Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Cold Spring vs Red Hook

40 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (6× in Cold Spring) and average commute (31 min in Red Hook).

×
Cold Spring, NYOne of the healthiest townsNew York · 1,863 people
×
Red Hook, NYAn outdoors townNew York · 2,275 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Cold SpringOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 96%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$740K typical home41% above the NY typical home Outdoors21.4% conserved land2.4 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves All about Cold Spring →
Red HookAn outdoors town
Outdoors#41 most conserved land in NY0.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 97%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Red Hook →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails6×
Cold Spring has more miles of trail
Cold Spring 2.4 miRed Hook 0.4 mi
Average commute31 min
Red Hook has the shorter commute
Cold Spring 51 minRed Hook 20 min
Home values+59%
Homes cost more in Cold Spring
Cold Spring $600,100Red Hook $378,200
Street grid2.2×
Cold Spring has the more walkable street grid
Cold Spring 118Red Hook 54.6
Conserved land+19.3 pts
Cold Spring has more conserved land
Cold Spring 21.4%Red Hook 2.1%
Typical home built19 yrs
Cold Spring’s homes are older
Red Hook 1977Cold Spring 1958
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $2,220 more a month in Cold Spring

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Cold Spring$4,910/mo
Typical home $740K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.67%+ · or rent about $1,777/mo · Housing →
Red Hook$2,690/mo
Typical home $378K (Census) · tax rate 2.25% · or rent about $1,386/mo · Housing →

The difference: $2,220 a month, about $26,600 a year, between Cold Spring and Red Hook.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value; “+” means the Census top-codes that town’s bill at $10,000, so its real rate is higher.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every New York ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Health
A+Cold SpringHealthier than 96% of U.S. towns A+Red HookHealthier than 97% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Cold SpringRed Hook
Snow a year36″31″
January low21°F18°F
July high85°F85°F
Growing season (days)204d176d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)37th9th
Outdoors & history
Cold SpringRed Hook
Trails2 mi0 mi
Conserved land21.4%2.1%
Settled18461812
Archive photos12—
Community
Cold SpringRed Hook
Library hours a week51 hrs45 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

40 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Cold SpringNYRed HookNY
Cold Spring ↔ Red Hook40 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Cold SpringRed Hook
People
Population 1,863Lowest 2,275Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% +0.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age 43±7.4Lowest 8% above NY 45.7±4.7Highest 15% above NY
Red Hook and Cold Spring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16%±4.2Lowest NY: 20.5% 18.2%±5.3Highest NY: 20.5%
Red Hook and Cold Spring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.9%±3.7Lowest NY: 17.9% 27.7%±8.4Highest NY: 17.9%
Red Hook and Cold Spring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 69.3%Highest NY: 40.2% 57.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.9%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% 7.8%±4.4Highest NY: 7%
Red Hook and Cold Spring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $117,292±$23kHighest 36% above NY $107,411±$24kLowest 25% above NY
Cold Spring and Red Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $600,100±$42kHighest 42% above NY $378,200±$28kLowest 11% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,777±$168Highest 10% above NY $1,386±$237Lowest 14% below NY
Cold Spring and Red Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY $8,517Lowest 29% above NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.7%±10.9Lowest NY: 52.1% 78.5%±17.6Highest NY: 52.1%
Red Hook and Cold Spring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.5%Lowest NY: 14% 7.9%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 64.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% 66.2%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 1 yr older than NY 1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 51 minHighest 56% above NY 20 minLowest 39% below NY
Work from home 20.3%±9.3Lowest NY: 14.9% 20.9%±6.5Highest NY: 14.9%
Red Hook and Cold Spring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 12.3%Highest 7.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 31.8 miHighest 18.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.09Highest 0.94Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town New York (26%)Red Hook (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Red HookFew work in Cold Spring
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 21.4%Highest 2.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 2.4 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 4.0 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 118Highest 54.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#181 of 484 in NY
New York average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Cold Spring neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cold Spring’s Town Square.

Red Hook neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Red Hook’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Cold Spring and Red Hook

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Cold Spring

+ Compare
Nelsonville714 people · $600K homes

Towns like Cold Spring

+ Compare
Cooperstown2,220 people · $381K homes
+ Compare
Baxter Estates1,058 people · $1.13M homes
+ Compare
Piermont2,514 people · $653K homes
+ Compare
Pittsford1,664 people · $374K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Post to Cold Spring

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in