Dutchess County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 295,911. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is the city of

Poughkeepsie Poughkeepsie ( ) is a city within the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie is in the Hudson River Valley region, midway between the core of the New ...

. The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later organized in 1713. Dutchess County is part of the

Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh metropolitan area The Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, is an area consisting of two counties in New York (state), New York's Hudson Valley, with the municipalit ...

, which belongs to the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area. The county is part of the

Hudson Valley The Hudson Valley or Hudson River Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The region stretches from the Capital District (New York), Capital District includi ...

region of the state.

History

Before Anglo-

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

settlement, what is today Dutchess County was a leading center for the indigenous

Wappinger The Wappinger ( ) were an Eastern Algonquian Munsee-speaking Native American people from what is now southern New York and western Connecticut. At the time of first contact in the 17th century they were primarily based in what is now Dutc ...

peoples. They had their council-fire at what is now

Fishkill Hook East Fishkill is a town on the southern border of Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 29,707 at the 2020 census. Until its creation in 1849, the town was the eastern portion of the town of Fishkill. Hudson Valley Resear ...

, and had settlements throughout the area. On November 1, 1683, the

Province of New York The Province of New York was a British proprietary colony and later a royal colony on the northeast coast of North America from 1664 to 1783. It extended from Long Island on the Atlantic, up the Hudson River and Mohawk River valleys to ...

established its first twelve counties, including Dutchess. Its boundaries at that time included the present Putnam County, and a small portion of the present Columbia County (the towns of Clermont and Germantown). The county was named for

Mary of Modena Mary of Modena (; ) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England, List of Scottish royal consorts, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of James VII and II. A devout Catholic, Roman Catholic, Mary married the widower James, who was t ...

Duchess of York Duchess of York is the principal courtesy title held by the wife of the Duke of York. Three of the eleven Dukes of York either did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, while two of the Dukes married twice; therefore, th ...

; ' is an archaic spelling of the word ''

duchess Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they a ...

''.

The Province of New York and the

Connecticut Colony The Connecticut Colony, originally known as the Connecticut River Colony, was an English colony in New England which later became the state of Connecticut. It was organized on March 3, 1636, as a settlement for a Puritans, Puritan congregation o ...

negotiated an agreement on November 28, 1683, establishing their border as east of the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

, north to

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

. The east of the

Byram River The Byram River is a long riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 spanning southeast New York state and southwestern Connecticut in the United States. It h ...

making up the Connecticut Panhandle were granted to Connecticut, in recognition of the wishes of the residents. In exchange, Rye was granted to New York, along with a wide strip of land running north from Ridgefield to Massachusetts alongside the New York counties of Westchester, Putnam then Dutchess, known as " The Oblong". The eastern half of the stub of land in northeast Dutchess County containing Rudd Pond and

Taconic State Park Taconic State Park is located in Columbia and Dutchess County, New York abutting Massachusetts and Connecticut within the Taconic Mountains. The state park is located off New York State Route 344 south of Interstate 90 and north of New York Ci ...

is the northernmost extension of The Oblong. Until 1713, Dutchess was administered by

Ulster County Ulster County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. It is situated along the Hudson River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 181,851. The county seat is Kingston. The county is named after the Irish province of Ulster. The count ...

. On October 23, 1713, Queen Anne gave permission for Dutchess County to elect its own officers from among their own population, including a supervisor, tax collector, tax assessor and treasurer. In 2013, Dutchess County celebrated its 300th anniversary of democracy based upon a legislative resolution sponsored by County Legislator Michael Kelsey from Salt Point. In 1812, Putnam County was detached from Dutchess.

The Patents

Fourteen royal

land patent A land patent is a form of letters patent assigning official ownership of a particular tract of land that has gone through various legally-prescribed processes like surveying and documentation, followed by the letter's signing, sealing, and publi ...

s were granted between 1685 and 1706 covering the entirety of the original footprint of Dutchess County (which until 1812 included today's Putnam County). The first ten, granted between 1685 and 1697, covered almost all of

shoreline in the original county, with three -

Rombouts Rombouts is a surname of Flemish-Dutch origin, meaning "son of Rombout". People with this name include * Adriaen Rombouts (c. 1640 – in or after 1670), Flemish genre painter active in Brussels * Cataryna Rombouts Brett (1687–1764), New York ...

