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Living in
Pearl River.
Pearl River is an unincorporated community in Rockland County, NY. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Pearl River
Life here centers around a tight-knit, family-oriented community just 20 miles from Manhattan—close enough for a reasonable commute, far enough to feel genuinely suburban. With a median household income around $145,063 and median home values near $608,000, you're looking at solid middle-to-upper-middle-class territory, which means good schools (the Pearl River Union Free School District is well-regarded) and stable neighborhoods where about 60% of households are married couples and nearly a third have children. The Irish and Jewish communities have deep roots here—the St.
Pearl River at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.3%
Foreign-Born
15.6%
Broadband Internet
89.3%
of households
Population Growth
-1.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics15.6% foreign-born, most often from Ecuador
Who lives in Pearl River: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Pearl River, the largest foreign-born group is from Ecuador (29.2%), and 10.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.4%
of residents
65 and Older
18.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.1%
of households
Married Couples
61.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.66
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 22% above NY average
Rent, home values, and income in Pearl River
In Pearl River, rent runs 22% above the NY average, and home values are 44% above the NY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
70.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
38.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
77.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1961
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $718,345 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts below NY average
Unemployment in Pearl River and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Rockland County, which includes Pearl River, is 1.1 percentage points lower than the NY average.
Unemployment rate
Pearl River: Rockland County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Rockland County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Pearl River is about 5% of Rockland County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Pearl River Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA metro area
Commute30 min avg
How Pearl River residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Pearl River, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 16 mi
Westchester County Airport (HPN)
Small hub1.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 21 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 80% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Orangetown Town Police Department, which covers Pearl River, runs 80% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
65.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
529
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Orangetown Town Police Department (township-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 8 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
88.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Rockland County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Rockland County, which includes Pearl River, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 8 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | Winter Weather | $18,000 |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $35,500 |
| 2023 | 9 | Flash Flood | $4,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 13 | Flash Flood | $3.1M |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $242,000 |
| 2019 | 8 | Winter Weather | $63,000 |
| 2018 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $109,000 |
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
Rockland County, county-wide
Pearl River is about 5% of Rockland County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Rockland County, which includes Pearl River, is typically good — 312 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
312
per year
Moderate Days
46
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Rockland County, county-wide
Pearl River is about 5% of Rockland County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Pearl River has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.3"
Annual Snowfall
32.7"
Hot Days/Year
19
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
109
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 23°F | 3.87" |
| Feb | 43°F | 25°F | 3.30" |
| Mar | 51°F | 31°F | 4.37" |
| Apr | 63°F | 40°F | 4.26" |
| May | 73°F | 50°F | 4.27" |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 4.58" |
| Jul | 86°F | 64°F | 4.53" |
| Aug | 84°F | 63°F | 4.44" |
| Sep | 77°F | 56°F | 4.61" |
| Oct | 65°F | 45°F | 4.43" |
| Nov | 54°F | 36°F | 3.88" |
| Dec | 45°F | 29°F | 4.70" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Pearl River
Uninsured
3.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Pearl River's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Rockland Children's Psychiatric Center
Psychiatric · ER available · 2.6 mi away · Orangeburg
Rockland Psych Ctr
Psychiatric · ER available · 2.7 mi away · Orangeburg
Hackensack Meridian Health Pascack Valley Medical
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Westwood
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.
Education11.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Pearl River
Pearl River's student/teacher ratio is 11.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 52.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
52.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Pearl River (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 10,696 students · in-state tuition $7,410 · 59% graduate · median earnings $65,181 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 10,557 students · in-state tuition $5,060 · 37% graduate · median earnings $52,092 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 5,964 students · in-state tuition $5,206 · 30% graduate · median earnings $46,595 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,735 students · in-state tuition $23,650 · 56% graduate · median earnings $57,532 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 5,701 students · in-state tuition $19,024 · 55% graduate · median earnings $48,327 (10 yrs after entry)
Passaic County Community College
12.3 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 4,260 students · in-state tuition $6,660 · 20% graduate · median earnings $42,497 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Pearl River
Pearl River has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
National Historical Park
13 mi awaySaint Paul's Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
15 mi awayGeneral Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
17 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
17 mi awayStonewall National Monument
National Monument
22 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
22 mi awayThomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
22 mi awayAfrican Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
24 mi awayPublic Libraries in Pearl River
Pearl River Public Library
80 Franklin Avenue, Pearl River
Cities Near Pearl River
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Pearl River?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Pearl River FAQ
Is Pearl River, New York affordable?⌄
Pearl River's median rent is $1,973/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $145,063/year. Median home value is $608,200.
Is Pearl River, New York safe?⌄
Pearl River is policed by the Orangetown Town Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 66 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 529 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Pearl River, New York?⌄
Rockland County, which includes Pearl River, has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Pearl River, New York?⌄
The cost of living in Pearl River is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,973/month and median household income is $145,063/year. The median home value is $608,200. About 70% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Pearl River, New York?⌄
The average commute in Pearl River is 30 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