New Paltz Academy, 1875, 1875
New Paltz’s story
217 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1875 and a map from 1986 on.
- 1809New Paltz is settled
Village of New PaltzNY
14.3% of it is conserved land.
Population
8,689
2025 Census estimate · +18.3% since 2020
Median home value
$415K
Census ACS
Household income
$53K
median
Median age
21.5
years
Jobs based here
3,322
Balanced
TownGrade
B
Better than 56% of U.S. towns
Is New Paltz a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. New Paltz grades B overall, better than 56% of U.S. towns. It has 6 miles of trail. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 83% of the country. The trade-off is money: homes are expensive, about $414K for a typical one and 4.8 times the Kingston metro’s $86K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 91% of U.S. towns. New Paltz is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among New York’s towns. 73% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in New Paltz, against 32% in New York’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. New Paltz is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 93% of U.S. towns. New Paltz is home to State University of New York at New Paltz.
What makes New Paltz stand out
Where New Paltz beats most towns.
Get outside
6 miles of trails in New Paltz
14.3% of the town is conserved land, across 6 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How New Paltz grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far New Paltz is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.6 of 20; 24.7% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 7% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →HealthVassar Brothers Medical Center 8.4 miles awayA−Open →SchoolsBeat 66% of New York districts on tests and graduationB+Open →Jobs & income$53K median household incomeC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors14% conserved landA+Open →HistoryAOpen →Civic life4.4 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
All 112 attractions →United States Military Academy and 43 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around New Paltz. Close and well known come first.
Big draw26 mi MuseumUnited States Military Academy
7 mi National Historic SiteHome of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site102K visitors a year
8 mi National Historic SiteVanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site295K visitors a year8 mi MuseumFranklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum11 mi Park & preserveMinnewaska State Park Preserve
26 mi Stadium & arenaMichie StadiumSources: 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 · Michie Stadium: John Pellino, Public domain
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to New Paltz: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in New Paltz, and how to reach them.
PowerCentral Hudson Gas & Elec27.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNew Paltz (Village) Water Dist4 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offNew Paltz Recycling Center, 3 miOpenStreetMap
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.govWho runs elections hereUlster County Board of ElectionsUlster County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code1256112561 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 New Paltz.
New Paltz is shaped by its college students, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has commutes shorter than most of New York.
OutdoorsA+
New Paltz stands out in New York and nationally, with trail density higher than most
The trail density in New Paltz is 3.2 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Mill Brook Preserve, 120 acres with 3.1 miles of trail.
#6for trails in NY
14.3%
conserved · 164 of 1,145 acres
5.8 mi
of trails · 3.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mill Brook Preserve | 3.1 mi | 120 |
| 2. Moriello Park and Pool | 0.1 mi | 5 |
| 3. Huguenot Riverfront Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Very low risk in New Paltz, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 93% of U.S. communities. Since 1987, 9 flood insurance claims have been paid out in New Paltz.
7risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHurricanes
9
paid flood claims since 1987
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA−
A smaller share of adults have high blood pressure in New Paltz than in most of New York or the rest of the country
Against the 6,714 U.S. towns with household incomes like New Paltz’s, it is healthier than 99%, so its A− isn’t only a matter of income. Its widest gap with New York is diabetes: 6.4% of its 6,636 adults have diabetes, against 11.5% statewide.
24% of New Paltz adults have high blood pressure. Only 9 of the 755 New York towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have diabetes than New Paltz. 25% of New Paltz adults have obesity.
83%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| New Paltz | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 34% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 6.4% | 11% | 12% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 32% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. New York
12 better14 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | New Paltz | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 6.4% | 11.5% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| More adults in frequent mental distress | 20.2% | 15% |
Vassar Brothers Medical Center
8.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
70th
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
New Paltz has snowy winters and pleasant summers
New Paltz has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 18° and about 59 inches of snow falls in a winter.
59″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–38°
Spring38–59°
Summer60–82°
Fall43–63°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
New Paltz has 1.5 jobs for every working resident, and 3,075 people commute in
The average commute for its 2,253 working residents takes 21.4 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Most working residents leave New Paltz for work: only 11% work in town. 38% of residents live below the poverty line in New Paltz. Since 2013, New Paltz has lost 543 jobs, to 3,322 in 2023.
11%work in town
| New Paltz | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 38% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 19% | 12% | 11% |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In New Paltz11%
New Paltz20%
New York19%
Kingston5%
Poughkeepsie5%
24 mi
median commute distance
3,322
jobs based in New Paltz
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 93% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade D
Homes in New Paltz sell for about $320K
70.8% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 52.1% across New York.
New Paltz’s median rent is $1,672 a month. Only 4 of the 758 New York towns we compare have a lower share of households owning their home than New Paltz.
$320Kmedian sale price
| New Paltz | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 20% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,672 a month | $1,098 a month | $1,185 a month |
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about New Paltz
18pages on New Paltz
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of New Paltz
State University of New York at New PaltzUniversity or college · Public · New PaltzIn town$8,572 in-state tuitionUlster County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Stone Ridge7.4 mi$6,666 in-state tuitionCulinary Institute of AmericaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Hyde Park7.6 mi$39,850 tuition
College town 58 of every 100 New Paltz residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
College town
58% of New Paltz is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Questions about New Paltz
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is New Paltz, NY a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. New Paltz grades B overall, better than 56% of U.S. towns. New Paltz is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among New York’s towns. It grades A− for health and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is New Paltz, NY expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $415,000, 21% 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.