, the Great Nine Partners, and

Philipse Patent The Philipse Patent was a British royal patent for a large tract of land on the east bank of the Hudson River about 50 miles north of New York City. It was purchased in 1697 by Adolphus Philipse, a wealthy landowner of Dutch descent in the Pro ...

s - extending significantly inland. The eleventh, and smallest, Cuyler, 1697, was the first to contain solely inland territory, just in from the Hudson. The twelfth, and next smallest, Fauconnier, in 1705, completed the Hudson River shoreline. The last two, Beekman, 1705, and the Little Nine Partners, 1706, laid claim to the remaining interior lands. # 1685 Rombout (Beacon/Fishkill Area) # 1686 Minnisinck (Sanders & Harmense) # 1686

Kip Kip, KIP or kips may refer to: Athletics * Kip (artistic gymnastics), a basic skill on the women's uneven bars * Kip (trampolining), a coaching skill used in trampolining * Kip-up, an acrobatic manoeuvre used in martial arts and gymnastics Peo ...

# 1688 Schuyler (Poughkeepsie) # 1688 Schuyler (Red Hook) # 1688 Ærtsen-Roosa-Elton # 1696 Pawling-Staats # 1697 Rhinebeck # 1697 (Great) Nine Partners # 1697 Philipse # 1697

Cuyler Cuyler is a surname that has several origins, such as Dutch for "victory of the people" or Gaelic for "chapel". Kyler is an alternate spelling. People with the surname * Abraham Cuyler (1742–1810), American businessman and mayor of Albany * S ...

# 1705 Fauconnier # 1705 Beekman (Back Lots) # 1706 (Little) Nine Partners

Early settlement

From 1683 to 1715, most of the settlers in Dutchess County were Dutch. Many of these moved in from Albany and Ulster counties. They settled along the

Fishkill Creek Fishkill Creek (also Fish Kill, from the Dutch ''vis kille'', for "fish creek") is a tributary of the Hudson River in Dutchess County, New York, United States. At U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dat ...

and in the areas that are now

and Rhinebeck. From 1715 to 1730, most of the new settlers in Dutchess county were Germans. From 1730 until 1775, New Englanders were the primary new settlers in Dutchess County. Coles Mills was settled by Elisha Cole from

Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. The ...

in 1747 at the outlet of Barrett Pond into the West Branch of the

Croton River The Croton River ( ) is a river in southern New York with a watershed area of , and three principal tributaries: the West Branch, Middle Branch, and East Branch. Their waters, all part of the New York City water supply system, join downstr ...

20th century

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

was born in Dutchess County. He lived in his family home in Hyde Park, overlooking the Hudson River. His family's home is now the

Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site preserves the Springwood estate in Hyde Park, New York, United States. Springwood was the birthplace, lifelong home, and burial place of the 32nd president of the United States, Franklin ...

, managed by the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...

. Prior to the 1960s, Dutchess County was primarily agricultural. Since then the southwestern part (from Poughkeepsie southward and from the

Taconic State Parkway The Taconic State Parkway (often called the Taconic or the TSP) is a limited-access parkway between Kensico Dam and Chatham, the longest in the U.S. state of New York. It follows a generally north–south route midway between the Hudson River ...

westward) of the county has developed into a largely residential area,

suburban A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...

in character, with many of its residents commuting to jobs in New York City and Westchester County. The northern and eastern regions of the county remain rural with large farmlands but at the same time developed residences used during the summer and or on weekends by people living in the New York City urban area.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (3.6%) is water. Dutchess County is located in southeastern New York State, between the

on its west and the

–

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

border on its east, about halfway between the cities of Albany and New York City. It contains two cities:

Beacon A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More mode ...

and

. Depending on precise location within the county, road travel distance to New York City ranges between . The terrain of the county is mostly hilly, especially in the

Hudson Highlands The Hudson Highlands are mountains on both sides of the Hudson River in New York (state), New York state lying primarily in Putnam County, New York, Putnam County on its east bank and Orange County, New York, Orange County on its west. They conti ...

in the southwestern corner and the

Taconic Mountains The Taconic Mountains () are a 150-mile-long sub-range of the Appalachian Mountains lying on the eastern border of New York State and adjacent New England. The range, which played a role in the history of geological science, is separated from th ...

to the northeast. Some areas nearer the river are flatter. The highest point in the county is the summit of

Brace Mountain Brace Mountain is the peak of a ridge in the southern Taconic Mountains, near the tripoint of the U.S. states of New York (state), New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Its main summit is located in New York; it is the highest point in that ...

, in the Taconics, at above sea level. The lowest point is sea level, along the Hudson River. The highest point of neighboring Fairfield County, Connecticut, is a point along the state line in Pawling.

Wappinger Creek Wappinger Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed October 3, 2011 creek which runs from Thompson Pond to the Hudson River at New Hamburg, New York, New Hamburg in Dutc ...

