Jobs, pay and daily life in Poughkeepsie, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Poughkeepsie is a city in New York with 31,958 residents. The median household earns $60,741 a year and the median rent is $1,400 a month, which is 27.7% of the median household income. It is part of the Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY metropolitan area, where BLS counts 268,970 jobs.
How Poughkeepsie compares. Among the 120 largest places in New York, Poughkeepsie is #39 by population, #109 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #97 for household income (#1 = highest), #94 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Dutchess County, is #9 of 62 counties for average pay ($70,950).
Poughkeepsie has 31,958 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of New York. It covers 5 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 6,211 people per square mile. The median age is 38.1, 4% younger than the state median (38.1 against 39.8).
The median gross rent is $1,400 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% below the state median ($1,400 against $1,621). Over a year that is 27.7% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $283,700, which is 4.7 times the median household income ($60,741). 38.8% of households own their home, 29% below the state average (38.8% against 54.4%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY metropolitan area has 268,970 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $50,990 a year, about the same as the national median ($50,990 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (31,870 jobs, median $48,290); transportation and material moving (27,530 jobs, median $45,930); educational instruction and library (24,890 jobs, median $65,860). The area is most specialised in educational instruction and library (1.6 times) and protective service (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($123,240) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($98,520). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Dutchess County was 3.7%. 65.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Dutchess County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 63.5% drive alone, 6.0% use public transit, 5.8% walk, 8.9% work from home. 13.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 52% below the state average (13.2% against 27.4%).
31.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 21% below the state share (31.9% against 40.2%). 22.5% of residents were born outside the United States, about the same as the state share (22.5% against 22.8%). The poverty rate is 17.6%, 26% above the state rate (17.6% against 14.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 25°F (-3.9°C). About 1,228 mm (48 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Oct is the wettest month (123 mm) and Jan the driest (76 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Newburgh (14 miles, rent 4% higher); Kingston (17 miles, rent 5% higher); Kiryas Joel (28 miles, rent 15% higher); New Milford (28 miles, rent 6% higher). Rent differences are against Poughkeepsie; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in New York (1,185) →State guide: New YorkCountry guideDutchess CountyNew York rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,185 federal postings open in New York (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in New York →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 10,750 | 1.44 | $39,040 | $34,180 | $50,890 | +9% |
| Retail Salespersons | 9,890 | 1.47 | $36,160 | $33,970 | $49,250 | +2% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 7,030 | 1.38 | $44,510 | $36,750 | $53,170 | +11% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 6,500 | 1.33 | $40,350 | $32,550 | $50,290 | +8% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 6,280 | 0.94 | $35,320 | $32,240 | $43,120 | +13% |
| Registered Nurses | 5,760 | 0.99 | $102,890 | $68,330 | $125,080 | +5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 5,430 | 0.90 | $102,140 | $54,080 | $218,200 | -3% |
| Cashiers | 5,350 | 1.00 | $35,000 | $32,240 | $38,010 | +6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 5,270 | 1.38 | $37,730 | $32,700 | $51,480 | +2% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 5,120 | 2.08 | $37,760 | $32,240 | $49,790 | +3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,980 | 0.89 | $45,550 | $35,340 | $64,990 | +2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,930 | 1.00 | $46,950 | $33,500 | $79,740 | +33% |
| Office Clerks, General | 3,660 | 0.86 | $43,920 | $32,240 | $61,800 | -2% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 3,620 | 1.22 | $47,870 | $37,230 | $62,040 | +1% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,330 | 0.93 | $62,760 | $48,750 | $78,830 | +7% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 3,140 | 1.31 | $81,770 | $47,280 | $128,430 | +28% |
| Security Guards | 3,080 | 1.39 | $42,910 | $34,950 | $60,110 | +13% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 3,080 | 1.17 | $55,160 | $38,070 | $76,320 | +11% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 2,530 | 1.06 | $56,130 | $39,220 | $78,250 | +11% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 2,390 | 2.22 | $97,900 | $61,450 | $128,770 | +52% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 610 | 1.02 | $200,820 | $86,250 | $376,990 | -24% |
| Marketing Managers | 500 | 0.74 | $156,780 | $74,410 | $273,030 | -6% |
