PlainZIP

New Paltz, NY · standard

ZIP Code 12561

Ulster County, New York - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

18,308
119/sq mi
$92,288
Median income
$453,500
Median home value
59.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

New Paltz pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

Top 25%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 16%
home value, US ZIPs
119
people per sq mi
57%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 12561 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 12561 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in New Paltz, Ulster County, New York, home to 18,308 residents across 154.1 square miles, a density of 119 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 12561 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $92,288 (0% below the New York average), while per-capita income is $47,513. Local economic indicators show a 21.4% poverty rate alongside 7.1% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $453,500 (20% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,614 monthly, and 57.2% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 59.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.8, and the average commute is 25 minutes. To put 12561 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Ulster County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 12561

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in New Paltz, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 12561.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 12561, New Paltz, NY · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

18,308

Population

154.1

Area (sq mi)

119

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 12561?

31.8

Median Age

47.0%

Male

53.0%

Female

9.5%

Foreign-Born

White 74.2%
African American 6.6%
Asian 4.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.1%
Hispanic or Latino 12.1%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$92,288

Median Household Income

-0% vs state

$47,513

Per Capita Income

21.4%

Poverty Rate

7.1%

Unemployment Rate

25.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 12561 ranks nationally

New Paltz, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$92,288 Top 25% higher than 75% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 77.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 59.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

7,796

Total Housing Units

7,219

Occupied Units

577

Vacant Units

2.18

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 57.2%
Renter 42.8%

$453,500

Median Home Value

+20% vs state

$1,614

Median Rent

1976

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+10.0%

YoY Change (2024)

324

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+224%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 12561 have increased 10.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +224% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.4% 208
2021 +15.8% 241
2022 +9.9% 265
2023 +11.2% 295
2024 +10.0% 324

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 557 business establishments in ZIP 12561, employing approximately 4,895 people with a combined annual payroll of $208,915,000.

557

Businesses

4,895

Employees

$208.9M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 90 16.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 74 13.3%
Health care and social assistance 69 12.4%
Retail trade 68 12.2%
Other services (except public administration) 54 9.7%
Construction 41 7.4%
Finance and insurance 28 5.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 22 4.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 22 4.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 20 3.6%
Information 16 2.9%
Wholesale trade 15 2.7%
Educational services 15 2.7%
Manufacturing 11 2.0%
Transportation and warehousing 7 1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 4 0.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 12561 vs 12440 →

ZIP 12561 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 12561 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 12561 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 12561 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
12440 High Falls, NY 1,980 4.4 mi
12548 Modena, NY 1,494 6.6 mi
12515 Clintondale, NY 1,549 5.3 mi
12472 Rosendale, NY 1,572 6.4 mi
12419 Cottekill, NY 722 7.2 mi
12486 Tillson, NY 1,523 5.7 mi
12528 Highland, NY 13,344 5.4 mi
12471 Rifton, NY 215 6.6 mi
12525 Gardiner, NY 3,311 6.6 mi
12493 West Park, NY 495 6.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Ulster County

12401 standard
Kingston, NY
Pop: 35,040
12477 standard
Saugerties, NY
Pop: 18,787
12589 standard
Wallkill, NY
Pop: 17,228
12528 standard
Highland, NY
Pop: 13,344
12566 standard
Pine Bush, NY
Pop: 10,753
12428 standard
Ellenville, NY
Pop: 6,602

Related Areas

Ulster County New Paltz, NY New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 12561 in? ▼
ZIP code 12561 (New Paltz) is located in Ulster County, New York. Ulster County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/ulster-ny.
What is the population of ZIP code 12561? ▼
ZIP code 12561 in New Paltz, NY has a population of 18,308 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 12561? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 12561 is $92,288, which is 21% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 12561? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 12561 is $453,500, which is 63% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 12561? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 12561 is White at 74.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 12561? ▼
ZIP code 12561 has 557 business establishments employing approximately 4,895 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 12561? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 12561 are: Accommodation and food services (90), Professional, scientific, and technical services (74), Health care and social assistance (69). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 12561? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 12561 increased by 10.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 224%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 12561? ▼
In ZIP code 12561, 77.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 59.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 12561? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 12561 is 25.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 12561? ▼
In ZIP code 12561, approximately 57.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 12561? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 12561 is 21.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.