In 1700, about 40% of the residents in New York City were enslaved. This high percentage reflected the significant presence of slavery in the city, where enslaved people were commonly found working as domestic servants, artisans, and laborers. New York City had one of the highest proportions of enslaved households among colonial cities, second only to Charleston, South Carolina, with more than 42% of households owning enslaved people around the early 1700s.