areas.
How to adapt
Amid the difficulties, large families in New York still find creative ways to make a living. 3-storey beds become popular items; bathrooms are divided into hours of use; curtains are hung in bed compartments to create a separate space for each child.
Sarah and Peterson Almodovar, both 34, have renovated a nearly 70m2 apartment in Washington Heights, where they live with their three young children, 2, 3 and 6. The rental rate of just under 1,000 USD/month (about 26 million VND) helps them maintain a much easier life. This city still gives us a lot of things, Almodovar said, smiling as he told his neighbors curious look at his family of five.
Another father said that the laundry bags he brought to the shop were so heavy that they looked like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Another mother recalled the time when she pushed 3 children - 2 in a double car, the third stood on the slide behind.
For many people, having more children is almost a luxury decision. New York State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, 40, a father of three, said that monthly child deposits alone could reach $6,000 (about 158 million VND). New York is at risk becoming a place reserved for the extremely rich or those who cannot afford to go anywhere else, he warned.
Others had to stop at 2 children even though they still cherished the dream of having a new member.
Rachel Birch, 41, said: "We have a good job, but we still have to live on our salary." Her family did not travel, just bought the first car, and if the free program for 3-year-olds did not continue, they would have to spend all their savings to pay for tuition: "We can't even make the decisions we want, because it seems the decision was made by the circumstances for us".
