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Living in
Kingston.
About
Life in Kingston
Kingston is a community of 23,942 people in New York. The median household income is $68,186, median rent runs about $1,469 per month, and median home values are around $315,500. Unemployment is low at 3.5%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Kingston at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.6%
Foreign-Born
12.1%
Broadband Internet
92.6%
of households
Population Growth
-0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics12.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Kingston: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Kingston, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (16.1%), and 10.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.0%
of residents
65 and Older
16.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.9%
of households
Married Couples
31.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.29
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 9% below NY average
Rent, home values, and income in Kingston
In Kingston, rent runs 9% below the NY average, and home values are 26% below the NY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,935
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
48.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Vacant Homes
10.7%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below NY average
Unemployment in Kingston
Unemployment in Ulster County, which includes Kingston, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the NY average.
Unemployment rate
Kingston: Ulster County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Ulster County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Kingston Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute23.1 min avg
How Kingston residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Kingston, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 70% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 30 mi
New York Stewart International Airport (SWF)
Regional airport · few flights144k passengers boarded in 2025
- 67 mi
Bradley International Airport (BDL)
Medium hub3.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 80 mi
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 26% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Kingston runs 26% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
413.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,675.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Kingston Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 35 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
87.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Ulster County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Ulster County, which includes Kingston, the most common type is winter weather, with 35 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35 | Strong Wind | $500 |
| 2024 | 33 | Heat | $29,500 |
| 2023 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $168,000 |
| 2022 | 42 | Winter Weather | $78,000 |
| 2021 | 45 | Thunderstorm Wind | $37,000 |
| 2020 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $82,000 |
| 2019 | 42 | Thunderstorm Wind | $12,000 |
| 2018 | 44 | Winter Weather | $13,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Ulster County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Dutchess County, NY (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 18 miles from Kingston) is typically good — 342 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
342
per year
Moderate Days
19
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Dutchess County, NY (18 mi away)
Climate84°F summers, 14°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Kingston has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and very cold winters (avg low 14°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/31°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/54°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/36°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
40°/14°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.3"
Annual Snowfall
59.2"
Hot Days/Year
20
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
185
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
113
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 11°F | 4.05" |
| Feb | 40°F | 12°F | 3.14" |
| Mar | 49°F | 20°F | 4.11" |
| Apr | 62°F | 31°F | 3.92" |
| May | 73°F | 43°F | 3.84" |
| Jun | 81°F | 52°F | 4.14" |
| Jul | 86°F | 56°F | 4.61" |
| Aug | 84°F | 55°F | 4.92" |
| Sep | 77°F | 47°F | 4.30" |
| Oct | 65°F | 35°F | 5.33" |
| Nov | 53°F | 26°F | 3.62" |
| Dec | 42°F | 17°F | 4.76" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Kingston
Kingston has 1 hospital, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
9.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
Healthalliance Hospital Marys Avenue Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Northern Dutchess Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.5 mi away · Rhinebeck
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education10.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Kingston
Kingston's student/teacher ratio is 10.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 32.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, 10 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Kingston
Kingston has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site (10 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
National Historic Site
10 mi awayHome Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site
National Historic Site
12 mi awayEleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
National Historic Site
13 mi awayThomas Cole National Historic Site
National Historic Site
22 mi awayMartin Van Buren National Historic Site
National Historic Site
34 mi awayWeir Farm National Historical Park
National Historical Park
54 mi awayColtsville National Historical Park
National Historical Park
55 mi awayUpper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
Scenic & Recreational River
57 mi awayPublic Libraries in Kingston
Kingston Library
61 Crown Street, Kingston
Cities Near Kingston
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Kingston?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Kingston FAQ
Is Kingston, New York affordable?⌄
Kingston's median rent is $1,469/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $68,186/year. Median home value is $315,500.
Is Kingston, New York safe?⌄
Kingston's violent crime rate was 414 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1676 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Kingston, New York?⌄
Ulster County, which includes Kingston, has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Kingston, New York?⌄
The cost of living in Kingston is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,469/month and median household income is $68,186/year. The median home value is $315,500. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Kingston, New York?⌄
The average commute in Kingston is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from