Places › New York › Poughkeepsie

Living in Poughkeepsie, NY

Small city in New York

Poughkeepsie is a small city in New York, home to about 32,000 people, with 639,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Poughkeepsie a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Mild summers: highs around 81°F
  • Great outdoors: hills or mountains nearby
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.5× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Low natural disaster risk: 9 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Weaker public schools: test results well below the US average
  • No dog parks within 9 mi
  • Higher taxes: about $3,080 state income tax per resident, 2.22% property tax
  • Fewer graduates: 32% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Poughkeepsie ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
32,000
639,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
38°F / 81°F
Average daily highs · 59″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$301k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,510/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
109
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,080
State income tax per resident · 2.22% property tax
Safety
0.5× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
9 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
3
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Poor
Tests well below US average · 15 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
32%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
LGA
63 mi away

Living in Poughkeepsie: common questions

What is the cost of living in Poughkeepsie?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $301k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,510 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 109, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Poughkeepsie?

New York collects about $3,080 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.22% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Poughkeepsie safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.5× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Poughkeepsie?

Public schools in Poughkeepsie test well below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 15 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Poughkeepsie?

Poughkeepsie has cold winters: winter days average around 38°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 59″ of snow a year.

Does Poughkeepsie get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 9 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.25 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Poughkeepsie?

The nearest major airport is LGA, about 63 mi away.

How Poughkeepsie scores

Each bar compares Poughkeepsie with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundWalk & transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingExpensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceFast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunitySome community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingGood
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketAverage
🏥HealthcareGood
🏫SchoolsPoor
🎓EducationBelow average
🧸Kids & familyBelow average
🐕Dog-friendlyPoor
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CultureAverage
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportGood

Places like Poughkeepsie

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Newburgh, NYSmall city53 $408k$2,310/moVery safe New London, CTSmall city53 $340k$2,410/moSafe West Warwick, RISuburb58 $426k$2,090/moVery safe Manchester, CTSmall city57 $338k$2,240/moVery safe Waterbury, CTSuburb51 $308k$2,210/moSafe North Chicago, ILSuburb56 $227k$2,290/moNo crime data

Nearby

Wappinger, NYSmall city · 8 mi away51 $421k$2,510/moNo crime data East Fishkill, NYSmall city · 12 mi away62 $521k$2,510/moNo crime data Beacon, NYSmall town · 13 mi away59 $573k$2,510/moVery safe Newburgh, NYSmall city · 14 mi away53 $408k$2,310/moVery safe Kingston, NYSmall town · 17 mi away52 $323k$2,250/moSafe New Windsor, NYSmall city · 18 mi away55 $445k$2,510/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in New York.

Is Poughkeepsie right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.