Population 182,601 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ulster County
Household size in Ulster County
| Period | Ulster County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Ulster County is a place of small households, averaging 2.35 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.45, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Ulster County
| Period | Ulster County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.2 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.1 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.3 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.1 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Ulster County skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 41.2 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Ulster County
| Period | Ulster County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Ulster County than nationally: 9.8%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Ulster County
Renters in Ulster County
| Period | Ulster County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.4% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.5% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.7% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.1% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Ulster County rent their homes (30.1%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 42.3% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the west.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Ulster County
| Period | Ulster County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.3% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Ulster County than nationally: 13.3%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Ulster County
| Period | Ulster County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Ulster County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1966, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Even so, homes here are newer than in New York overall, where the median home dates to 1961. The median year built has moved up from 1963 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Ulster County
| Period | Ulster County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $984 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,034 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,139 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,495 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$511 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ulster County costs $1,495 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in New York as a whole ($1,794). Rents are up $511 a month from 2006–10, a 52% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Ulster County
Bachelor's degrees in Ulster County
| Period | Ulster County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.2% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.4% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.5% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Ulster County (39.5%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.4 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Ulster County
| Period | Ulster County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.6% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.2% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.9% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.5% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Ulster County have finished high school (92.5%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.9 points, as it has nationally. Ulster County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five New York counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Ulster County
| Period | Ulster County | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ulster County is close to the national rate: 5.1% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in New York overall (6.6%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Ulster County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ulster County | 2.35 | 45.3 | 9.8% | 30.1% | 13.3% | 1966 | $1,495 | 39.5% | 92.5% | 5.1% |
| Litchfield County | 2.43 | 46.6 | 8.7% | 23.0% | 12.4% | 1967 | $1,383 | 38.9% | 94.3% | 5.1% |
| Hartford County | 2.48 | 41.5 | 11.8% | 35.1% | 7.3% | 1966 | $1,572 | 40.8% | 90.8% | 5.4% |
| Susquehanna County | 2.45 | 48.1 | 9.4% | 21.5% | 26.0% | 1972 | $998 | 19.3% | 91.0% | 5.8% |
| Tolland County | 2.48 | 40.8 | 8.9% | 27.0% | 8.3% | 1976 | $1,502 | 45.0% | 94.2% | 5.2% |
| Windham County | 2.45 | 42.5 | 12.5% | 28.9% | 6.9% | 1968 | $1,200 | 25.9% | 90.3% | 5.9% |
| Bradford County | 2.46 | 44.7 | 9.3% | 27.8% | 16.3% | 1967 | $954 | 21.0% | 90.8% | 6.3% |
| Providence County | 2.57 | 39.1 | 13.9% | 43.1% | 8.0% | 1957 | $1,382 | 32.2% | 86.0% | 6.7% |
| Bristol County | 2.36 | 45.3 | 7.8% | 28.2% | 7.5% | 1958 | $1,796 | 54.4% | 94.1% | 3.0% |
| Bristol County | 2.49 | 41.8 | 13.0% | 37.7% | 5.5% | 1964 | $1,422 | 30.3% | 86.2% | 5.5% |
| Tioga County | 2.38 | 45.4 | 8.9% | 22.6% | 19.9% | 1967 | $902 | 22.8% | 92.3% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Boone County, MO · Carroll County, MD · Cass County, ND · Charlotte County, FL · DeSoto County, MS · El Dorado County, CA · Guadalupe County, TX · Hendricks County, IN · Imperial County, CA · Iredell County, NC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Ulster County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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