Self-employment in the city boomed by more than 31% over the past decade, while the number Bronxites working for themselves nearly doubled — the biggest increase among the five boroughs, according to data from the Center for an Urban Future.
Citywide, from 2000 to 2012 — a period that saw a booming economy collapse and then recover modestly — 247,025 New Yorkers were self-employed, up from the 188,054 in 2000.
Bronxites making their own money grew 87% to 31,035 workers, from 16,572 in 2000.
Brooklyn, however, is still king for the number of freelancers and contractors who call it home, with 72,503 self-employed residents, a 57.7% increase from the nearly 46,000 workers in 2000. Manhattan was the lone borough to see a decrease, losing 1,937 of these workers from 2000 to 2012.
New York’s go-getters and entrepreneurs make up 6.5% of the city’s workforce, up from 5.7% in 2000.
(Dan Rivoli)
