Indicators of financial stability are a critical benchmark of a community’s well–being. In all cases, comparisons to state statistics reflect the state excluding New York City.

Regionally, median household income has increased modestly over the last decade or so.
The region’s 4% increase over this period was below the state (outside New York City) and the nation, which increased 6% and 11%, respectively.

The median household income in the Mid-Hudson Valley was $87,100 in 2018-22, higher than both the state (excluding NYC) and national medians of $83,800 and $75,100, respectively. Median incomes were higher than the region in Putnam ($121,000), Dutchess ($94,600) and Orange counties ($91,800), while Ulster ($77,200), Greene ($70,300) and Sullivan ($67,800) were lower.

Asian and White residents in the region had the highest median incomes, at $105,500 and $89,700, respectively. African American and Hispanic residents had the lowest median incomes at $66,300 and $80,500, respectively, though both exceeded rates for their respective groups in the state and nation.

Poverty rates in the region are below the nation.
In 2018-22, about 11% of the region’s residents were living in poverty, on par with the state and lower than the nation (13%). Sullivan and Ulster County had the highest poverty rates in the region, at 15%. Putnam County had the lowest at 6%, followed by Dutchess at 9%.

Poverty rates were highest among Black or African American residents at 18%, and Hispanic residents at 14%, followed by White residents at 10% and Asian residents at 12%.  About 8% of seniors and 5% of veterans were living in poverty in 2018-22. While poverty is relatively low at 11% for the region, another 13% of residents had incomes between 100% and 199% of the poverty level, and 13% were between 200% and 299% of poverty.

The number of households facing food insecurity has decreased in the last decade, but remains a challenge for some. 8% of households in the region were considered food insecure, with the rate in Sullivan and Ulster county at the highest in the region, 10%, the same as the rate for both the state and the nation.

In 2018-22, 9% of households reported receiving SNAP, less than both the national rate of 12% and state rate of 11%. Rates varied throughout counties with Sullivan reporting a rate of 16% and Putnam a rate of 4%.  

More students were economically disadvantaged in 2023 compared to 2013 in the region. 
In 2023, 46% of students in the region were economically disadvantaged, representing over 68,400 children. This was slightly above the statewide (excluding NYC) rate of 44%. Sullivan County, at 60%, had the highest rate in the region, followed by Ulster at 51% and Columbia at 50%. The lowest rate was in Putnam, at 32%.

A low percentage of children are receiving subsidized child care. 
In 2022, 0.9% of the region’s children participated in subsidized child care, below the rate of 1.7% for the state. Since 2007, the region’s rate of subsidized child care participation has decreased by nearly 53%.

A lower percentage of the region’s population received the  Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) than nation.
In 2021, 15% of tax filers in the Mid-Hudson Valley received the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the same as statewide (excluding NYC) and less than 20% nationally. The rates for each county, the state (excluding NYC) and nation have remained relatively unchanged since 2011.