Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Amenia earns a D, 673rd among New York's 745 graded towns, mostly because of schools. Its schools rank behind 96% of the state's. It also has a long history, with 6 places on the National Register. Amenia’s mean commuting time is 35 minutes, where New York’s towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Its National Register listings include Lewis Mumford House and Hendrik Winegar House. Amenia's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 85% of U.S. towns.
Where Amenia beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Lewis Mumford House| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Maplebrook School | 8–12 | 58 |
Census counts: 3,114 in 1820, a peak of 7,842 in 1970, 3,769 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1851 and 4 maps from 1899 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Amenia is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Amenia, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Amenia.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maplebrook School PrivateLargest high schoolGrades 8–12 | Grades 8–12 | 58 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
For Amenia, the typical July afternoon high is 83°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the New York average, Amenia comes out ahead on 2 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 8. 29% of Amenia adults have obesity.
| Amenia | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 33% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 34% | 35% |
| What stands out | Amenia | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 12% | 14.5% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7% | 8.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.1% | 6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The biggest park or preserve is Wassaic Multiple Use Area, at 510 acres. Count the trails in 4 parks and preserves and they come to 6.9 miles. Amenia’s density of trails is 0.2 miles per square mile.
| Amenia | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.7% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Wassaic Multiple Use Area | — | 510 |
| 2. Harlem Valley Rail Trail | — | 49 |
| 3. Currie Sanctuary | 0.1 mi | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Amenia has about as many jobs (1,638) as working residents, but only 193 people both live and work here.
Half the trips to work are shorter than 23 miles. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Amenia dropped by 185, to 1,638. Most working residents leave Amenia for work: only 13% work in town. The top destinations are New York (15%), North East (6%) and Dover (4%).
| Amenia | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $76,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The FEMA hazard score for Amenia comes to 60 of 100. 75% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by hurricanes at 11%. Flood insurance has paid out on 5 claims in the town since 2005.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The midpoint rent in Amenia is $1,423 a month. In Amenia, 68% of households own their home.
| Amenia | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,423 a month | $1,098 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 75% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Amenia. Close and well known come first.
Big draw36 mi MuseumUnited States Military Academy
18 mi National Historic SiteHome of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site102K visitors a year
20 mi National Historic SiteVanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site295K visitors a year
23 mi LakeCandlewood Lake
35 mi Theme parkLake Compounce
31 mi MuseumOlana State Historic SiteUnited States Military Academy: USMA Public Affairs Office, Public domain · Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site: Crunch, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site: Daderot, Public domain · Candlewood Lake: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Lake Compounce: Wildcat1 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Olana State Historic Site: Netniks, CC BY-SA 4.0
None within 15 miles of Amenia; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Amenia residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
4,436 counted in 2010 and 3,769 in 2020; an estimated 4,052 in 2025.
The decline has turned around: up 7.6% since 2020, after a 15% drop in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
6 places in Amenia on the National Register of Historic Places.
12 notable people were born in Amenia.
Town in New York, United States
Amenia is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 3,769 at the 2020 census, down from 4,436 at the 2010 census. The town is on the eastern border of the county.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Amenia.
All 4 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D; North East (C) is closest.
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amenia | #673 | D | C+ | — | D− | B+ |
| Washington | #165 | A− | C− | — | A− | A |
| Dover | #563 | C | C | — | C | B+ |
| Stanford | #391 | B− | C | — | B− | A− |
| North East | #568 | C | C | — | D− | A− |
Amenia, Washington, Dover, Stanford and North East report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Amenia with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Amenia grades D overall, better than 12% of U.S. towns and #673 of 745 in New York. It grades B+ for health and D− for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D−.
The typical home is worth about $310,000, 41% below the New York typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
12 notable people were born here, including Benjamin Swift and William Holabird.
