More weak spots than strong ones. Cost of living is its weak spot: the typical home is worth about $316K, 3.7 years of the Kingston metro’s $86K median household income. It lags on schools as well — its public schools trail four fifths of New York towns on state tests and graduation. Its strongest is walkability (A−): it is more walkable than 84% of U.S. towns. The overall grade lands at D, 693rd of 745 in New York. Nationally, it does better than 10% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Senate House and Kingston City Hall. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 100% of U.S. towns, with 48 places on the National Register.

Figures: home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · schools, state test and graduation results · National Register of Historic Places.

StrongestA⁺History AOutdoors ACivic lifeWeakestDCost of living C⁻Schools

What makes Kingston stand out

Where Kingston beats most towns.

Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents

2.5 times the nonprofits per person

than the typical New York town

Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.

First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Kingston · National Register of Historic Places

Kingston’s story

Kingston in pictures

First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Kingston is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its 48 National Register listings are more than in 98% of New York towns with a listing.

Census counts: 6,315 in 1870, 24,069 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1742 and 3 maps from 1898 on.

Explore the history →

How Kingston grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Kingston is from typical.

How grading works

Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.4 of 20; 14% of households have no car; 5.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA⁻Open →SchoolsAmong the weakest of the towns comparedC⁻Open →Jobs & income12,810 jobs based hereCOpen →SafetyGraded on crime per residentCOpen →HealthHealthalliance Hospital Marys Avenue Campus 0.5 miles awayB⁻Open →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors11% conserved landAOpen →History58 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life5.1 library visits per resident; 10.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

United States Military Academy and 37 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Kingston. Close and well known come first.

All 102 attractions →

Big draw37 mi MuseumUnited States Military Academy

11 mi National Historic SiteHome of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site102K visitors a year

9 mi National Historic SiteVanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site295K visitors a year

22 mi MuseumOlana State Historic Site 12 mi MuseumFranklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

19 mi WaterfallKaaterskill Falls

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

United 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 · Olana State Historic Site: Netniks, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kaaterskill Falls: Mwanner, CC BY-SA 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Kingston: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Kingston, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerCentral Hudson Gas & Elec27.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterKingston (City) Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offWM - Kingston NY Hauling, 2 miOpenStreetMap

SchoolsKingston City School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereUlster County Board of ElectionsUlster County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025

ZIP code1240112401 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Kingston.

Kingston is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has commutes shorter than most of New York, but it has a long record of flood insurance claims.

OutdoorsA

Conservation land takes up 10.8% of Kingston

Sojourner Truth State Park, at 347 acres with 3.8 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Walkers can cover 10 miles of trail in 16 parks and preserves. Also worth knowing: the concentration of trails for Kingston comes to 1.2 miles per square mile, where New York’s towns sit at 0.4 and U.S. towns at 0.4.

#100for trails in NY

10.8%

conserved · 600 of 5,579 acres

10 mi

of trails · 1.1 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Sojourner Truth State Park	3.8 mi	347
2. Kingston Point Park	1.7 mi	49
3. Hasbrouck Park	0.8 mi	59

Full pageKingston’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map10 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk3.8 miles of trail · Sojourner Truth State Park Conserved land10.8% conserved · 600 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Kingston?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsC⁻

Kingston earns a C− for schools

Of its 7 schools, two are listed below, each with the reason. The largest public high school is Kingston High School, with 1,749 students. The public schools here belong to the Kingston City School District.

20%of NY districts it outscoresC⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
J Watson Bailey Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8	Grades 5–8	936	C⁻
Kingston High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,749	A⁺

Full pageKingston’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsKINGSTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs. the neighborsBehind its 3 graded neighbors Every school7 schools · Kingston High School Questions“Are Kingston’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation

SafetyC

Crime per resident in Kingston is higher than in 67% of U.S. towns

The rate of thefts and burglaries for Kingston comes to 11.9 per 1,000 residents, above both New York’s towns (7.5) and U.S. towns (9.9). The violent offense rate here is 3 per 1,000 residents.

33%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade

	Kingston	New York towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	3 per 1,000 residents	0.8	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	11.9 per 1,000 residents	7.5	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Kingston3

New York3.7

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Kingston11.9

New York15.7

U.S.15.5

33rd

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

24th

percentile among NY towns

violent crimes reported in 2025

281

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageKingston’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type3 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsSteady since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its graded neighbor Questions“Is Kingston, NY safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Climate

Kingston has snowy winters and pleasant summers

The peak summer temperature for Kingston comes to 86°F.

