City profile · New York · Census ACS 2023

Poughkeepsie, NY

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Poughkeepsie - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

31,778
Residents
$60,050
Median income
$259,200
Median home
$1,979
Median rent (state)

Poughkeepsie - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Poughkeepsie lands in the 35th percentile for household income and the 26th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

35th
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
83rd
percentile, median rent
26th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Poughkeepsie, NY

Poughkeepsie is a small city in New York, home to 31,778 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Poughkeepsie brings in $60,050 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 15.8%. Poughkeepsie's housing stock carries a median value of $259,200, and the median resident age is 37.9 years. About 31.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 117 residential building permits were authorized in Poughkeepsie (Stable), down 1% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2280.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Poughkeepsie's yearly average temperature at 50.5°F with 47.2 inches of precipitation per year.

New York carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 107.9 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,979 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts New York's average monthly utility costs around $285 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 88.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

31,778 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New York

Median Household Income

$60,050 /yr

Poverty 15.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.9 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New York average

How does Poughkeepsie compare to other US cities?

Poughkeepsie measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 35% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 83% pricier than other cities
Safety 26% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just New York and the picture shifts: Poughkeepsie ranks #32 of 55 New York cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Poughkeepsie against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to New York only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

New York-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Poughkeepsie toward the top of New York's cities

Among the 1,246 New York cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Poughkeepsie ranks #163 - the 87th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Poughkeepsie only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#929 of 1,205
23rd percentile in New York
Median Gross Rent
#401 of 1,256
62nd percentile in New York
Median Home Value
#563 of 1,202
53rd percentile in New York
Poverty Rate
#163 of 1,246
87th percentile in New York
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#657 of 1,254
48th percentile in New York

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within New York only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

35thIncome percentile
26thSafety percentile

35th percentile nationally for median household income · 26th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Poughkeepsie's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Poughkeepsie's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 30 Avg. percentile National median
Poughkeepsie's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Poughkeepsie's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$259,200 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Poughkeepsie $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Poughkeepsie, NY Poughkeepsie, NY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Poughkeepsie, NY-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Poughkeepsie, NY median $60,050/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Poughkeepsie, NY's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Poughkeepsie, NY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
31,778
Median Income
$60,050
Median Home Value
$259,200
Median Age
37.9
Poverty Rate
15.8%
Labor force participation
58.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2280.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
643.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1636.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.5°F
Annual Precipitation
47.2"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
21
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
31,000 residents31,500 residents32,000 residents32,500 residents33,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 31,571 residents 32,499 residents ▲ +2.9%
Poughkeepsie's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
117
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
114
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 118
2020 171
2021 33
2022 19
2023 194
2024 117

Permit volume decreased 1% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
63.5%
Carpool
11.8%
Public Transit
6.4%
Walk
6.0%
Work from Home
8.3%
Other
4.0%

Based on 14,960 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New York - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$65
avg/month
Total Utilities
$285
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New York state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New York state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Poughkeepsie sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.9
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,979/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
88.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New York

Ithaca
31,792 people
Rome
31,795 people
Oceanside
31,907 people
Centereach
31,501 people
Bay Shore
31,275 people
Port Chester
31,162 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Poughkeepsie's 31,778 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

San Pablo, CA
31,771 people
Seguin, TX
31,789 people
Sun City Center, FL
31,801 people
Pekin, IL
31,812 people
Carlsbad, NM
31,813 people
Dania Beach, FL
31,739 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Poughkeepsie's $60,050 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Alcoa, TN
$60,049 median income
Moreland, ID
$60,048 median income
Calabash, NC
$60,048 median income
Warren AFB, WY
$60,048 median income
Charleston, AR
$60,058 median income
Cleveland, NC
$60,063 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Poughkeepsie, NY Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Poughkeepsie, NY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 38.1% 32.2% 8.0% 18.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 24.7% White 38.1% Black or African American 32.2% Asian 1.4% American Indian 1.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 8.0% Two or more races 18.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Poughkeepsie compares to nearby New York cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Poughkeepsie (this city) 31,778 $60,050
Ithaca 31,792 $48,617
Rome 31,795 $58,857
Oceanside 31,907 $145,282
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NY FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Poughkeepsie, NY?

What is the population of Poughkeepsie, NY? +

The population of Poughkeepsie, NY stands at 31,778 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Poughkeepsie, NY? +

Poughkeepsie households earn a median of $60,050 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Poughkeepsie? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Poughkeepsie; the closest available measure is the New York state average, a cost of living index of 107.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New York vary by metro area.

Is Poughkeepsie, NY safe? +

Poughkeepsie has a total crime rate of 2280.0 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Poughkeepsie, NY? +

Homes in Poughkeepsie carry a median value of $259,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Poughkeepsie? +

Climate normals put Poughkeepsie's yearly average temperature at 50.5°F, 47.2 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.