, at from its source at

Thompson Pond Thompson Pond in Pine Plains, New York is a 15,000-year-old glacial kettle pond at the foot of Stissing Mountain. It is the source of Wappinger Creek, a tributary of the Hudson River that drains much of Dutchess County. The pond and mounta ...

in Pine Plains to where it drains into the Hudson at New Hamburg, is the longest stream in the county. Its watershed is likewise the largest in the county. To its south is the watershed of Dutchess County's second-longest stream,

, part of which spills over into Putnam County. Within that watershed are the county's third-longest stream,

Sprout Creek Sprout Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed October 3, 2011 creek located entirely within Dutchess County, New York, United States. It is the largest tributary of ...

, and its largest, deepest and highest lakes:

Whaley Whaley may refer to: * Whaley, Derbyshire, a village in England * Whaley (surname) * Whaley Hall (1941–2015), an American football player See also *Whaley Bridge, another town in Derbyshire, England * Whaley House (disambiguation), several ...

(), in the town of Pawling;

Sylvan Sylvan or Sylvans (from the Latin ''silva'': "forest, woods") can have one of the following meanings: A countryside scene The term "A Sylvan Scene" is used to describe a beautiful and idealised scene in the countryside. Historical reference: J ...

() in the town of Beekman and

Beacon Reservoir Beacon Reservoir supplies water to the city of Beacon, in Dutchess County, New York, United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. ...

, in the town of Fishkill, at respectively. Other, smaller tributaries of the Hudson such as the Saw Kill drain the northwestern portion of the county. The southeastern fringe of Dutchess is part of the upper

Croton River watershed ''This page is about the Croton River watershed, a hydrological feature. For the component of the New York City water supply system with a similar name, see'' Croton Watershed The Croton River watershed is the drainage basin of the Croton River ...

and thus part of the

New York City water supply system The New York City water supply system is a combination of Aqueduct (water supply), aqueducts, reservoirs, and tunnels which supplies fresh water to New York City. With three major water systems (New Croton Aqueduct, Croton, Catskill Aqueduct, Ca ...

. On the east, in the Oblong, streams drain into the

Housatonic River The Housatonic River ( ) is a river, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United ...

in adjacent Connecticut. A border nearly one-half mile (800 m) long exists with

Berkshire County, Massachusetts Berkshire County (pronounced ) is the Western Massachusetts, westernmost County (United States), county in the U.S. state, U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its la ...

, in the extreme northern end of the county.

Adjacent counties

* Columbia County – north *

– northeast *

Litchfield County, Connecticut Litchfield County is a County (United States), county in northwestern Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 185,186. The county was named after Lichfield, in England. Litchfield Count ...

– east *

Fairfield County, Connecticut Fairfield County is a County (United States), county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is the List of counties in Connecticut, most populous county in the state and was also its fastest-growing from 2010 to 2020. ...

– southeast * Putnam County – south * Orange County – southwest *

– west

National protected areas

Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...

, crosses county from Putnam County line in East Fishkill to Connecticut state line near Wingdale; corridor is partly on federally protected land. *

Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site was established by the U.S. Congress to commemorate the life and accomplishments of Eleanor Roosevelt. Once part of the larger Roosevelt family estate in Hyde Park, New York, today the property includes t ...

* Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge, one of six discontiguous parcels in Dover *

Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is a historic house museum in Hyde Park, New York, United States. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1940, it is owned and operated by the National Park Service. The property, historically known ...

State, county, and town parks

* Bowdoin County Park * Fahnestock State Park (shared with Putnam County) *

Hudson Highlands State Park Hudson Highlands State Park is a non-contiguous state park in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, located on the east side of the Hudson River. The park runs from Peekskill, New York, Peekskill in Westchester County, New York, Westchest ...

(shared with Putnam and Westchester counties) * Stratt Town Park * Wilcox County Park * Tymor Forest *

* Beekman Rec * East Fishkill Rec *

James Baird State Park James Baird State Park is a state park in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The park is located in the northern part of the Town of LaGrange, east of City of Poughkeepsie. History The park is named after James Baird (engineer and pr ...

* Poughkeepsie Bridge (Walkway over the Hudson) * Dover Stone Church *

Carnwath Farms Historic Site & Park Carnwath Farms Historic Site & Park is a 99.7 acre estate turned town park in the Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York, United States. The park includes the 1850 Carnwath Manor, an 1873 carriage house, a 1927 cottage, Frances Reese Cultu ...

* Roosevelt Farm Lane * Stony Kill Farm *

Mills Mills is the plural form of mill, but may also refer to: As a name * Mills (surname), a common family name of English or Gaelic origin * Mills (given name) *Mills, a fictional British secret agent in a trilogy by writer Manning O'Brine Places U ...

