What does this measure?

The estimated number of people with incomes below the poverty line, as a percentage of those for whom poverty status has been determined. Poverty thresholds vary by family composition and year. In 2021, the threshold for a four-person family with two children was $27,479.

Why is this important?

The percentage of people living in poverty is a measure of the overall economic health of a region. It also indicates the level of need for social and government supports within the community.

How is the region performing?

In 2017-21, 11% of the residents of the Mid-Hudson Valley had incomes below the poverty line, on par with the statewide (excluding NYC) rate and lower than the national rate of 13%. The region's poverty rate rose by 1 percentage point since 2000. Within the region, Sullivan County had the highest poverty rate, at 14%, followed by Ulster at 13%. Putnam had the lowest rate by far, at 6%, followed by Dutchess, at 9%.

Some of the highest poverty rates in the Mid-Hudson Valley in 2017-21 were found in the region's larger communities, including the cities of Newburgh (21%), Poughkeepsie (19%), Kingston (19%) and Middletown (17%), and the towns of Gardiner (40%), New Paltz (21%) and Thompson (20%). Several villages also had notably high poverty rates, including Kiryas Joel (41%).

Notes about the data

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. Poverty status is not reported for people in institutions, including college dormitories and military barracks, and people in living situations without conventional housing. Data for this indicator are expected to be released in the fourth quarter.