Center for Urban Research
Urban Change: New York and Beyond
The Center for Urban Research at The CUNY Graduate Center organizes basic and applied research addressing the core issues facing New York and other large cities, often in partnership with foundations, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other clients. It also trains students in research techniques and presents public forums on urban policy issues.
A common thread in these activities is to understand the broad forces driving different forms of inequality, the dynamics of inter-group relations, and neighborhood change in large urban areas, as well as their interaction with political participation, civic engagement, and the role of government.
The Center’s research and policy analyses focus primarily within the areas of demographics, immigration, community organization, economic and workforce development, educational equity and access, labor markets, crime, and political participation. We work at scales ranging from individuals, their households, and their neighborhoods to cities and metropolitan regions, often with a national or international comparative perspective.

Projects and Initiatives
Critical Research for New York City
We specialize in analyzing large data sets, especially the Census data sets, visualizing spatial patterns through maps, synthesizing this information through reports and other written materials, and developing online applications to provide access to our results. Each of our constituent units undertakes distinct projects but also collaborates together and with CUR's research team to bring their areas of expertise to bear on our work.
Explore Research Projects
Books and Publications
The Results of Our Work
Research efforts undertaken by CUR have yielded award-winning books and studies on topics ranging from the life trajectories of young people from immigrant and native minority backgrounds to the determinants of political participation in New York and other large cities to the changing nature of the urban labor force to mapping metropolitan demographic change at a national scale.
Books, Publications and PresentationsLatest News
Aug 23, 2021
INTERACTIVE MAP BREAKS DOWN VOTE DISTRIBUTION IN NYC'S FIRST RANKED CHOICE ELECTION
New York’s first citywide election using ranked choice voting has now been mapped in detail by the Center for Urban Research (CUR) at The Graduate...
Jun 22, 2021
Forever 24: Yes, That is Professor John Mollenkopf Painted by Alice Neel
Professor John Mollenkopf was a friend of artist Alice Neel, whose retrospective is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and her portrait of him is now at Brown University.
- Faculty News
Aug 5, 2020
The Dangers of a Shortened Census: Steven Romalewski Weighs In
The director of the CUNY Mapping Service tracks areas of the country that have low census response rates. He shares his expertise on the Census Bureau's recent decision.
Apr 30, 2020
Richard Alba Elected to National Academy of Sciences in Recognition of Work on Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration
Alba, a distinguished professor of sociology, received one of the highest honors in academia for his vast body of work.
- Faculty News