An unaffordable, untenable landscape for young LIers

It's no surprise that affordability has become a bipartisan buzzword at every level of government in recent weeks.

But it has certainly led to some unexpected political connections, as President Donald Trump called Sen. Elizabeth Warren to discuss it last week. Separately, Gov. Kathy Hochul made it a centerpiece of her State of the State address and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who's running for governor, has talked about the need to bring costs down.

But lofty promises from politicians who pledge to address the affordability crisis oftentimes come without specifics on the "how." And the issue gets more complicated for high cost areas like Long Island, where solutions are far from simple.

A Newsday Opinion analysis of the data tells an increasingly worrisome story. It's the story of how housing, transportation, food and other expenses are becoming more burdensome, while incomes aren't keeping up. It's the story of how debt is mounting, leaving little left to make ends meet. And it's the story of how finding full employment, at livable wages, is becoming something of a holy grail, one that's increasingly unattainable. 

That's especially true on Long Island, where the difficulty is particularly acute for the region's young adults — those ages 18-34.

According to a recent report from State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, the unemployment rate for young adults in New York was 8.6% in 2023, higher than other age groups and the rest of the nation. Among young Black and Hispanic New Yorkers, the rate was considerably higher, DiNapoli found. Part of the problem: Employment on Long Island is growing at the slowest pace since 2021 — up just a tenth of a percentage point in November 2025, year over year. Wage growth, too, is slow. The expansion of artificial intelligence and the decline in entry-level job availability could tighten the market further. 

The economic challenge intensifies thanks to debt, which is growing faster among young adults in nearly every category — from credit cards to auto loans. Student loan delinquencies on Long Island are at record highs, topped by the 13.5% in the 4th Congressional District. And what students are paying is also climbing; two area schools — Suffolk County Community College and Long Island University — saw median student debt rise by at least 50% between 2012 and 2024.

Impact of student loans

Some of that can be explained by President Joe Biden's loan repayment moratorium extensions and initial debt forgiveness policies, which courts halted. As Trump has unwound those efforts, the impact has been swift and significant.

Beyond the political machinations, however, the totality of the data reflects a landscape where the toxic mix of slowly rising incomes, added debt and increasing costs is at an unsustainable point. And it comes with severe consequences, from widening income inequality to the simpler question of whether younger Long Islanders will be able to stay. Given the rocky landscape for young adults, it's unsurprising — but still concerning — that the typical first-time homebuyer is now 40 years old. Together, it makes for an untenable situation that could ripple through the Island's economic future for generations.

The crux of the affordability story here remains centered around just one expense: housing.

Consider this: In 2014, just 3.1% of Suffolk County residents who earned more than $75,000 a year and rented their homes were considered "rent-burdened" — meaning they spent more than 30% of their incomes on rent. Less than a decade later, that figure jumped by 10 percentage points — to 13.1% — despite the fact that more Long Islanders are taking home $75,000 and above. Among homeowners with a mortgage here, a stunning 43.4% paid more than 30% of their income on housing in 2023 — compared with just 30.5% nationwide. For Long Island's young adults, the impact is even more severe. About 18.5% of them pay more than 50% of income toward housing. It's not a surprise that DiNapoli found that as of 2023, more than 1 in 5 young adults statewide were still living at home.

Multipronged problem

This is a multipronged problem requiring a complex web of solutions and a thoughtful, strategic approach. That starts with a spotlight on jobs and job training. We must better match graduates' skill sets with the ever-shifting employment landscape, while still trying to attract new, high-paying employers to the Island.

But even a perfect job market can't keep up with skyrocketing costs. Hochul is right to address important drivers like auto insurance and child care. Ultimately, the harder but necessary solutions revolve around increasing and diversifying the Island's housing supply, while finding new ways to bring housing costs down. Tackling that challenge is the only way for "affordability" to become a reality, rather than just the latest election year buzzword.

Let's talk about affordability on LI. Are you a young adult or are there young adults in your life who are facing these struggles on Long Island? As the costs of housing, transportation and more continue to rise, tell us how life on LI has been affected.

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