| Physician Assistants | 510 | 1.81 | $154,610 | $105,260 | $192,650 | +14% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 550 | 0.99 | $151,740 | $115,870 | $174,910 | +15% |
| Financial Managers | 860 | 0.59 | $146,910 | $90,020 | $303,590 | -12% |
| Software Developers | 1,010 | 0.35 | $145,830 | $85,090 | $216,710 | +7% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 740 | 0.72 | $142,970 | $92,700 | $325,150 | +15% |
| Pharmacists | 540 | 0.96 | $140,080 | $84,720 | $168,120 | -1% |
| Lawyers | 910 | 0.70 | $138,630 | $82,510 | $344,980 | -13% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 700 | 1.24 | $136,210 | $83,550 | $187,670 | +29% |
| Registered Nurses | 5,760 | 0.99 | $102,890 | $68,330 | $125,080 | +5% |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,300 | 0.70 | $102,650 | $63,250 | $171,480 | +0% |
| Management Analysts | 970 | 0.62 | $102,190 | $65,050 | $233,870 | +0% |
| General and Operations Managers | 5,430 | 0.90 | $102,140 | $54,080 | $218,200 | -3% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 2,390 | 2.22 | $97,900 | $61,450 | $128,770 | +52% |
| Physical Therapists | 640 | 1.38 | $97,110 | $75,120 | $129,330 | -5% |
| Speech-Language Pathologists | 550 | 1.74 | $96,540 | $60,880 | $184,820 | -1% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 760 | 0.40 | $89,410 | $49,200 | $176,450 | +8% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 2,370 | 1.29 | $89,320 | $50,510 | $129,340 | +24% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,860 | 0.74 | $88,900 | $60,290 | $148,250 | +6% |
These figures are for the whole Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $50,990 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 32.2% |
| Retail trade | 13.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.6% |
| Public administration | 6.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.5% |
| Manufacturing | 4.7% |
| Other services | 3.7% |
| Construction | 3.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.1% |
| Information | 1.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Poughkeepsie lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dutchess County | 298,220 | $20,302 million | $68,077 | 112,897 | 9,032 | $70,950 | +3.4% | 3.7% | 155,583 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 20,276 | 22.3% | $74,692 | 1.25 |
| Retail trade | 13,216 | 14.5% | $43,600 | 1.17 |
| Accommodation and food services | 10,281 | 11.3% | $30,253 | 1.00 |
| Educational services | 8,517 | 9.4% | $54,389 | 3.65 |
| Manufacturing | 6,527 | 7.2% | $126,514 | 0.70 |
| Construction | 5,701 | 6.3% | $83,041 | 0.96 |
| Administrative and waste services | 5,385 | 5.9% | $63,587 | 0.81 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4,398 | 4.8% | $62,839 | 0.92 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3,794 | 4.2% | $54,250 | 1.12 |
| Professional and technical services | 3,275 | 3.6% | $84,046 | 0.42 |
| Finance and insurance | 2,606 | 2.9% | $104,555 | 0.57 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 2,054 | 2.3% | $29,915 | 1.08 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,511 | 1.7% | $65,899 | 0.86 |
| Information | 1,228 | 1.4% | $88,102 | 0.58 |
| Management of companies | 989 | 1.1% | $79,243 | 0.52 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 870 | 1.0% | $38,814 | 0.95 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 272 | 0.3% | $92,277 | 0.64 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 63.5% |
| Public transit | 6.0% |
| Walk | 5.8% |
| Work from home | 8.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 13.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,741 |
| Income per person | $44,215 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,400 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 27.7% |
| Median home value | $283,700 |
| Homeowners | 38.8% |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 109.4 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $50,990 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 10.90%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 31.9% |
| Born abroad | 22.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 65.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.9 | 25 | 76 |
| Feb | -2.8 | 27 | 78 |
| Mar | 1.7 | 35 | 94 |
| Apr | 8.3 | 47 | 99 |
| May | 14.6 | 58 | 99 |
| Jun | 19.7 | 67 | 122 |
| Jul | 23.2 | 74 | 108 |
| Aug | 22.5 | 72 | 119 |
| Sep | 18.6 | 65 | 111 |
| Oct | 11.6 | 53 | 123 |
| Nov | 5.0 | 41 | 89 |
| Dec | -0.4 | 31 | 110 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newburgh | NY | 14 mi | 28,519 | $56,960 | $1,454 |
| Kingston | NY | 17 mi | 23,911 | $68,186 | $1,469 |
| Kiryas Joel | NY | 28 mi | 38,916 | $50,032 | $1,604 |
| New Milford | CT | 28 mi | 8,188 | $83,235 | $1,483 |
| Peekskill | NY | 28 mi | 25,625 | $85,954 | $2,036 |
| Danbury | CT | 31 mi | 87,263 | $83,393 | $1,846 |
| Middletown | NY | 31 mi | 30,289 | $79,346 | $1,661 |
| Bethel | CT | 35 mi | 11,404 | $90,848 | $1,656 |
| Ridgefield | CT | 37 mi | 6,970 | $148,279 | $1,904 |
| Ossining | NY | 37 mi | 26,950 | $103,573 | $2,154 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
31,958 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,400 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 27.7% of the median household income.
$60,741 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Dutchess County (latest month 2026M09)).
New York. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.