ALBANY—The COVID-19 pandemic hit the South Bronx especially hard, but the area’s economy has shown resiliency, according to a report released recently by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“The South Bronx was hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic but was resilient because of dedicated and hardworking neighborhood groups and advocates, and the strength of its residents,” said Mr. DiNapoli. “Still, the need for more affordable housing, jobs and quality of life improvements remains pivotal to the community’s long-term success.”

Despite the impact of the pandemic, jobs and businesses grew faster in the South Bronx than the rest of the borough and city. This was due in part to community-led investments through the pandemic, stemming from the city’s public-private partnerships to develop commercial, housing and cultural projects. From 2011 to 2022, the South Bronx saw a 25% and 20% increase in jobs and businesses, respectively, led by the health care and social assistance sector. While the area lost 7.7% (6,150) of jobs gained the decade prior due to COVID, the South Bronx added 4,679 jobs in 2022, while new businesses saw an uptick. Federal pandemic assistance helped many South Bronx businesses stay afloat, and in 2022, the area had 78,476 private sector jobs, which accounted for almost one-third of jobs boroughwide.