It's a question that sounds like a simple trivia prompt, but honestly, it’s a bit of a trick. Depending on who you ask and when you ask it, the answer to who was the mayor of New York City changes dramatically—not just because of new elections, but because of a massive shift in how the city actually works.
Right now, if you’re looking for the person holding the keys to Gracie Mansion, that’s Zohran Mamdani. He just took the oath of office at the start of January 2026. He’s the 112th mayor, and his win was kind of a shock to the system. He’s the city’s first Muslim mayor and the youngest person to lead the city in over a hundred years.
But for most of the people searching this, they’re really thinking about the chaos that came right before him.
The Wild Exit of Eric Adams
Before Mamdani, there was Eric Adams. If you’ve been following the news at all, you know his tenure was... well, it was a lot.
Adams was the 111th mayor, a former police captain who promised to fix the city’s post-pandemic "vibe." He loved the nightlife, talked about "swagger," and was all about crypto. In fact, just a few days ago, he was back in the headlines because his own NYC-branded cryptocurrency crashed by 75% in a single day.
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His time in office ended under a cloud that hasn't really cleared yet. He was the first sitting NYC mayor to be indicted on federal charges—bribery, fraud, you name it. While the Department of Justice eventually dropped the charges in early 2025, the political damage was basically permanent. He tried to run for re-election as an independent, but eventually, he just pulled the plug in September 2025.
Why the Numbering Is Actually Messed Up
Here’s a fun fact that most New Yorkers don’t even know. If you look at the official list, Zohran Mamdani is #112. But historians are currently having a minor meltdown about whether that number is even right.
Basically, the city has been miscounting for centuries. In late 2025, a historian named Paul Hortenstine pointed out that the city’s "Green Book" (the official directory) totally ignored the second term of Matthias Nicoll back in the 1670s.
If we actually counted every non-consecutive term properly—the way we do for US Presidents like Grover Cleveland—almost every mayor after #7 is numbered wrong. It’s one of those weird bureaucratic glitches that just stuck.
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The Heavy Hitters You Should Know
When people ask who was the mayor of New York City, they usually aren't looking for Thomas Willett (the first one back in 1665). They're looking for the icons.
- Fiorello La Guardia (#99): The "Little Flower." He's the guy who basically built the modern city during the Great Depression. He used to read comic books over the radio during newspaper strikes so kids wouldn't miss out.
- Ed Koch (#105): "How'm I doin'?" That was his catchphrase. He led the city through the gritty 70s and 80s and is largely credited with saving it from bankruptcy, though his legacy on racial issues is still pretty hotly debated.
- David Dinkins (#106): The first Black mayor. He’s often overlooked, but he actually started the "Safe Streets, Safe City" program that led to the massive crime drops in the 90s.
- Rudy Giuliani (#107): Long before he was a polarizing national figure, he was "America's Mayor" after 9/11.
- Michael Bloomberg (#108): The billionaire who stayed for three terms. He banned smoking in bars and tried to ban big sodas. He also famously took a salary of just $1 a year.
The Job No One Wants (But Everyone Fights For)
They call the NYC mayoralty the "second toughest job in America," right after the Presidency. It’s a bit of a curse, though.
Think about it: when was the last time an NYC mayor actually got promoted to a higher office? You’d think it would be a great springboard. Nope. The last mayor to become Governor of New York was John T. Hoffman all the way back in 1869.
Since then, it’s been a bit of a dead end. Bloomberg tried for President. Giuliani tried for President. De Blasio tried for President. None of them even got close. It’s like the city is so big and so complicated that it just consumes whoever is in charge.
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What’s Happening Now?
With Zohran Mamdani just starting his term in 2026, the city is in a "wait and see" mode. He’s got some big shoes to fill and some even bigger problems to fix.
One of his first moves was bringing in Dean Fuleihan as First Deputy Mayor. Fuleihan is 74 and served under Bill de Blasio, so it’s clearly an attempt to bring some "adult supervision" to a very young administration.
If you're trying to keep track of the names for a history project or just to win a bet at a bar, here is the quick list of the modern era:
- Bill de Blasio (2014–2021)
- Eric Adams (2022–2025)
- Zohran Mamdani (2026–Present)
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you want to stay on top of who is actually running things in the city, don't just look at the Mayor. In NYC, the City Council Speaker and the Comptroller often have just as much power to block or pass laws.
- Check the NYC Green Book: It’s the official record, even if the numbering is a bit wonky.
- Follow the Transition: The first 100 days of any new mayor (like Mamdani right now) tell you exactly where the money is going to go.
- Watch the Board of Elections: NYC uses Ranked Choice Voting now, which is exactly how Mamdani managed to beat more established names like Andrew Cuomo in the last cycle.
Knowing who was the mayor of New York City is more than just a name—it’s about understanding which "version" of the city you’re talking about. Whether it’s the grit of the Koch years or the "swagger" of the Adams era, each mayor leaves a thumbprint on the streets that stays long after they’ve moved out of Gracie Mansion.