59″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter20–38°

Spring38–60°

Summer60–83°

Fall43–63°

Sep 28

typical first frost

May 14

typical last frost

+1.9°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageKingston’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 86°, January lows 17°Rain & snow59″ of snow a winter · 48 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C

With 1.2 jobs for every working resident, Kingston draws in 9,963 commuters

The average commute for its 10,494 working residents takes 23.1 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.

Kingston’s typical household income is $68,000. In Kingston, about one in four working residents works in town. 18% of Kingston residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are New York (13%), Ulster (9%) and Poughkeepsie (3%).

27%work in town

	Kingston	New York towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	27%	10%	8%
Below the poverty line	18%	9.5%	9.6%
Work from home	15%	12%	11%
Median household income	$68,000	$82,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Kingston27%

New York13%

Ulster9%

Poughkeepsie3%

Saugerties2%

13 mi

median commute distance

12,810

jobs based in Kingston

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

A−

Walkability grade: more walkable than 84% of U.S. towns

Full pageKingston’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here12,810 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work27% work in Kingston Commute times23 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 13 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Who lives here

An age mix much like New York’s

A third of adults 25 and older hold at least a bachelor’s degree, against 40% across New York. Every broad age group is within 4 points of the New York average. For Kingston, the midpoint age is 37.2 years.

37.2median age · NY 39.8

	Kingston	New York towns	U.S. towns
Median age	37.2 years	43 years	40.5 years
Aged 65 or older	17%	20%	18%
Under 18	21%	20%	22%

KingstonNew YorkUnited States

NYU.S.

Ages · share of residents

17%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma12%

High school28%

Some college19%

Associate’s8%

Bachelor’s17%

Graduate15%

Women and men · all residents

50% women, 50% men

That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.9 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.

Ages and education in Kingston
	Kingston	NY	U.S.
Under 10	13.7%	11%	11.6%
10 to 17	7.3%	9.5%	10.3%
18 to 24	7.3%	8.9%	9.1%
25 to 34	17.3%	14.2%	13.7%
35 to 44	15.2%	13%	13.2%
45 to 54	10.7%	12.2%	12.2%
55 to 64	11.6%	13.3%	12.7%
65 to 74	9.1%	10.3%	10.2%
75 and older	7.8%	7.6%	7%
No diploma	11.6%	12%	10.4%
High school	28.4%	24.3%	26%
Some college	19%	14.6%	19.1%
Associate’s	8.4%	8.8%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	17.3%	22.4%	21.6%
Graduate	15.2%	17.9%	14.1%

Full pageKingston by the numbersOpen the page

Ages37.2 median age · 17% are 65 or older Schooling33% have a four-year degree Homes48% own their home · Homeowners Income$68K a year · Median household income

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B⁻

Moderate risk in Kingston, with inland flooding at the top

76 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 17 properties have flooded more than once.

Kingston’s risk rating from FEMA stands at 46 of 100. 69% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 10%. Paid flood insurance claims locally since 1980: 76.

46risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesHurricanes

paid flood claims since 1980

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageKingston’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims76 paid flood claims · Since 1980 Past disasters10 federal disasters · Paid out in Kingston Get ready3.6 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HealthB⁻

Kingston is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns

Against the 10,343 U.S. towns with household incomes like Kingston’s, it is healthier than 70%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income. All 3 graded neighbors score healthier than its B−, from Ulster (B+) to Rhinebeck (A).

15% of adults in Kingston binge drink; 18% worry about having enough food. The share of adults in Kingston who sleep under 7 hours: 40%.

53%healthier than U.S. townsB⁻Health Grade

	Kingston	New York towns	U.S. towns
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	40%	37%	36%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	15%	17%	16%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	18%	13%	14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	38%	34%	35%

32 measures vs. New York

0 better24 too close to call8 worse

What stands out	Kingston	NY
More adults with COPD	7.6%	6%
More smokers	14%	11.3%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	9.8%	8.2%

Healthalliance Hospital Marys Avenue Campus

0.5 mi away · emergency room

1 of 3

care shortages: primary care

31st

percentile among NY towns

Full pageKingston’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby0.5 miles to an ER · Healthalliance Hospital Marys Avenue Campus How adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distress Every CDC estimateBetter than NY on 0 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

HousingCost of living grade D

The median home in Kingston sells for about $373K

Homes sold in Kingston spent a median 40 days on the market. In Kingston, 48% of households live in a home they own. Its going rate for rent comes in at $1,469 a month.

