Moving to
Poughkeepsie.

All Poughkeepsie data Compare Poughkeepsie

31,958people live here $60,741median household income▼ 25% below US $1,400median rent per monthNear US average $283,700median home value▼ 15% below US

What it's like to live in Poughkeepsie

Poughkeepsie is a small city in New York with home prices that remain within reach, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Poughkeepsie deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.

The good

Affordable home prices
Clean air
Low student-teacher ratio

The not so good

Below-average household incomes
Crime above national average
High rent burden for renters
Cold winters
Snowy winters — 59" per year
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options

How Poughkeepsie compares

Median household income

Poughkeepsie$60,741

New York avg$85,974

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Poughkeepsie$1,400

New York avg$1,621

US$1,413

Median home value

Poughkeepsie$283,700

New York avg$423,800

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Poughkeepsie

Based on Poughkeepsie's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,800

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $56,000 a year
58% of Poughkeepsie renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$56,740

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $28,370
Homes cost 4.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,400/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,400 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $283,700. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.

Median home value $283,700 · 58% of renters cost-burdened

Job marketNear US average

4.1% unemployment

Unemployment here is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%.

City-level (BLS)

Safety▲ 70% above US

560 violent crimes per 100k

Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.

Property crime 1105/100k · Poughkeepsie Police Department · 2025 data

Getting aroundNear US average

24 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% take public transit; 9% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

64%

Carpool

12%

Work from home

9.0%

Public transit

6.0%

Walk

5.8%

Other

3.4%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 21°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Healthcare

1 hospital

There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.

Medicare-certified hospitals

Education & workforce▼ 11% below US

32% bachelor's degree or higher

Education levels run about average, with 32% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.

Schools

8 public schools inside the boundary

There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (5 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Poughkeepsie's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,400/mo) equals 28% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. Whether it fits comes down to the specifics: the neighborhood, the job, and what matters most in the move.

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