– Norrie State Park *

Staatsburgh State Historic Site The Staatsburgh State Historic Site preserves a Beaux-Arts mansion designed by McKim, Mead, and White and the home's surrounding landscape in the hamlet of Staatsburg, Dutchess County, New York, United States. The historic site is located with ...

* Tivoli Bays Unique Area

Privately protected open space

Mary Flagler Cary Arboretum The Mary Flagler Cary Arboretum (1,924 acres; 7.7 km2) is a nonprofit arboretum located on U.S. Route 44 near Millbrook, New York. It is operated by the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, and open to the public without an admission fee. ...

* Ferncliff Forest *

Innisfree Garden Innisfree Garden is an American nonprofit public garden influenced by Chinese style in Millbrook, New York. The garden was established between 1930 and 1960 as the private garden of Walter and Marion Beck, inspired by scroll paintings of th ...

Pawling Nature Preserve The Pawling Nature Reserve is located in the northern section of the Town of Pawling, New York, United States. It is a area located along the top of Hammersby Ridge, near Quaker Lake owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy. Acquired in 195 ...

* Poets' Walk Park *

and neighboring Stissing Mountain

Demographics

2020 census

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 280,150 people, 99,536 households, and 69,177 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 106,103 housing units at an average density of . 22.0% of the population was of Italian, 16.9% Irish, 11.3% German and 6.7% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 88.3% spoke English and 4.8% spoke Spanish. Based on the Census Ancestry tallies, including people who listed more than one ancestry, Italians were the largest group in Dutchess County with 60,645. Irish came in a very close second at 59,991. In third place were the 44,915 Germans who barely exceeded the 44,078 people not in the 105 specifically delineated ancestry groups. There were 99,536 households, out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.16. As of Q4 2021, the median home value in Dutchess County was $365,199, an increase of 13.8% from the prior year. In the county, the age distribution of the population shows 25.1% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males. The median income for a household in the county was $53,086, and the median income for a family was $63,254. Males had a median income of $45,576 versus $30,706 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $23,940. About 5.0% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over. The decrease in population between 1810 and 1820 was due to the separation of Putnam County from Dutchess in 1812.

Racial demographics

As of 2017, the residents of Dutchess County were reported as the following: American Indian and Alaska Native (0.04%), Asian (4%), Black or African American (8.5%), Hispanic or Latino (12.5%), Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.016%), Some Other Race (0.35%), Two or More Races (3%), White (71%). Dutchess County Racial Demographics Chart

Government

Dutchess County has a Charter Government with a County Executive and directly elected legislature of 25 members, each elected from a single member district. The Charter form of Government went in to effect in 1968 given the favorable outcome of a 1967 special election dedicated to the question. From 1713 until 1967, the County Government had been managed by a Board of Supervisors, made up of the locally elected leaders.

Elections

The composition of the County Legislature is 15 Republicans and 10 Democrats for the 2024–2025 term. County elections occur in odd-numbered years. Historically, Dutchess County, like most of the lower Hudson, was classic "Yankee Republican" territory. Between 1884 and 2004, the Republican presidential candidate carried Dutchess County in 28 out of 30 elections (1964 and 1996 being exceptions). Even Hyde Park resident Franklin D. Roosevelt failed to carry the county during his four campaigns. The Republican edge narrowed significantly in the 1990s, with

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushBefore the outcome of the 2000 United States presidential election, he was usually referred to simply as "George Bush" but became more commonly known as "George H. W. Bush", "Bush Senior," "Bush 41," and even "Bush th ...

going from 61 percent of the county's vote in 1988 to only 40.5 percent in 1992, although that likely was affected by the presence of

Ross Perot Henry Ross Perot ( ; June 27, 1930 – July 9, 2019) was an American businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He was the founder and chief executive officer of Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems. He ran an Independent politician ...

on the ballot as a third-party candidate. In 2008,

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

became only the third

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

to carry the county since 1884, and the first to win a majority since

Lyndon Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after assassination of John F. Kennedy, the assassination of John F. Ken ...

in 1964. It has gone for the Democratic candidate in five consecutive elections (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024), though never by a margin of more than 10%. Dutchess County is split between two congressional districts. The most southern portion is in the 17th district, represented by Republican

Mike Lawler Michael Vincent Lawler (born September 9, 1986) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 17th congressional district since 2023. From 2021 to 2022, he was a Republican member of the New York State Assembly fr ...

