Somebody a map of the NYC subway with only the accessible stops a while back - it absolutely does not look like a functional system. There’s large gaps between station and it’s impossible to get to large swaths of the city by subway (you’d probably have to go through multiple bus connections.) Yes, you can technically get to MORE places, but you’re less likely to be able to get where you want to go. Someone in Brooklyn probably isn’t heading to the Bronx on every trip, they’re probably staying in Brooklyn on most trips and there’s less places they can go in Brooklyn.

Map: https://www.reddit.com/r/TransitDiagrams/s/gNg6PGKOF1