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Ulster County, New York Demographics 2026

Ulster County, New York has a population of 182,601, the 20th most populous county in New York. The median household income is $86,271 and the median home value is $352,500. The poverty rate is 14.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Ulster County Quick Facts

Population 182,601
Median Household Income $86,271
Median Home Value $352,500
Poverty Rate 14.6%
Unemployment Rate 5.4%
Median Age 44.1 years
Homeownership Rate 69.9%
Affordability Ratio 4.1x
Bachelor's Degree+ 38.2%
High School Graduation 92.2%
Cities/Places 38
Population 182,601 20th of 62
Median Income $86,271 about the same as state
Poverty Rate 14.6%
Unemployment 5.4%

How Ulster County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population182,109182,601+0.3%
Median household income$81,804$86,271+5.5%
Median home value$315,100$352,500+11.9%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 15.3%
$25K-$50K 15.5%
$50K-$100K 25.3%
$100K+ 43.9%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
5.3%
$10K-$15K
3.7%
$15K-$20K
2.9%
$20K-$25K
3.4%
$25K-$30K
3.2%
$30K-$35K
3.1%
$35K-$40K
2.9%
$40K-$45K
3.1%
$45K-$50K
3.3%
$50K-$60K
4.9%
$60K-$75K
8.7%
$75K-$100K
11.7%
$100K-$125K
10.5%
$125K-$150K
8.3%
$150K-$200K
10.5%
$200K+
14.6%

Employment

5.4% Unemployment Rate State: 6.4%|National: 5.2%
58.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 69.9%
Renter 30.1%
Affordability Index Moderate
4.1x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,425/mo 19.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

45out of 100
Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Ulster County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Kingston23,911$68,18617.6%$315,500
New Paltz8,314$52,77438.2%$414,500
Highland6,367$101,9175.8%$415,900
Ellenville4,211$42,96935.0%$218,200
Watchtower3,974N/A100.0%N/A
Saugerties3,884$57,77821.0%$374,100
Marlboro3,679$119,3182.9%$412,800
Port Ewen3,426$79,3869.1%$284,100
Hurley3,346$90,1528.2%$357,800
Lincoln Park2,431$76,97110.6%$272,600
Saugerties South2,251$89,3757.6%$278,900
Woodstock2,239$52,09110.3%$675,600
Glasco2,210$61,32118.8%$301,400
Lake Katrine2,176$72,03110.1%$298,000
Stone Ridge1,884$127,60112.8%$501,400
Clintondale1,784$76,0712.6%$318,900
Milton (Ulster County)1,679$87,76320.5%$350,500
Kerhonkson1,677$78,45916.8%$236,000
West Hurley1,673$93,7896.6%$437,100
Tillson1,530$98,7505.5%$298,300
Wallkill1,355$103,5717.6%$341,700
Walker Valley1,301$119,62511.0%$331,700
Gardiner1,210$112,4113.5%$568,600
Shokan1,196$137,3617.3%$292,900
Ruby1,098$104,8312.6%$347,100
Plattekill1,095$107,8134.0%$377,600
Zena997$154,25010.2%$484,800
Rosendale962$70,85811.8%$263,300
Hillside911$141,9643.1%$469,000
High Falls887N/A11.5%$234,000
Napanoch776$68,25018.7%$167,400
Accord638$107,6146.0%N/A
Rifton541$2,49940.3%$227,800
Cragsmoor481$79,6180.0%$228,300
Pine Hill317$87,03911.4%$348,900
Malden-on-Hudson275N/A0.0%$333,800
Phoenicia271N/A51.3%$450,000
East Kingston227$68,19417.2%$186,700

Explore New York Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Ulster County is located in New York with a total population of 182,601. It is the 20th most populous county out of 62 in New York. The county encompasses 38 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ulster County is 44.1 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 39.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ulster County is $86,271. This is about the same as the state median of $85,974. It is also 7% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.6%. This is 4% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.4%. This is 15% lower than the state rate of 6.4%. The median home value is $352,500. Housing costs are 17% lower than the state median of $423,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.1x. 69.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 29% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ulster County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 72.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 12.2%. The Black or African American population (5.7%) is well below the state average of 13.4%. The Asian population (2.1%) is well below the state average of 9.0%.

Education

38.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 5% lower than the state rate of 40.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.2%. Notably, 17.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Ulster County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against New York and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Ulster County, New York?

Ulster County has a population of 182,601, making it the 20th most populous county in New York.

What is the median income in Ulster County?

The median household income in Ulster County is $86,271 with a poverty rate of 14.6%.

How many cities are in Ulster County, New York?

Ulster County contains 38 Census-designated places.