. The rest of the county is in the 18th district, represented by Democrat Pat Ryan. These are considered "swing" districts nationally, with

Cook Partisan Voting Index The Cook Partisan Voting Index, abbreviated PVI or CPVI, is a measurement of how partisan a U.S. congressional district or U.S. state is. This partisanship is indicated as lean towards either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party, com ...

ratings of D+3 and D+1, respectively, as of 2022.

Law enforcement

The Cities of Beacon and Poughkeepsie; Towns of Fishkill, Hyde Park, Pine Plains, Poughkeepsie, Rhinebeck, Red Hook, and East Fishkill; and Villages of Millerton, Wappingers Falls, and Millbrook, have their own

Police departments The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citizens ...

. The remainder of the county is patrolled by the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office and

New York State Police The New York State Police (NYSP) is the state police of the U.S. state of New York; it is part of the New York State Executive Department and employs over 5,000 sworn state troopers and 711 non-sworn members. The New York State Police are re ...

. The New York State Police Troop K headquarters is located in Millbrook.

Communities

N.B.: Cities, Towns and Villages are official political designations.

Cities

(county seat)

Towns

* Amenia * Beekman *

Clinton Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has also been used as a given nam ...

Dover Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...

* East Fishkill * Fishkill * Hyde Park * La Grange *

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

North East The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A ''compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each ...

* Pawling * Pine Plains * Pleasant Valley *

* Red Hook * Rhinebeck *

Stanford Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth governor of and th ...

* Union Vale *

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

Villages

* Fishkill * Millbrook * Millerton * Pawling * Red Hook * Rhinebeck * Tivoli *

Wappingers Falls Wappingers Falls is a village in the towns of Poughkeepsie and Wappinger, in Dutchess County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 5,522. The community was named for the cascade in Wappinger Creek. The Wappin ...

Census-designated places

* Amenia *

Arlington Arlington most often refers to: *Arlington, Virginia **Arlington National Cemetery, a United States military cemetery *Arlington, Texas Arlington may also refer to: Places Australia *Arlington light rail station, on the Inner West Light Rail in S ...

Bard College Bard College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The campus overlooks the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains within the Hudson River Historic District ...

Barrytown Barrytown (originally known as Seventeen Mile Beach and Fosbery) is a town in the West Coast Region, West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. Barrytown sits on and is north of Runanga, New Zealand, Runanga, on the Barrytown Flats. Puna ...

* Brinckerhoff * Chelsea Cove *

Crown Heights Crown Heights is a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Crown Heights is bounded by Washington Avenue to the west, Atlantic Avenue to the north, Ralph Avenue to the east, and Empire Boulevard to the so ...

Dover Plains Dover Plains is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 1,322 at the 2020 census.United States Census Bureau, 2020 Results, Dover Plains, New York https://www.census.gov/search- ...

* Fairview * Freedom Plains * Haviland * Hillside Lake *

Hopewell Junction Hopewell Junction is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 1330 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie– Newburgh, NY Metropolitan Statisti ...

* Hyde Park * MacDonnell Heights *

Marist College Marist University is a private university in Poughkeepsie (town), New York, Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Marist was founded by the Marist Brothers, a Catholic Church, Catholic religious institute, in 1905 to prepare brothers for their ...

* Merritt Park * Myers Corner * New Hackensack * New Hamburg * Pine Plains * Pleasant Valley * Red Oaks Mill * Rhinecliff * Salt Point * Shorehaven * Spackenkill * Staatsburg * Titusville * Upper Red Hook *

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States. The college be ...

* Wassaic * Wingdale

Hamlets

* Annandale-on-Hudson * Arthursburg * Attlebury * Bangall * Barnegat *

Castle Point Castle Point is a local government district with borough status in south Essex, England, lying around east of London. The borough comprises the towns of South Benfleet, Hadleigh and Thundersley (where the council is based) on the mainland, a ...

* De Witt Mills * Fishkill Plains * Glenham * Gretna *

Holmes Holmes may refer to: People and fictional characters * Holmes (surname), a list of people and fictional characters ** Sherlock Holmes, a fictional detective * Holmes (given name), a list of people * Gordon Holmes, a penname used by Louis Trac ...

* Hortontown * Hughsonville * Johnsontown * Knapps Corner * Lithgow * Lomala * Mabbettsville * McIntyre * Millbrook * Norrie Heights * Pecksville * Pleasant Plains * Poughquag * Quaker Hill * Rudco * Shenandoah * Shekomeko * Staatsburg * Stanfordville * Stissing * Stormville * Swartwoutville * Van Keurens * Verbank *

Wiccopee East Fishkill is a town on the southern border of Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 29,707 at the 2020 census. Until its creation in 1849, the town was the eastern portion of the town of Fishkill. Hudson Valley Resear ...

