NY 97-42 split in Sparrowbush, 2004
Sparrow Bush’s story
172 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1854Sparrow Bush is settled
Sparrow BushNY
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,119
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$353K
+1.3% in a year
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
47.2
years
Jobs based here
201
A commuter town
Is Sparrow Bush a good place to live?
Sparrow Bush’s average trip to work is 37 minutes, where New York’s towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Sparrow Bush’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, against 0.4 in New York’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. We don’t grade Sparrow Bush yet; the figures below are still real.
What makes Sparrow Bush stand out
Where Sparrow Bush beats most towns.
Small town
1,119 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
DeerparkPort JervisWestfall TownshipSparrow Bush
Nearby attractions
All 416 attractions →United States Military Academy and 33 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Sparrow Bush. Close and well known come first.
Big draw39 mi MuseumUnited States Military Academy
6 mi MountainHigh Point
5 mi National park siteMiddle Delaware National Scenic River4.1M visitors a year
28 mi LakeLake Wallenpaupack
34 mi LakeLake Musconetcong
21 mi Theme parkLegoland New YorkSources: 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 · High Point: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Middle Delaware National Scenic River: Mike Serfas, Public domain · Lake Wallenpaupack: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Lake Musconetcong: Zeete, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Legoland New York: MattCC716, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Getting set up
Moving to Sparrow Bush: who provides what
Sparrow Bush is unincorporated, so Orange County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerOrange & Rockland26.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMaple Tree Mobile Homes water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesOrange CountyOrange County provides services here
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 hereOrange County Board of ElectionsOrange County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes12780, 1277112780 81% · 12771 19%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 Sparrow Bush.
Work & commute
Sparrow Bush stands out in New York and nationally, with fewer of its residents who live below the poverty line
2.6% of Sparrow Bush residents live below the poverty line. Since 2013, Sparrow Bush has added 86 jobs, to 201 in 2023. Sparrow Bush’s median household income is $56,000.
2%work in town
| Sparrow Bush | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Sparrow Bush2%
New York14%
Port Jervis13%
Deerpark9%
Wallkill8%
21 mi
median commute distance
201
jobs based in Sparrow Bush
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
Homes in Sparrow Bush are worth about $353K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Sparrow Bush home is worth about $353,000, up 1.3% in a year, 33% below the New York typical home. 63% of households own their home in Sparrow Bush.
$353KZillow home value
Typical home value
Sparrow Bush$353K
New York$525K
+1.3%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Sparrow Bush faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities.
68risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Sparrow Bush, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Sparrow Bush has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 17° and about 43 inches of snow falls in a winter.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–37°
Spring35–59°
Summer58–81°
Fall41–62°
Oct 10
typical first frost
May 5
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Sparrow Bush is
Sparrow Bush beats the New York average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
| Sparrow Bush | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 21% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 33% | 35% |
32 measures vs. New York
6 better24 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Sparrow Bush | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.5% | 17.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.4% | 7.7% |
Bon Secours Community Hospital
2.7 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Sparrow Bush has set aside 6% of its land for conservation
3.8 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
6%conserved
6%
conserved · 111 of 1,832 acres
3.8 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Elks-Brox Memorial Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sparrow Bush
16pages on Sparrow Bush
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Sparrow Bush
Orange County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Middletown14.8 mi$6,526 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Sparrow Bush residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Sparrow Bush for work
Where Sparrow Bush’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
201jobs based in Sparrow Bush
2%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Sparrow Bush
Hamlet and CDP in New York, United States
Sparrow Bush is a hamlet (and census designated place) in the town of Deerpark, in Orange County, New York, United States. The population as of the 2020 census is 981. The community is located along state routes 42 and 97, 2.3 miles (3.7 km) northwest of Port Jervis. Sparrow Bush has a post office with ZIP code 12780. The community is named after Henry L. Sparrow who owned a large piece of woodland near the D&H canal.The locals started to call this piece of land Sparrow's “Bosh” (meaning Sparrow's slope) and Sparrow's “Bosk” (meaning Sparrow's woods). Over time the name of the town gradually evolved into Sparrow bush. It is zoned to Port Jervis School District, which operates Port Jervis Hi…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 682 ft
- ZIP code
- 12780
Questions about Sparrow Bush
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sparrow Bush, NY a good place to live?
We don’t grade Sparrow Bush yet; the figures below are still real.