Poughkeepsie, NY

Poughkeepsie, New York

Introduction to Poughkeepsie, New York

The county seat of Dutchess County, New York, is the Hudson River Valley city of Poughkeepsie. The city is nestled halfway between New York City (to the south) and Albany (to the north), roughly 82 miles from each. Major highways serving Poughkeepsie are U.S. Route 9, U.S. Route 44, and N.Y. State Highway 55.

Settled in the late 1600s by the Dutch, Poughkeepsie was first organized as a town in 1788. It was in this year that the U.S. Constitution was ratified there by the state of New York, as Poughkeepsie was serving at that time as the temporary state capital. In 1799, the city of Poughkeepsie was taken off the town of the same name and organized separately as a village, later to become incorporated (in 1854) as a city. The city's name is derived from the phonetic translation of an Algonquian Indian term variously interpreted as meaning "waterfall", "pleasant harbor", or "campsite by small water". The Town of Poughkeepsie is home to several colleges, including Vassar College, Marist College, and Dutchess Community College.

Arts and Culture in the Poughkeepsie Area

In the early to mid-20th century, famous families such as the Astors, Rogers, and Vanderbilts built seasonal retreats in the Poughkeepsie area, many of which today are open to the public as historic sites. Located in Poughkeepsie itself are the Locust Grove (former home of inventor Samuel F. B. Morse) and Clinton House (named for George Clinton, New York’s first governor). Nearby Hyde Park is home to the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, and the Vanderbilt Mansion.

Other cultural sites located in Poughkeepsie include the following:

• Bardavon Opera House: Home of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic
• Glebe House: A 1767 house restored to represent a late 18th-century home
• Maple Grove: Built in 1850 by banker Charles Al Macy
• Poughkeepsie Post Office: A National Historic Landmark
• Frances Lehman Loeb Art Museum: Located at Vassar College
• Springside National Historic Site
• Mill Street Loft
• Barrett Art Center

Nearby cultural sites include:

• Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum (Hyde Park)
• Bannerman Castle (Fishkill): A Scottish-style castle on the Hudson River features a two-hour cruise around Bannerman Island.
• Clermont State Historic Site
• Hyde Park Railroad Station
• Mount Gulian Historic Site (Beacon)
• Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum
• Sports Museum of Dutchess County (Wappingers Falls)
• The Howland Cultural Center (Beacon)

Sports are abundant in the greater metropolitan New York City area, which can be reached in about 90 minutes by car. Some of the Major League New York area sports teams include: Major League Baseball's Mets (Queens) and Yankees (Bronx), the National Football League's Giants and Jets (both play at the Meadowlands Sports Complex, East Rutherford, New Jersey), the National Basketball Association's N.Y. Knicks (Manhattan) and New Jersey Nets (Meadowlands Sports Complex), the National Hockey League's N.Y. Islanders (Uniondale), N.Y. Rangers (Manhattan), and New Jersey Devils (Meadowlands Sports Complex), the Women's National Basketball Association's New York Liberty (Manhattan), Major League Lacrosse's Long Island Lizards (Uniondale), and Major League Soccer's Red Bull New York (formerly the Metrostars) who play at the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

High Points

Poughkeepsie strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in New York):

Category	Trophy
Racial Diversity (vs. State)	Top 4%
Public Transportation Use (vs. Peers)	Top 9%
Walking and Biking to Work (vs. Peers)	Top 14%

Comparative Profile of Poughkeepsie, NY

Comparing Poughkeepsie to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in New York (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Racial Diversity
Children Under 5 Years Old
Female Share of the Population
Senior Citizens
Male Share of the Population
Age of the Population
Well-Paid Single Men

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Average Household Size
Portion of People Married

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
College Educated Adults
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty
Median Family Income

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Public Transportation Use
Walking and Biking to Work
Working at Home
Short Commute Times

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
People Living Alone
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
Affordability of Rents
Affordability of Property Taxes
Housing Recently Built

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Property Crime
Low Violent Crime

Poughkeepsie Almanac

Poughkeepsie Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Poughkeepsie Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Nearby Cities and Towns

Poughkeepsie Public Libraries

More Information for Librarians

Poughkeepsie Hospitals

VASSAR BROTHERS MEDICAL CENTER
(Voluntary non-profit - Other)
45 READE PLACE
(845) 454-8500
Emergency Service: Yes

ST FRANCIS HOSPITAL
(Voluntary non-profit - Other)
241 NORTH ROAD
(845) 483-5000
Emergency Service: Yes

Poughkeepsie High Schools (2004)

POUGHKEEPSIE HS
70 FORBUS ST
845-451-4850
Serves 1,182 students.

SPACKENKILL HS
112 SPACKENKILL RD
845-463-7810
Serves 589 students.

Poughkeepsie Colleges

Click school name for a detailed profile.

Dutchess BOCES-School of Practical Nursing

Dutchess Community College

Marist College

Ridley-Lowell School of Business

Vassar College

(List of All New York Colleges)

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