* Willow Brook

Education

Public school districts

Arlington Central School District The Arlington Central School District (abbreviated ACSD) is one of thirteen public school districts serving residents of Dutchess County, New York. The district was created in 1924. Organization Coverage area The district's territory covers s ...

* Beacon City School District * Dover Union Free School District *

Hyde Park Central School District The Hyde Park Central School District is a public school district located in Hyde Park, New York. The district enrollment is estimated at 4,200 students at the end of the 2014/15 school year. in six schools in grades K–12. The district sup ...

* Millbrook Central School District * Pawling Central School District * Pine Plains Central School District * Poughkeepsie City School District *

Red Hook Central School District Red Hook Central School District is a school district in New York State. Most of the district is in Dutchess County, where it includes most of the town of Red Hook and portions of the towns of Milan and Rhinebeck. The village of Tivoli is in ...

Rhinebeck Central School District Rhinebeck Central School District (Rhinebeck CSD) is a school district primarily in the Town of Rhinebeck in the Hudson Valley region of the U.S. state of New York. The district is situated along the East Bank of the Hudson River and is approx ...

Spackenkill Union Free School District The Spackenkill Union Free School District, also known as Spackenkill School District, is a New York school district in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York. It includes a majority of the Crown Heights and Spackenkill census-designated places ...

Wappingers Central School District Wappingers Central School District (WCSD) is a school district headquartered in the town of East Fishkill, New York, on Corporate Park Drive. History On November 30, 1937, in the southern portion of Dutchess County, New York, there was a meeti ...

* Webutuck Central School District * Dutchess County BOCES

Private schools

* Dutchess Day School * Hawk Meadow Montessori School * Holy Trinity School *

Millbrook School Millbrook School is a private, coeducational preparatory boarding school located in Stanford, New York, United States. History Millbrook School was founded in 1931 by Edward Pulling. Pulling was a graduate of both Princeton University ...

Oakwood Friends School Oakwood Friends School is a Private school, private, independent, co-educational Boarding school, boarding and day school located at 22 Spackenkill Road in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. With roots going back to Nine Partners Boarding Sch ...

* Our Lady of Lourdes High School *

Poughkeepsie Day School Poughkeepsie Day School is an independent, progressive, coeducational school in the mid-Hudson Valley serving students from a broad region of New York and Connecticut from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. History Founded in 1934, it was init ...

* Randolph School * St. Denis-St. Columba School * St. Martin de Porres School * St. Mary School, Fishkill * St. Mary's School, Wappingers Falls *

Trinity-Pawling School Trinity-Pawling School (formerly The Pawling School) is an independent, college-preparatory boarding school for boys in grades 7-12 and postgraduates, located in Pawling, New York, United States. The school, located on a 230-acre campus in sou ...

* Tabernacle Christian Academy * Upton Lake Christian School

Higher education

( Annandale-on-Hudson) *

Bard College at Simon's Rock Bard College at Simon's Rock (more commonly known as Simon's Rock) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. It is part of Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudso ...

(

) *

Culinary Institute of America The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is a private culinary school with its main campus in Hyde Park, New York, and branch campuses in St. Helena and Napa, California; San Antonio, Texas; and Singapore. The college, which was the first to ...

main campus ( Hyde Park) *

Dutchess Community College Dutchess Community College (SUNY Dutchess, or DCC) is a Public college, public community college in Dutchess County, New York. It is one of 30 community colleges within State University of New York, the State University of New York system (SUNY) ...

(

) *

Marist University Marist University is a private university in Poughkeepsie (town), New York, Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Marist was founded by the Marist Brothers, a Catholic Church, Catholic religious institute, in 1905 to prepare brothers for their ...

(

) *

(

)

Transportation

Roads

* Interstate 84 traverses the county in an east–west route cutting through the southwestern quadrant of the county before entering Putnam County. It is the only interstate highway in the county. *

US 9 U.S. Route 9 (US 9) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the Northeastern United States. It is one of only two U.S. Highways with a ferry connection (the Cape May–Le ...

, the

(the only other limited-access road in the county besides I-84, although it still has some at-grade intersections), and NY 22 are the main north–south roads in the county. For much of its length the Taconic is paralleled by NY 82. NY 9G leaves US 9 in Poughkeepsie and parallels it north to the Columbia County line. *

US 44 U.S. Route 44 (US 44) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that runs for through four states in the Northeastern United States. The western terminus is at US 209 and New York State Route 55 (NY 55) in Kerhonks ...

