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Poughkeepsie, NY

Poughkeepsie, NY

Crop of the original · Photo: Juliancolton, Public domain

Port Jervis is part of the Poughkeepsie area. This page covers the whole metro.

Poughkeepsie at a glance

Each grade compares this area with all 813 U.S. metro and small-town areas: A is the top 20%, F the bottom 20%. Cost compares everyday prices with the U.S. average. Varro doesn't grade safety; crime facts are further down.

F
Cost
Everyday prices about 9% above the U.S. average
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index, 2024
A
Things to do
840 restaurants, museums, theaters, music, game and book shops and historic places in the area (about 124 per 100,000 people)
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
U.S. Census County Business Patterns 2023, National Register of Historic Places
A
Outdoors
153 hiking trails, 72 campgrounds and 106 paddling spots nearby
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
OpenStreetMap contributors and federal recreation data
D
Jobs
jobs shrank 0.1% in the last year
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
U.S. Census ACS 5-year, 2024; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
A
Social life
421 bars, cafes, gyms, breweries and game shops in the area (about 62 per 100,000 people)
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
U.S. Census County Business Patterns 2023
C
Healthcare
0.7 primary care doctors per 1,000 people in the main county; nearest emergency room about 5 miles from the center
Locals: Not enough local comments yet
County Health Rankings 2025; Medicare Care Compare
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What kind of place it is

Outdoorsy, Lively

Scored the same way as the quiz, against 813 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when Poughkeepsie scores 70 or higher out of 100.

Outdoorsy
98 / 100
Outdoorsy: more trails, campgrounds and paddling spots than most
Lively
80 / 100
Lively: 819 bars, sit-down restaurants and music businesses in the area (about 121 per 100,000 people)
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Poughkeepsie

Main Building at Oakwood Friends School
Main Building at Oakwood Friends School · Photo: MattVoorhees15, CC BY-SA 4.0
Highway and Railroad in Poughkeepsie, New York
Highway and Railroad in Poughkeepsie, New York · Photo: Alexisrael, CC BY-SA 3.0
Crop of the original
Crop of the original · Photo: Juliancolton, Public domain
Front of Poughkeepsie Journal building
Front of Poughkeepsie Journal building · Photo: Mfwills, CC BY-SA 3.0
City of Poughkeepsie Transit #282 arrives near the Mid-Hudson Civic Center
City of Poughkeepsie Transit #282 arrives near the Mid-Hudson Civic Center · Photo: Adam E. Moreira, CC BY-SA 3.0
Hudson river from bear mountain bridge
Hudson river from bear mountain bridge · Photo: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Around Poughkeepsie

Where it is, what's close by, trails, buses and trains, and health care.
Where it is
Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie in New York
New York in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Poughkeepsie area.

14
grocery stores
95
restaurants
18
coffee shops
61
parks
27
playgrounds
6
libraries
2
movie theaters
6
live theaters
3
museums
8
bookstores
6
gyms
7
bars
8
pharmacies
2
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Stores nearby

Membership warehouses and popular grocery stores, measured from the center of Poughkeepsie.
Costco
Membership warehouse (yearly fee to shop)
Nearest about 32 miles
Sam's Club
Membership warehouse (yearly fee to shop)
1 within 15 miles, nearest about 11 miles
BJ's Wholesale Club
Membership warehouse (yearly fee to shop)
1 within 15 miles, nearest about 9 miles
Trader Joe's
Nearest about 28 miles
Whole Foods Market
Nearest about 32 miles
Wegmans
Nearest about 45 miles
Sprouts Farmers Market
Nearest about 46 miles
Target
2 within 15 miles, nearest about 5 miles
Aldi
3 within 15 miles, nearest about 2 miles
Straight-line miles, so the drive is longer. Store locations from each chain's own store finder, collected by the open-data project All the Places, October 2026.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Poughkeepsie area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
19 miles
more than most U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
83 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

Buses and trains

Bus stops within 1 mile
67
Bus stops within 5 miles
209
Nearest train station
Poughkeepsie
about 1 mile
Closest rail and ferry stops
  • Poughkeepsie · Train station · about 1 mile
  • New Hamburg · Train station · about 8 miles
  • Beacon · Train station · about 14 miles
  • Breakneck Ridge · Train station · about 17 miles
U.S. Department of Transportation, National Transit Map (stops from each transit agency's schedule data, Sept. 2026). Straight-line distance from the town center. Counts stops, not how often buses come; check the local transit agency for schedules.

Health care

Nearest hospital with an emergency room: Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, under 1 mile away in a straight line.

