Compare towns
Poughkeepsie vs Halfmoon vs Wappinger
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Poughkeepsie has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Halfmoon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.2%).
Wappinger has the oldest population (median age 43.9).
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 | Poughkeepsie | Halfmoon | Wappinger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 45,636Highest |
26,245Lowest |
28,252 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% NY: +4.2% |
+19.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+4.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 37.7±1.6Lowest 5% below NY |
42.1±2 6% above NY |
43.9±1.8Highest 10% above NY |
| Wappinger and Halfmoon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.8%±2.2Highest NY: 20.5% |
18.3%±1.8 NY: 20.5% |
| Halfmoon and Wappinger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 17.9% |
18.8%±1.7 NY: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Wappinger and Halfmoon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.2% NY: 40.2% |
46.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
36%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.2%±1.3Highest NY: 7% |
4%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
6.1%±1.1 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,724±$6k 14% above NY |
$100,712±$7kHighest 17% above NY |
$95,234±$10kLowest 11% above NY |
| Halfmoon and Poughkeepsie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $354,900±$11kLowest 16% below NY |
$387,700±$21k 9% below NY |
$394,800±$11kHighest 7% below NY |
| Wappinger and Halfmoon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,677±$69 3% above NY |
$1,559±$66Lowest 4% below NY |
$1,708±$94Highest 5% above NY |
| Wappinger and Poughkeepsie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,183Highest 24% above NY |
$5,810Lowest 12% below NY |
$6,236 5% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±8.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
38.3%±8.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
45.7%±7.7 NY: 52.1% |
| Poughkeepsie and Wappinger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest NY: 14% |
4.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
5.4% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.9% NY: 54.3% |
67.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
63.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 9 yrs newer than NY |
1996Highest 37 yrs newer than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 18% below NY |
24 minLowest 27% below NY |
28 minHighest 13% below NY |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
16.3%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
13.2%±2.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Poughkeepsie and Halfmoon 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 | #157 of 484 in NY | #206 of 484 in NY | #93 of 484 in NY |
| School district | ARLINGTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SPACKENKILL UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT | MECHANICVILLE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | WAPPINGERS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | SPACKENKILL HIGH SCHOOL | MECHANICVILLE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | ROY C KETCHAM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
12.4 |
13.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.