NY 52 New York State Route 52 (NY 52) is a state highway in the southeastern part of the state. It generally runs from west to east through five counties, beginning at the New York–Pennsylvania border, Pennsylvania state line in the Dela ...

, NY 55, and NY 199 are the other primary east–west roads in the county.

enters the county concurrent with I-84, leaves it at Fishkill but then follows it into Putnam County. NY 55 enters the county concurrently with US 44, leaves it at Poughkeepsie, but neither of the two routes encounter each other again within the state.

Crossings

Three spans cross the Hudson River, linking Dutchess with

Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower ** Orange juice *Orange (colour), the color of an orange fruit, occurs between red and yellow in the vi ...

Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...

, and Greene Counties: * The Newburgh-Beacon Bridge carries Interstate 84 and NY 52 between Fishkill/Beacon and Newburgh (Orange County). The westbound span opened in 1963 and the eastbound span opened in 1980. * The

Mid-Hudson Bridge The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Mid-Hudson Bridge is a toll bridge, toll suspension bridge which carries U.S. Highway 44, US 44 and New York State Route 55, NY 55 across the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, New York, Poughkeepsie and Highland, U ...

carries US 44 and NY 55 between Poughkeepsie and Highland ( Town of Lloyd, Ulster County) * The Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge carries NY 199 between Rhinebeck and Kingston (Ulster County)

Railroads

Harlem Valley-Wingdale station from grade crossing

The

Metro-North The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company , also branded as MTA Metro-North Railroad and commonly called simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public authority of ...

railroad provides a critical link to New York City for Dutchess County's commuting population. The Hudson Line and

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

run concurrently along the Hudson River, on the western edge of the county. The Hudson Line has stops at

Breakneck Ridge Breakneck Ridge is a mountain along the Hudson River between Beacon and Cold Spring, New York, straddling the boundary between Dutchess and Putnam counties. Its distinctive rocky cliffs are visible for a long distance when approached from the ...

, and New Hamburg (a hamlet of the town of Poughkeepsie) before the Hudson Line terminates at

. The tracks continue north of that point as Amtrak, with Poughkeepsie and Rhinecliff (a small hamlet in the Town of Rhinebeck) being stops along Amtrak's

Empire Service The ''Empire Service'' is an inter-city rail service operated by Amtrak within the state of New York in the United States. The brand name originated with the New York Central Railroad in 1967. Trains on the line provide frequent daily service ...

. The

Harlem Line The Harlem Line is an commuter rail line owned and operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. state of New York. It runs north from New York City to Wassaic, in eastern Dutchess County. The lower from Grand Central Terminal to Southea ...

, on the eastern side of the county, has station stops in Pawling, along the

, Wingdale,

, and two stops in Wassaic (one along the Tenmile River and the other the namesake terminus of that line).

Buses and ferries

Public transportation in Dutchess County is handled by Dutchess County Public Transit, commonly called "the LOOP." Outside of the urbanized area of the county, most service is limited. Privately run lines connect Poughkeepsie to

New Paltz New Paltz () is an incorporated U.S. town in Ulster County, New York. The population was 14,407 at the 2020 census. The town is located in the southeastern part of the county and is south of Kingston. New Paltz contains a village, also with the ...

and Beacon to Newburgh.

Leprechaun Lines Transit Orange is the brand name for bus transit services in Orange County, New York. Under the brand name of Transit Orange, mini-systems, mostly municipally-run, serve various towns across Orange County. In addition to these municipal and pr ...

and

Short Line Bus Short Line is a brand name for three different Coach USA companies, Hudson Transit Lines, Hudson Transit Corporation, and Chenango Valley Bus Lines that provide local, commuter and intercity bus service in lower New York State, primarily along ...

also operate some service through Poughkeepsie, Rhinebeck, and the southern part of the county.

NY Waterway NY Waterway, or New York Waterway, is a private transportation company running ferry and bus service in the Port of New York and New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley. The company utilizes public-private partnership with agencies such as the Por ...

operates the

Newburgh–Beacon Ferry The Newburgh–Beacon Ferry was a ferry service crossing the Hudson River that connected Newburgh with Beacon in the U.S. state of New York. It carried passengers between the two cities during rush hour, primarily transporting commuters from the ...

, which is located at the Beacon train station.

Air

General aviation facilities are located at

Hudson Valley Regional Airport Hudson Valley Regional Airport , formerly known as Dutchess County Airport, is a county-owned public-use airport located on State Route 376 in the Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York, United States, south of the central business distr ...

