What is the largest city in Ulster County, NY?

Kingston is the largest city or town in Ulster County, with about 23,911 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in Ulster County?

Ulster County includes 56 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 12401, 12404, 12406, 12409, 12410.

What is the population of Ulster County, NY?

About 182,601 people live in Ulster County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border Ulster County?

Ulster County borders Orange County, Dutchess County, Sullivan County, Columbia County, Greene County, Delaware County.

Ulster County, NY: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

182,601

Land area

1,124sq mi

People per sq mi

162

ZIP codes

56

Ulster County at a glance

Ulster County is 61% less dense than New York as a whole.
The median household income is $86,271, close to the New York median.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $352,500 (17% below New York) and median rent is $1,425 a month.
Its largest cities are Kingston (23,911), New Paltz (8,314) and Highland (6,367).

Local data for Ulster County, NY

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Ulster County, NY, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$86,271

Poverty rate

14.6%

Median home value

$352,500

Prices +3.3% in a year

Median rent

$1,425/mo

Homeownership

69.9%

Bachelor's or higher

38.2%

Median age

44.1

Average commute

27.5 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Irish Americans (32,235), Italian Americans (29,446), German Americans (26,079).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

3.8%

Sep 2026, +0.2 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$63,421

60,554 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$69,090

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$1.2B

FY 2026, $6,379 per person

PPP loans

$355M

5,804 loans, 45,747 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$1.7M

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

Ulster County, NY, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone68.9%
Carpooled6.5%
Public transit1.9%
Walked3.3%
Bicycle0.5%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.3%
Worked from home17.6%

Average one-way commute: 27.5 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Ulster County, NY, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: landslide

Storm events since 1996

1,690

Most often thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

897

1.3% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

83° / 19°F

52.6 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 110 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Ulster County, NY, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

30.5%

U.S. 33.3% -2.8 pts

Diabetes

10.9%

U.S. 12.1% -1.2 pts

Smoking

11.8%

U.S. 12.8% -1.0 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

6.5%

U.S. 11.1% -4.6 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Ulster County

Population shown

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Ulster County, NY?: Kingston is the largest city or town in Ulster County, with about 23,911 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Ulster County?: Ulster County includes 56 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 12401, 12404, 12406, 12409, 12410.
What is the population of Ulster County, NY?: About 182,601 people live in Ulster County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Ulster County?: Ulster County borders Orange County, Dutchess County, Sullivan County, Columbia County, Greene County, Delaware County.