Level Up Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, Mount Vernon, NY
Level Up was launched in 2023 by Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard.
200
participants
$500
monthly payment
1 Year
duration
$1,200,000
invested in community
| Program Features | |
|---|---|
| Number of Participants | 200 individuals |
| Amount | $500 |
| Frequency | monthly |
| Program Dates | April 2023-March 2024 |
| Eligibility | A resident of Mount Vernon, at least 18 years of age, with a minimum income of $15,000 and no more than 80% of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program annual income limit. |
About the Level Up Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, Mount Vernon, NY
Level Up is a guaranteed income project that provides 200 eligible Mount Vernon residents with $500 per month for one year. This independent study will add to the guaranteed income evidence, helping the city and other jurisdictions understand the project’s impact on the economic stability of participants and their overall health and well-being. This guaranteed income program is is unconditional, with no strings attached on how to spend it and no work requirements. It is meant to supplement, not replace, the existing social safety net.
Data last updated March 31, 2025.
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COMMUNITY FEATURES
$44,797
$38,000
Median household income
21.2%
20%
Poverty rate
37.3%
31%
Housing burden
31.2%
40%
Childcare cost burden
8.5%
8%
Unemployment rate
STOCKTON
STATE MEDIAN
Demographic Data for Study Participants
Median Annual Household income
Level Up
$26,400
Mount Vernon, NY
$68,075
Annual Household Income (Mean)
$58,775
Sample Size
197
Avg. Age of Respondent
43
Avg. Children in Household
2
Avg. Household Size
3
gendermarital statuschildren in household
Male
23%
Female
77%
Other
0%
Married
9%
Single
72%
Partnered/In-Relationship
19%
Yes
54%
No
46%
race
White
9%
African American
76%
American Indian/Alaska Native
1%
Asian
0%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
Latino
5%
Other/Mixed
7%
ethnicityprimary language at home
Hispanic
33%
Non-Hispanic
77%
English
86%
Spanish
12%
Other
2%
Economic Context for Pilot Participants
The guaranteed income pilot launched during a period of dynamic change and economic challenges for pilot participants. The chart below situates this pilot in the context of unemployment and inflation.
Unemployment
Inflation
Pilot Timeline
Spending Breakdown
The data in this pie chart shows aggregate spending for guaranteed income participants in Mount Vernon, NY. This includes all non-cash expenditures from the participants' pre-paid debit card that is loaded with guaranteed income payments monthly.
Spending breakdown
Retail sales and services accounted for the largest share of spending, at 34.98%, followed by Food and groceries (33.5%) and Housing & Utilities (11.06%).
