Compare towns
Guilderland vs Poughkeepsie vs Wright vs Halfmoon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Guilderland has the highest household income ($112k).
Poughkeepsie has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Wright has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Halfmoon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.2%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Guilderland | Poughkeepsie | Wright | Halfmoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 37,260 |
45,636Highest |
1,739Lowest |
26,245 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% NY: +4.2% |
+4.9% NY: +4.2% |
-1.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+19.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1 about the NY average |
37.7±1.6Lowest 5% below NY |
51.4±4.7Highest 29% above NY |
42.1±2 6% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±1.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
15.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
16.7%±3.1 NY: 20.5% |
19.8%±2.2 NY: 20.5% |
| Guilderland and Halfmoon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.5 NY: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
18.8%±1.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Wright and Guilderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
45.2% NY: 40.2% |
24.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
46.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.2 NY: 7% |
18.2%±1.3Highest NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
4%±1 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,273±$7kHighest 31% above NY |
$97,724±$6k 14% above NY |
$86,250±$13kLowest about the NY average |
$100,712±$7k 17% above NY |
| Guilderland and Halfmoon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,400±$11k 16% below NY |
$354,900±$11k 16% below NY |
$242,000±$36kLowest 43% below NY |
$387,700±$21kHighest 9% below NY |
| Halfmoon and Guilderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$74 4% below NY |
$1,677±$69Highest 3% above NY |
$953±$79Lowest 41% below NY |
$1,559±$66 4% below NY |
| Poughkeepsie and Guilderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,314 4% below NY |
$8,183Highest 24% above NY |
$5,279Lowest 20% below NY |
$5,810 12% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.6%±6.3 NY: 52.1% |
51%±8.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
38.3%±8.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Poughkeepsie and Guilderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% NY: 14% |
8.2%Highest NY: 14% |
7% NY: 14% |
4.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
65.9% NY: 54.3% |
80.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
67.2% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 19 yrs newer than NY |
1968Lowest 9 yrs newer than NY |
1983 24 yrs newer than NY |
1996Highest 37 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 34% below NY |
27 min 18% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
24 min 27% below NY |
| Work from home | 16.4%±2.3 NY: 14.9% |
18.6%±2.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
16.3%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
| Poughkeepsie and Guilderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #76 of 484 in NY | #157 of 484 in NY | — | #206 of 484 in NY |
| School district | GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | ARLINGTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SPACKENKILL UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | MECHANICVILLE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | GUILDERLAND HIGH SCHOOL | SPACKENKILL HIGH SCHOOL | — | MECHANICVILLE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0 |
10.1Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.