Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
3.2 times the library visits per person than the typical New York town.
Trash & recyclingFor most people who can afford it, yes. Washington grades A− overall, 165th among New York's 745 graded towns. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 85% of the country. Its schools rank ahead of 77% of New York towns. The trade-off is money: the typical home is worth about $532K, 5.4 years of the Kiryas Joel metro’s $98K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 92% of U.S. towns, with 4 places on the National Register. 11% of residents are under 18 in Washington, below both the New York town median (20%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). Only 62 of New York’s 1,187 towns score higher on civic life. Washington is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 80% of U.S. towns.
Where Washington beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Washington is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 2,882 in 1820, 4,522 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 4 maps from 1899 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Washington. Close and well known come first.
Big draw31 mi MuseumUnited States Military Academy
11 mi National Historic SiteHome of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site102K visitors a year
13 mi National Historic SiteVanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site295K visitors a year
23 mi LakeCandlewood Lake13 mi MuseumFranklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
32 mi Stadium & arenaMichie StadiumUnited 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 · Michie Stadium: John Pellino, Public domain
Who provides power, water and the rest in Washington, 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 Washington.
Washington trades workers with New York City and other neighbors and has better schools than Union Vale or any other neighbor.
28% of Washington adults have obesity. Washington beats the New York average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 15% of Washington adults binge drink.
| Washington | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 37% | 36% |
| What stands out | Washington | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.8% | 17.2% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.7% | 14.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.6% | 7.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its A− is the best School Grade on its borders; Union Vale (B−) is next.
Its public schools are run by the Millbrook Central School District. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millbrook Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 168 | B− |
| Millbrook High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 252 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
The median age in Washington is 56.8 years. People 65 and older are 30% of residents (18% statewide); children under 18 are 11% of residents (21% statewide). 49% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Washington.
| Washington | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.8 years | 42.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 49% | 32% | 29% |
56% women, 44% men
About 80 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±4.1 points). Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women. Among residents 35 to 44, 64% are men (NY 50%).
| Washington | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4.7% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.5% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.4% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.1% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.3% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 24.3% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.5% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 16.3% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.7% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 19.4% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.5% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.9% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.5% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 27.9% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,500, single groups can be off by several points
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 72% of U.S. communities. Since 2011, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Washington.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Washington has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 16° and about 58 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Washington has about as many jobs (1,558) as working residents, but only 260 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Washington for work: only 15% work in town. Washington’s average trip to work is 30 minutes. Jobs based in Washington fell to 1,558 in 2023, 128 fewer than in 2013.
| Washington | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $102,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 10% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
1.1 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tribute Gardens | 0.5 mi | 8 |
| 2. Village Green | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
4 within 15 miles of the center of Washington
About 5 of every 100 Washington residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
4 places in Washington on the National Register of Historic Places.
Town in Dutchess County, New York, US
Washington is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 4,522 at the 2020 census. The town is named after George Washington, who passed through the town during the Revolution. Washington is in the central part of the county, northeast of the city of Poughkeepsie. U.S. Route 44 passes across the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Washington.
It grades higher overall than all 5 graded towns on its borders; Union Vale (B−) comes closest.
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | #165 | A− | C− | — | A− | A |
| Amenia | #673 | D | C+ | — | D− | B+ |
| Stanford | #391 | B− | C | — | B− | A− |
| Union Vale | #366 | B− | D | — | B− | A |
| Pleasant Valley | #449 | C+ | C− | — | C+ | A |
| Clinton | #392 | B− | D | — | C+ | A |
Washington, Amenia, Stanford, Union Vale, Pleasant Valley and Clinton report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Washington with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Washington grades A− overall, better than 80% of U.S. towns and #165 of 745 in New York. It grades A for health and A− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes. The typical home is worth about $532,000, 1% above 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−.