Vassar Brothers Medical Center
Poughkeepsie, NY · under 1 mile
Hospital · Emergency room
Medicare rating: ★★★★★ 3 of 5
Montefiore St Luke's Cornwall
Newburgh, NY · about 14 miles
Hospital · Emergency room
Medicare rating: ★★★★★ 2 of 5
Healthalliance Hospital Marys Avenue Campus
Kingston, NY · about 16 miles
Hospital · Emergency room
Medicare rating: ★★★★★ 1 of 5
Northern Dutchess Hospital
Rhinebeck, NY · about 17 miles
Hospital · Emergency room
Medicare rating: ★★★★★ 4 of 5
In the county, compared with New York and the U.S.
Primary care doctors
0.7
per 1,000 people · New York: 0.8 · U.S.: 0.8
Dentists
0.7
per 1,000 people · New York: 0.8 · U.S.: 0.7
Mental health providers
2.8
per 1,000 people · New York: 3.8 · U.S.: 3.3
People under 65 without health insurance
5.5%
New York: 5.7% · U.S.: 9.5%
Hospitals: Medicare Care Compare (CMS Care Compare, July 2026); distances are straight-line miles from the town center (located with the U.S. Census Bureau geocoder), so drive distance is longer. Doctors, dentists, providers and insurance: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2025 release. In an emergency, call 911.

Costs of moving here

Rent, the move itself, and getting set up.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving to New York: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the New York DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: New York voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Schools and childcare

Schools

Main Building at Oakwood Friends School
Main Building at Oakwood Friends School · Photo: MattVoorhees15, CC BY-SA 4.0

16 public school districts in this county, with about 57,634 students in all. The county also has 20 private schools. Which public school serves a home depends on its address.

Kiryas Joel Village SchoolKirya Joel Early Childhood Educational CentrChester Elementary SchoolChester Academy-Middle/High SchoolCornwall Elementary SchoolCornwall Central High SchoolCornwall-On-Hudson Elementary SchoolWillow Avenue Elementary SchoolCornwall Middle SchoolGoshen Central High SchoolGoshen Intermediate SchoolC J Hooker Middle SchoolScotchtown Avenue SchoolGreenwood Lake Middle SchoolGreenwood Lake Elementary SchoolHighland Falls Intermediate SchoolJames I O'Neill High SchoolFort Montgomery Elementary SchoolWilliam A Carter SchoolMiddletown Twin Towers Middle SchoolMiddletown High SchoolMonhagen Middle SchoolMaple Hill Elementary SchoolPresidential Park Elementary SchoolMinisink Valley Elementary SchoolMinisink Valley High SchoolMinisink Valley Middle SchoolOtisville Elementary SchoolMinisink Valley Intermediate SchoolCentral Valley Elementary SchoolMonroe-Woodbury Middle SchoolMonroe-Woodbury High SchoolNorth Main Street SchoolPine Tree Elementary SchoolSmith Clove Elementary SchoolSapphire Elementary SchoolBerea Elementary SchoolEast Coldenham Elementary SchoolMontgomery Elementary SchoolValley Central Middle SchoolValley Central High SchoolWalden Elementary SchoolBalmville SchoolFostertown SchoolGardnertown Leadership Academy Elementary SchoolGidney Avenue Memorial SchoolMeadow Hill SchoolHorizon-On-the-Hudson SchoolNew Windsor SchoolNewburgh Free AcademySouth Middle SchoolTemple Hill SchoolVails Gate Steam AcademyHeritage Middle SchoolCircleville Elementary SchoolCircleville Middle SchoolCrispell Middle SchoolE J Russell Elementary SchoolPakanasink Elementary SchoolPine Bush Senior High SchoolPine Bush Elementary SchoolAnna S Kuhl Elementary SchoolPort Jervis Middle SchoolN A Hamilton Bicentennial SchoolPort Jervis Senior High SchoolS S Seward InstituteGolden Hill ElementaryGeorge F Baker High SchoolGeorge Grant Mason Elementary SchoolLeptondale Elementary SchoolPark Avenue Elementary SchoolWarwick Valley High SchoolWarwick Valley Middle SchoolSanfordville Elementary SchoolLittle Britain Elementary SchoolRound Hill Elementary SchoolTaft Elementary SchoolWashingtonville Middle SchoolWashingtonville Senior High SchoolMost Precious Blood School (private)St John School (private)Our Lady of Mount Carmel School (private)New York Military Academy (private)The Storm King School (private)Tuxedo Park School (private)Middletown Christian School-Sda (private)The Arc Greater Hudson Valley Ny (private)Sheri Torah V'Yoel Moshe (private)English Rose Day School (private)Nora Cronin Presentation Academy (private)San Miguel Academy of Newburgh (private)Cedarwood Christian School (private)Birch School (private)Thevenet Montessori School (private)Chapel Field Christian School (private)Northern Academy of the Arts (private)Blooming Grove Academy Llc (private)Over the Moon (private)St Paul Christian Education Center (private)ORANGE COUNTYWESTCHESTER COUNTYSULLIVAN COUNTYPUTNAM COUNTYROCKLAND COUNTYULSTER COUNTYDUTCHESS COUNTYPoughkeepsie
Public Public charter Private County line
District and county lines: U.S. Census Bureau. Tap a dot for details. A home's assigned school depends on its address; check with the district before you buy or rent.

