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 6% increase over this period was below the state and the nation, which increased 8% and 13%, respectively.

The median household income in the Mid-Hudson Valley was $91,400 in 2019-23, higher than both the state and national medians of $87,300 and $78,500, respectively. Median incomes were higher than the region in Putnam ($127,400), Dutchess ($97,300) and Orange counties ($96,500), while Columbia ($83,600), Ulster ($81,800), Greene ($74,000) and Sullivan ($69,800) were lower.

Asian and White residents in the region had the highest median incomes, at $106,500 and $93,900, respectively. African American and Hispanic residents had the lowest median incomes at $76,000 and $87,100, respectively, though both exceeded rates for their respective groups in the state and nation.

Poverty rates in the region are below the nation.
In 2019-23, 11% of the residents of the Mid-Hudson Valley had incomes below the poverty line, on par with the statewide rate and slightly lower than the national rate of 12%. Sullivan and Ulster had the highest poverty rates, at 15% and 14%, respectively. Putnam had the lowest rate at 7%, followed by Dutchess, at 8%.

Poverty rates were highest among Black or African American residents at 17%, and Hispanic residents at 14%, followed by White residents at 10% .  About 9% of seniors and 5% of veterans were living in poverty in 2019-23. 

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.  Dutchess and Orange counties had the highest in the region in 2021, at 24%. Columbia and Ulster counties had the lowest rates, both 14%. Greene County experienced the most significant decrease since 2014, declining 17 points to 16%.

In 2019-23, 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 3%.  Rates were higher in the region’s cities: 30% in Newburgh, and 20% in Poughkeepsie. 

More students were economically disadvantaged in 2024 compared to 2013 in the region. 
In 2024, 47% of students in the region were economically disadvantaged, representing over 67,400 children. This was slightly above the statewide rate of 46%. Sullivan County, at 62%, had the highest rate in the region, followed by Columbia at 52% and Orange at 50%. The lowest rate was in Putnam, at 32%.

A low percentage of children are receiving subsidized child care. 
In 2023, over 2,000 or 1.2% of the region’s children under 13 participated in subsidized child care. This was less than the 2.3% rate for the state. Since 2010, the region’s rate of subsidized child care participation has decreased by nearly 33%, from 1.8%.

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 and less than 20% nationally. The rates for each county, the state (excluding NYC) and nation have remained relatively unchanged since 2011.