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Spatial Analysis of Subway Accessibility and Business Closures in New York City

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  • Arachchi, Suvan

Abstract

Unexpected business closures in urban areas are a major issue, as it hurts jobs, weakens local economies, and can destabilize neighborhoods. This study finds out whether businesses located near subway stations in New York City had different closure rates compared to those farther away. Using Python-based spatial analysis, 496 stations were mapped against 44,913 business licenses, and closure rates were calculated for businesses within a 0.25-mile radius of each station. Results show that closure rates were different across boroughs. The Bronx had 38.9%, Brooklyn had 37.6%, Manhattan had 34.0%, Queens had 33.0%, and Staten Island had 30.6%. Certain stations, like Beach 44 St, had particularly high closure rates, with Beach 44 St having a closure rate of 66.7%. These findings show that there are obvious geographic differences in business outcomes and suggest that transit accessibility interacts with broader urban economic factors. Supplementary code can be found here: https://github.com/Suvan9/-nyc-subway-business-analysis

Suggested Citation

  • Arachchi, Suvan, 2026. "Spatial Analysis of Subway Accessibility and Business Closures in New York City," SocArXiv 854tm_v2, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:854tm_v2
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/854tm_v2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tornabene, Sara & Nilsson, Isabelle, 2021. "Rail transit investments and economic development: Challenges for small businesses," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    2. Han Li & Justin Stoler, 2023. "COVID-19 and Urban Futures: Impacts on Business Closures in Miami-Dade County," Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 113(4), pages 834-856, April.
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