Financial Stability






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.





INDICATORS TREND | STATE
Children Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Rate of Child Abuse and Neglect Decreasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Teen Pregnancy Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Decreasing
Total Population Increasing
Population by Age Decreasing
Population by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Household Types Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Change in Jobs by Sector Increasing
Spending for County Government Maintaining
Tourism Revenue Maintaining
Preschoolers Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Student Performance on Grade 4 English, by Student Group Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 4 English, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 4 Math, by Student Group Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 4 Math, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
High School Cohort Dropout Rate Decreasing
High School GED Rate Decreasing
Education Levels of Adults Increasing
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Maintaining
People Living in Poverty Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Seniors Living in Poverty Increasing
Veterans Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children Receiving Subsidized Child Care Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students Increasing
Earned Income Tax Credit Participation Increasing
Living Wage Rate by Household Type Maintaining
Income in Relation to Poverty Level Increasing
Households Receiving SNAP Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Food Insecurity Not Applicable
Deaths from Drug Overdoses Increasing
Babies with Low Birth Weights Maintaining
Newly Diagnosed Cases of HIV Decreasing
People Living wth HIV Increasing
Mental Health Clinic Visits Maintaining
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Cost of Homeownership Maintaining
Cost of Rent Increasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Violent Crimes Decreasing
Homeless Persons Decreasing
Domestic Violence Maintaining
Arrest Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Population by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 4 English, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 4 Math, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Arrest Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing


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