Closest public schools to the center of Poughkeepsie

Elementary
Leptondale Elementary School11.5 mi
Public
grades K to 6 · 468 students · 12 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 40%, math about 41% (state: reading about 47%, math about 40%)
Fostertown School11.7 mi
Public
grades K to 5 · 585 students · 11.2 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 53%, math about 54% (state: reading about 47%, math about 40%)
Balmville School12.1 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 5 · 387 students · 9.4 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 22%, math about 8% (state: reading about 47%, math about 40%)
Middle
Leptondale Elementary School11.5 mi
Public
grades K to 6 · 468 students · 12 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 40%, math about 41% (state: reading about 47%, math about 40%)
Meadow Hill School14.4 mi
Public
grades K to 8 · 981 students · 10.4 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 43%, math about 26% (state: reading about 47%, math about 40%)
South Middle School14.8 mi
Public
grades 6 to 8 · 845 students · 9.8 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 24%, math about 9% (state: reading about 47%, math about 40%)
High school
Newburgh Free Academy14.0 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 3,521 students · 13.3 per teacher
Cornwall Central High School19.0 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 1,022 students · 13.4 per teacher
Valley Central High School19.3 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 1,399 students · 12.6 per teacher
Private
San Miguel Academy of Newburgh14.7 mi
Private
grades 5 to 8 · 62 students · 9 per teacher
Nora Cronin Presentation Academy14.9 mi
Private
grades 4 to 8 · 50 students · 12.5 per teacher
Most Precious Blood School16.3 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to 8 · 136 students · 15.8 per teacher

Straight-line miles from the center of Poughkeepsie, nearest first. Being closest doesn't mean a school serves a given home. "Passed the state test" is the share of students who scored proficient or better on New York's own reading and math tests in the 2021-22 school year, the latest year the U.S. Department of Education has published for every school. Each state sets its own test and passing bar, so compare schools within the same state, not across states. Test results track family income closely and leave out a lot (teachers, programs, how a school fits your child). For newer results, see the state's school report card.

Public school districts in the county

Newburgh City School District · Newburgh
11,193 students · 11.5 students per teacher · 12 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Middletown City School District · Middletown
7,529 students · 11.7 students per teacher · 6 schools · grades K to 12
Monroe-Woodbury Central School District · Central Valley
6,660 students · 13 students per teacher · 7 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

School choice and pre-K in New York

Going to school in another district
State law lets each district decide whether to take students from other districts. Some do, some don't; ask the district you'd like.
Picking a different school in your district
State law doesn't set a rule for switching schools within a district; it's up to each district.
Free state pre-K
56% of 4-year-olds and 17% of 3-year-olds in New York attend state-funded pre-K (U.S.: 37% and 9%). Spots, hours and who qualifies vary by district.

School choice: state law as summarized by the Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies (2022). Pre-K: share of children in state-funded pre-K, National Institute for Early Education Research, State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook (2024-25 school year).

Special education in New York

Federal rating for the state: Needs intervention
Each year the U.S. Department of Education rates every state on how well it follows the special education law (IDEA) and on results for students with disabilities. This rates New York as a whole, not your district or school. Each state also publishes yearly special education results for every district on its education department's website. Read New York's 2026 rating letter.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, 2026 determinations on state implementation of IDEA Part B (issued June 18, 2026).

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey, 2021-22. Varro doesn't rank single schools. The area's Schools grade at the top of the page compares its test pass rates with the rest of the state only. For programs and newer results, see each district's site and the state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

New York keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$285/week
about $14,800 a year
$230/week
about $12,000 a year
Toddler (2)$275/week
about $14,300 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$254/week
about $13,200 a year
$200/week
about $10,400 a year
School-age$225/week
about $11,700 a year

For an infant at a center: $285/week here, $296 across NY, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 13% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in New York →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

5 colleges in the county around Poughkeepsie. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Orange County Community College · Middletown
Public, 2-year (community college) · 5,372 students · $6,382 in-state, $12,046 out-of-state
United States Military Academy · West Point
Public, 4-year · 4,508 students
Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel · Monroe
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,729 students · $15,000 a year
Mount Saint Mary College · Newburgh
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,246 students · $41,370 a year
Yeshiva of Nitra Rabbinical College · Chester
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 270 students · $14,000 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Cost of living
About 9% above the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $109 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 109.4 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Average commute
33 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,683 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in NY. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
2 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
14.6 per 100,000 people a year
60 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. NY average: 8.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 23.3 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 958 people without housing in the Newburgh, Middletown/Orange County area: 886 in shelters and 72 outside, up from 779 in 2024. NY: 73.3 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$96,497
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
2.34% of home value a year
About $2,340 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 10.90%
NY's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: Tax Foundation and the state's tax agency, 2026

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