What stands out worked out from the figures below

Poughkeepsie has the most people working from home (18.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Poughkeepsie	Wappinger
People
Population	45,636Highest	28,252Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Highest NY: +4.2%	+4.3%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	37.7±1.6Lowest 5% below NY	43.9±1.8Highest 10% above NY
Kids under 18	15.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	18.3%±1.8Highest NY: 20.5%
	Wappinger and Poughkeepsie 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%	20.2%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9%
	Wappinger and Poughkeepsie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.2%Highest NY: 40.2%	36%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	18.2%±1.3Highest NY: 7%	6.1%±1.1Lowest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,724±$6kHighest 14% above NY	$95,234±$10kLowest 11% above NY
	Poughkeepsie and Wappinger 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	$394,800±$11kHighest 7% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,677±$69Lowest 3% above 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	$6,236Lowest 5% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51%±8.2Highest NY: 52.1%	45.7%±7.7Lowest 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%	5.4%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.9%Highest NY: 54.3%	63.3%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 9 yrs newer than NY	1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 18% below NY	28 minHighest 13% below NY
Work from home	18.6%±2.8Highest NY: 14.9%	13.2%±2.5Lowest NY: 14.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#157 of 484 in NY	#93 of 484 in NY
School district	ARLINGTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SPACKENKILL UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT	WAPPINGERS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	SPACKENKILL HIGH SCHOOL	ROY C KETCHAM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	10.1Lowest	13.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.