A vibrant economy is the foundation of a thriving community. In all cases, comparisons to state statistics reflect the state excluding New York City.

Regional job growth increased in 2021, recovering from pandemic lows .
The region’s total number of jobs increased 3% in 2021 as it recovered from job losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the same rate of increase as the state and nation. All of the region’s counties experienced increases in total jobs from 2020 to 2021. Orange had the highest increase at 4.1%, followed by Sullivan at 4% and Putnam at 3.5%.

Some of the largest employment sectors in the region added and lost a significant number of jobs between 2001 and 2021.
Industries with the largest gains were Financial Activities (64%) and Educational Services (38%), while the Information and Manufacturing sectors experienced decreases of 35% and 34%, respectively. Orange and Putnam counties had the largest total gains at 25% and 24%, respectively while Dutchess and Ulster counties experienced 5% and 4% decreases, respectively.

Spending by county government, after adjusting for inflation, grew 69% from 2000 to 2021.
County government spending per capita for the region was about $2,100 in 2021. From 2000 to 2021, per capita spending increased the most, 92%, in Greene County, followed by 87% in Dutchess. In 2020, Sullivan County had the highest county spending ($2,900), while Putnam had the least ($3,500).

Tourism revenue increased 40% in the region since 2005. 
Tourism revenue rebounded from the COVID pandemic, increasing 54% from 2020 to 2021. Per-resident revenue was highest in Sullivan ($8,900) and Greene ($4,900) counties on a per-capita basis. Adjusted for inflation, tourism revenue per capita declined after the Great Recession in 2008, rebounded from 2010 to 2019, declined in 2020, and recovered to its pre-pandemic levels in 2021.