$373Kmedian sale price

	Kingston	New York towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	48%	75%	73%
Median rent	$1,469 a month	$1,098 a month	$1,185 a month

Market temperature

days on market

101.9%

sale-to-list price

homes sold in May

Full pageKingston’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsPrices over the years Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.5 years of income Rents$1,469 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 3 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Kingston

20pages on Kingston

After high school

Colleges nearby

6 within 15 miles of the center of Kingston

Bard CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Annandale-On-Hudson7.7 mi$66,436 tuition Ulster County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Stone Ridge8.7 mi$6,666 in-state tuition State University of New York at New PaltzUniversity or college · Public · New Paltz13.8 mi$8,572 in-state tuition

About 4 of every 100 Kingston residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Get outside

10 miles of trails in Kingston

10.8% of the town is conserved land, across 16 parks and preserves.

Map of trails and conserved land in Kingston

ConservedTrails

Sojourner Truth State Park3.8 mi of trails · 347 acres

Directions

Kingston Point Park1.7 mi of trails · 49 acres

Directions

Hasbrouck Park0.8 mi of trails · 59 acres

Directions

Landmarks

48 places in Kingston on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of KingstonBuilt 1852 · National Historic Landmark

Senate House

Kingston City Hall

Maizefield

Famous people from Kingston

58 notable people were born in Kingston.

See all 58 →

Peter BogdanovichAmerican film director · 1939–2022

John GloverAmerican actor · born 1944

Josh GreenGovernor of Hawaii since 2022 · born 1970

Robert CraftAmerican conductor and writer · 1923–2015

Robert HuttonAmerican actor · 1920–1994

John VanderlynAmerican artist · 1775–1852

About Kingston

City in New York, United States

Official town website ↗

Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 24,069 at the 2020 census, while the Kingston metropolitan statistical area had 177,749 residents. It is at the confluence of Rondout Creek and the Hudson River, 91 miles (146 km) north of New York City and 59 miles (95 km) south of Albany. The city's metropolitan area is grouped with the New York metropolitan area around Manhattan by the United States Census Bureau. Kingston became New York's first capital in 1777. During the American Revolutionary War, the city was burned by the British on October 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga. Albany was designated the state capital in 1797, …

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area: 8.8 sq mi
Elevation: 476 ft
Area code: 845

Kingston’s neighbors

7 towns share a border with Kingston.

Explore the map →

All 3 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D; Ulster (C−) is closest.

How the neighbors grade

Town	NY rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Kingston	#693	D	D	C	C⁻	B⁻
Ulster	#643	C⁻	C⁻	C⁺	C⁻	B⁺
Hillside	—	—	—	—	—	—
Esopus	#590	C⁻	C⁻	—	C	B⁺
Port Ewen	—	—	—	—	—	—
Rhinebeck	#243	B⁺	D	—	A⁻	A
Lincoln Park	—	—	—	—	—	—
East Kingston	—	—	—	—	—	—

Esopus and Rhinebeck report no FBI crime data of their own. Hillside, Port Ewen, Lincoln Park and East Kingston aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Kingston with a neighbor →

Questions about Kingston

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Kingston, NY a good place to live?

Kingston grades D overall, better than 10% of U.S. towns and #693 of 745 in New York. It grades B− for health, C for safety and C− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Kingston, NY expensive?

Yes. The typical home is worth about $316,000, 40% 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 D.

What is Kingston, NY known for?

58 notable people were born here, including Peter Bogdanovich and John Glover.

Post to Kingston

Check your email

KingstonNY

Is Kingston a good place to live?

What makes Kingston stand out

Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents

Kingston in pictures

How Kingston grades

United States Military Academy and 37 more within 40 miles

Moving to Kingston: who provides what

The data

Conservation land takes up 10.8% of Kingston

Kingston earns a C− for schools

Crime per resident in Kingston is higher than in 67% of U.S. towns

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Kingston has snowy winters and pleasant summers

Typical low → high °F

With 1.2 jobs for every working resident, Kingston draws in 9,963 commuters

Where working residents work

An age mix much like New York’s

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Moderate risk in Kingston, with inland flooding at the top

Kingston is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns

The median home in Kingston sells for about $373K

Everything we know about Kingston

Colleges nearby

10 miles of trails in Kingston

Landmarks

Famous people from Kingston

About Kingston

Kingston’s neighbors

Questions about Kingston