Compare towns
Poughkeepsie vs Kingston vs Poughkeepsie
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 renters (61.2% rent).
Kingston has the most kids (21% under 18).
Poughkeepsie has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Kingston | Poughkeepsie |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,958 |
23,911Lowest |
45,636Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+0.7% NY: +4.2% |
+4.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 38.1±2.4Highest 4% below NY |
37.2±1.2Lowest 7% below NY |
37.7±1.6 5% below NY |
| Poughkeepsie and Poughkeepsie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±2.3 NY: 20.5% |
21%±2.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
15.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Kingston and Poughkeepsie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±1.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 NY: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Poughkeepsie and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
32.6% NY: 40.2% |
45.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.6%±1.5 NY: 7% |
4.1%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
18.2%±1.3Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,741±$6kLowest 29% below NY |
$68,186±$5k 21% below NY |
$97,724±$6kHighest 14% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $283,700±$15kLowest 33% below NY |
$315,500±$16k 26% below NY |
$354,900±$11kHighest 16% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,400±$100Lowest 14% below NY |
$1,469±$91 9% below NY |
$1,677±$69Highest 3% above NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,718Lowest 13% below NY |
$5,935 10% below NY |
$8,183Highest 24% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±5.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
59.4%±6.4 NY: 52.1% |
51%±8.2Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Poughkeepsie and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Highest NY: 14% |
17.6%Highest NY: 14% |
8.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 38.8%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
48.4% NY: 54.3% |
65.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 7 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1968Highest 9 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 27% below NY |
23 minLowest 29% below NY |
27 minHighest 18% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±2.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
15.3%±2.4 NY: 14.9% |
18.6%±2.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Poughkeepsie and Kingston 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 | #460 of 484 in NY | #200 of 484 in NY | #157 of 484 in NY |
| School district | POUGHKEEPSIE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | KINGSTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | ARLINGTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SPACKENKILL UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | POUGHKEEPSIE HIGH SCHOOL | KINGSTON HIGH SCHOOL | SPACKENKILL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.9Highest |
10.1Lowest |
| 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.