(formerly Dutchess County Airport), located in

and Sky Park Airport in

Red Hook, New York Red Hook is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 9,953 at the time of the 2020 census, down from 11,319 in 2010. The name is supposedly derived from the red foliage on trees on a small strip of land on the H ...

. General commercial passenger service is provided by New York Stewart International Airport, which is located across the Hudson River in

Newburgh Newburgh (''"new"'' + the English/Scots word ''"burgh"'') may refer to: Places Scotland *Newburgh, Fife, a former royal burgh *Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, a village England *Newburgh, Lancashire, a village * Newburgh, North Yorkshire, a village ...

Culture

Dutchess County holds an annual

county fair An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which breeding stock is exhib ...

. The County Chamber of Commerce holds an annual hot air balloon launch typically in the first week of July. The main launch sites are along the Hudson River. As many as 20 balloons participate in the event. The

Dutchess County Historical Society Dutchess County Historical Society, located in Rhinebeck, New York, was formed in Pleasant Valley, New York May 26, 1914 and received its Charter from the Regents of the University of the State of New York in 1918. Its mission is to discover, ...

was formed in 1914 and is active in the preservation of a large collection at the 18th century Clinton House. The Society has published a yearbook since 1914 and presents up to four awards of merit in the field of Dutchess County history each year.

Media

Dutchess County has no locally based television stations. (However, it does have a translator for the Capitol District

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

affiliate, WMHT.) Its only news radio format station is

WKIP (AM) WKIP (1450 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, and broadcasts at 1,000 watts from a two-tower array adjacent to its studios in the Arlington section of the Town of Poughkee ...

of Poughkeepsie.

WRHV WRHV (88.7 FM) is a classical music-formatted radio station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned by WMHT Educational Telecommunications and is a satellite of Schenectady's W ...

is an

NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...

affiliated broadcasting out of Poughkeepsie. The

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

format station,

WRWB-FM WRWB-FM (99.3 Hertz, MHz) is a radio station licensed to Ellenville, New York, and serving an area including much of the Hudson Valley and the eastern parts of the Catskills. WRWB-FM is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and broadcasts with 115 watts ef ...

, broadcasting across the Hudson River, can be reached in much of the county. ''

Poughkeepsie Journal The ''Poughkeepsie Journal'' is a newspaper based in Poughkeepsie, New York, and owned by Gannett, which bought the paper in 1977. Founded in 1785 (though not a daily newspaper until 1860), the ''Journal'' is the oldest paper in New York state, ...

'' is published in that city. ''Vassar Miscellany News,'' associated with Vassar College, is published weekly. Also published in the county is the ''Beacon Free Press''/''Southern Dutchess News.''

Health

The county is home to four hospitals. Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck and

Vassar Brothers Medical Center Vassar Brothers Medical Center (VBMC) (formerly Vassar Brothers Hospital) is a 350-bed not-for-profit hospital overlooking the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, New York. It is part of the Northwell Health healthcare network and is the major medical ...

in Poughkeepsie are both owned by

Nuvance Health Nuvance Health is an American not-for-profit health system with facilities spanning from New York State's Hudson Valley region to western Connecticut. Nuvance Health was formed in 2019 when Health Quest and Western Connecticut Health Network mer ...

. In addition, MidHudson Regional Hospital (formerly St. Francis) is located in Poughkeepsie and The Castle Point

Veterans Health Administration The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the component of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) led by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health that implements the healthcare program of the VA through a Nationali ...

is in Wappinger. On March 11, 2020, the county's first case of

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

was confirmed. As of June 2021, there had been 29,483 cases and 445 deaths.

Sports

The

Hudson Valley Renegades The Hudson Valley Renegades are a Minor League Baseball team based in Fishkill, New York. The High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, the Renegades play in the South Atlantic League. The Renegades play their home games at Heritage Financial Pa ...

are a minor league baseball team affiliated with the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

. The team is a member of the

High-A East The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its hi ...

, play at

Dutchess Stadium Heritage Financial Park is a baseball park in Fishkill, New York. Home to the Hudson Valley Renegades, the park originally opened on June 18, 1994. Originally called Dutchess Stadium from 1994 to 2023, it assumed its current name in March 2023 wh ...

in Fishkill and have been located in Dutchess County since 1994. Previous professional sports teams include the Hudson Valley Bears (2008-2009) which played hockey, and the Hudson Valley Hawks which played in the former National Professional Basketball League.

Notes

References

External links

Dutchess County official webpage

{{Authority control Hudson Valley Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh metropolitan area Counties in the New York metropolitan area 1713 establishments in the Province of New York Populated places established in 1713 Mary of Modena