The number of residents with a particular level of education, expressed as a percentage of all residents 25 and older.
An educated population makes a more attractive workforce and is better prepared to instruct the next generation of residents. High educational attainment represents a region's investment in human capital and preparation for long-term growth.
In 2017-21, 34% of adults in the Mid-Hudson Valley had attained a bachelor's degree or higher, lower than the state (excluding NYC) rate of 37% and similar to the national rate. The regional rate increased 9 points from 2000 through 2017-21. Educational attainment among counties in the region was highest in Putnam County, with 41% of residents possessing a 4-year degree or higher, compared to 26% in Greene and 27% in Sullivan. Residents with less than a high school diploma decreased 8 percentage points from 2000 to 9% in 2017-21. The regional rate was similar to the state and lower than the nation's rate of 11%.
Local areas with a high share of residents that held a bachelor's degree or higher were the villages of Tuxedo Park (85%), Cold Springs (72%) and New Paltz (70%). Kiryas Joel in Orange County had the highest share of residents with less than a high school diploma (29%), followed by Brewster in Putnam County and Coxsackie in Greene County (both at 27%).
The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are expected to be released in the fourth quarter.
Bachelor's degree or higher | High school graduate, GED, or alternative | Less than high school diploma | Some college or associate's degree | ||||||||||||||||
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Region | 34% | 28% | 9% | 28% | |||||||||||||||
Columbia County | 35% | 29% | 9% | 27% | |||||||||||||||
Dutchess County | 38% | 26% | 8% | 28% | |||||||||||||||
Greene County | 26% | 37% | 12% | 25% | |||||||||||||||
Orange County | 31% | 29% | 10% | 30% | |||||||||||||||
Putnam County | 41% | 26% | 7% | 25% | |||||||||||||||
Sullivan County | 27% | 32% | 13% | 27% | |||||||||||||||
Ulster County | 34% | 28% | 9% | 29% | |||||||||||||||
NYS (excluding NYC) | 37% | 27% | 9% | 27% | |||||||||||||||
U.S. | 34% | 26% | 11% | 29% | |||||||||||||||
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Bachelor's degree or higher | High school graduate, GED, or alternative | Less than high school diploma | Some college or associate's degree | ||||||||||||||||
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Region | 274,669 | 228,948 | 75,420 | 227,022 | |||||||||||||||
Columbia County | 16,415 | 13,856 | 4,131 | 12,653 | |||||||||||||||
Dutchess County | 78,716 | 54,838 | 17,701 | 57,690 | |||||||||||||||
Greene County | 9,253 | 13,319 | 4,359 | 9,193 | |||||||||||||||
Orange County | 80,054 | 72,736 | 25,676 | 76,159 | |||||||||||||||
Putnam County | 29,267 | 18,591 | 4,702 | 17,977 | |||||||||||||||
Sullivan County | 14,952 | 17,906 | 7,399 | 15,067 | |||||||||||||||
Ulster County | 46,012 | 37,702 | 11,452 | 38,283 | |||||||||||||||
NYS (excluding NYC) | 2,915,634 | 2,091,069 | 728,088 | 2,154,594 | |||||||||||||||
U.S. | 75,808,834 | 59,636,386 | 25,050,356 | 64,656,741 | |||||||||||||||
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Region | 25% | 30% | 17% | 28% | |||||||||||||||
Columbia County | 23% | 33% | 19% | 26% | |||||||||||||||
Dutchess County | 28% | 28% | 16% | 28% | |||||||||||||||
Greene County | 16% | 36% | 21% | 26% | |||||||||||||||
Orange County | 23% | 31% | 18% | 28% | |||||||||||||||
Putnam County | 34% | 28% | 10% | 28% | |||||||||||||||
Sullivan County | 17% | 34% | 24% | 26% | |||||||||||||||
Ulster County | 25% | 30% | 18% | 27% | |||||||||||||||
NYS (excluding NYC) | 27% | 30% | 16% | 26% | |||||||||||||||
U.S. | 24% | 29% | 20% | 27% | |||||||||||||||
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Bachelor's degree or higher | High school graduate, GED, or alternative | Less than high school diploma | Some college or associate's degree | ||||||||||||||||
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Region | 174,400 | 215,188 | 123,876 | 195,159 | |||||||||||||||
Columbia County | 9,939 | 14,387 | 8,372 | 11,292 | |||||||||||||||
Dutchess County | 50,757 | 51,471 | 29,474 | 52,023 | |||||||||||||||
Greene County | 5,356 | 11,880 | 6,975 | 8,359 | |||||||||||||||
Orange County | 47,953 | 66,119 | 38,629 | 60,115 | |||||||||||||||
Putnam County | 21,891 | 18,151 | 6,361 | 18,221 | |||||||||||||||
Sullivan County | 8,367 | 17,024 | 11,953 | 12,884 | |||||||||||||||
Ulster County | 30,137 | 36,156 | 22,112 | 32,265 | |||||||||||||||
NYS (excluding NYC) | 1,986,379 | 2,191,433 | 1,163,634 | 1,924,144 | |||||||||||||||
U.S. | 44,462,605 | 52,168,981 | 35,715,625 | 49,864,428 | |||||||||||||||
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