A recent report from the state comptroller shows that poverty is higher in New York than the national average.

And for some parts of the population -- it's even worse.

According to the New York State comptroller, nearly 14% of New Yorkers live in poverty. The report shows that poverty was more prevalent in larger cities, and in total, New York state has the seventeenth highest poverty rate in the country, and even with an increase in the minimum wage, it is still not enough to keep New Yorkers above the poverty line.

"Unfortunately, there has not been an increase in our rates to keep up with the minimum wage hike,” Kirk Lewis, executive director of Schnectady ARC, said. “So our starting pay gets closer and closer to the minimum wage."

But the study leaves out a certain portion of the population, those with disabilities.

“The interesting thing the report doesn't do is it doesn't connect disability with unemployment,” he said. 

According to Lewis, there is a high correlation between people with disabilities and their ability to find good jobs.

Out of every five New Yorkers, one is living with a disability. According to the census supplemental poverty measure, 21.6% of disabled people were considered poor. 

"I do not think the people we support would be considered poor, according to that report,” Lewis said. “In addition to those with developmental disabilities who may have difficulty accessing our system, there are also those who are either unemployed or underemployed. It is well documented that these people are not only with developmental disabilities, but also with physical disabilities."

Lewis says the report is an important start, but the most effective way to help these people is to contour to raise the minimum wage.