Ulster County, New York: commercial real estate data.
Ulster County, New York had an estimated 182,977 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 181,833, across 1,124 square miles. County output reached $10.45 bn in 2024, 5,065 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 198 7(a) approvals worth $94.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Ulster County
How many people live in Ulster County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024182,601
- Households74,278
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$86,271
- Median age44.1
- Median gross rent$1,425 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$352,500
- Home value to household income4.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher38.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree17.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over134,979
- Population under 1831,214
- Share under 1817.1 percent
- Population 65 and over38,843
- Share 65 and over21.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64112,544
- Civilian labor force90,274
- Unemployment rate5.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.6 percent
- Rank by population among New York counties20th of 62
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included375th of 3,222
Ulster County is the 20th largest of 62 New York counties by population. A median home costs 4.1 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 21.3 percent against 17.1 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Ulster County
Is Ulster County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024182,977
- Census 2020 base population181,833
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.63 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202471
- Births, 20241,526
- Deaths, 20241,907
- Natural change, 2024-381
- Net domestic migration, 2024-382
- Net international migration, 2024842
- Total net migration, 2024460
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,657
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1610th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.63 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Ulster County
Where are people moving to Ulster County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,648
- People arriving, from those returns7,135
- Tax returns filed by households leaving4,806
- Net household movement-158
- Adjusted gross income arriving$508.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$33.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$109,488
- Average income of a leaving household$98,916
- Largest single originOrange County (665 households)
- Largest single destinationOrange County (585 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County | 665 | 1,087 | $40.2 m |
| Dutchess County | 551 | 836 | $33.1 m |
| Kings County | 444 | 741 | $102.5 m |
| New York County | 334 | 497 | $86.5 m |
| Queens County | 181 | 285 | $19.1 m |
| Sullivan County | 126 | 221 | $13.3 m |
| Westchester County | 110 | 165 | $21.9 m |
| Greene County | 101 | 154 | $4.5 m |
Households arriving report $10,572 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Orange County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Ulster County
What is the Ulster County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$10.45 bn
- County GDP, 2023$9.72 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.6 percent
- GDP change over five years32.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the New York areas BEA publishes22nd of 62
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes423rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$57,251
Output grew 7.6 percent in the latest year and 32.2 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Ulster County
Employment by industry in Ulster County
- Covered employment, annual average59,330
- Establishments reporting5,871
- Average annual pay$61,154
- Average weekly wage$1,176
- Health care and social assistance, employment8,279
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$62,001
- Retail trade, employment8,073
- Retail trade, average annual pay$40,729
- Accommodation and food services, employment7,822
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$33,622
- Manufacturing, employment3,388
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$66,089
- Construction, employment2,909
- Other services, except public administration, employment2,217
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 8,279 | 526 | $62,001 |
| Retail trade | 8,073 | 668 | $40,729 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,822 | 585 | $33,622 |
| Manufacturing | 3,388 | 205 | $66,089 |
| Construction | 2,909 | 635 | $73,547 |
| Other services, except public administration | 2,217 | 468 | $38,878 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 2,132 | 334 | $61,821 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,652 | 583 | $77,220 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 8,279 jobs, 14.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Ulster County
How many businesses are in Ulster County?
- Establishments, all industries5,065
- Employment at those establishments44,452
- Annual payroll$2.13 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents27.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Ulster County
Building permits in Ulster County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024521
- Declared construction value permitted$148.1 m
- Single family units authorized270
- Multifamily units authorized251
- Multifamily share of units48.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$284,324
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.0
Multifamily is 48.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Ulster County
SBA loans in Ulster County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded198
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$94.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$478,663
- Median 7(a) approval$129,800
- 10th percentile approval$15,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,228,700
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,292
- Jobs per approval11.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active46
- Distinct industries receiving approvals100
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer12.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms25
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter169
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals3.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (13)
- Most active lenderManufacturers and Traders Trust Company (71)
- 504 approvals recorded61
- 504 gross approval dollars$54.2 m
- Average 504 approval$888,672
- Median 504 approval$465,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval6.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved6.8
- Most active CDCEmpire State Certified Development Corporation (61)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$149.0 m
The average approval of $478,663 sits well above the median of $129,800, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 12.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Ulster County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Ulster County
Do SBA loans in Ulster County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded27
- Paid in full21
- Charged off6
- Status: Charged off6
- Status: Paid in full21
- Status: Exempt from disclosure124
- Status: Cancelled33
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed14
Only 27 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Ulster County
SBA lending by place in Ulster County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending29
- Kingston, approvals52
- Saugerties, approvals24
- Highland, approvals18
- Ellenville, approvals17
- New Paltz, approvals17
- Kerhonkson, approvals8
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Kingston | 52 | $26,529,300 |
| Saugerties | 24 | $10,949,000 |
| Highland | 18 | $6,953,200 |
| Ellenville | 17 | $7,792,000 |
| New Paltz | 17 | $4,290,500 |
| Kerhonkson | 8 | $4,050,900 |
| Woodstock | 8 | $3,105,700 |
| Wallkill | 7 | $2,950,100 |
| 21 other borrower cities | 47 | $28,154,600 |
Kingston accounts for 52 approvals against 24 in Saugerties. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Ulster County
How large is Ulster County?
- Land area1,124 sq mi
- Rank by land area among New York counties12th of 62
- Width, east to west44.8 mi
- Height, north to south40.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land162
- Establishments per square mile4.51
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Ulster County
Flood risk in Ulster County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book24
- Of those, participating in the NFIP24
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Ulster County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The EPA places Ulster County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 8, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Ulster County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Ulster County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024182,601
- Households74,278
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$86,271
- Median age44.1
Common questions
Ulster County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Ulster County, New York?
The Census Bureau estimates 182,977 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 182,601, in 74,278 households, ranking 20th of 62 New York counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Ulster County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.63 percent since the 2020 census base of 181,833, to 182,977 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,526 births against 1,907 deaths, with net migration of 460. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Ulster County?
$86,271. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $352,500, which is 4.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,425 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Ulster County?
5,065 establishments, employing 44,452 people with an annual payroll of $2.13 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Ulster County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 8,279 jobs, 14.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 59,330 jobs at an average annual pay of $61,154, or $1,176 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Ulster County?
198 7(a) approvals totaling $94.8 m since FY2020, across 46 lenders, with a median approval of $129,800, plus 61 504 approvals worth $54.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Ulster County?
521 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $148.1 m. Multifamily was 48.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Ulster County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Ulster County come from?
The largest single origin is Orange County, with 665 households. Arriving households report an average income of $109,488 against $98,916 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Ulster County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Ulster County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Ulster County
Cities and places in Ulster.
38 Census places lie wholly or partly in Ulster County. All 38 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston | city | 23,911 | 52 | Wholly in this county |
| New Paltz | village | 8,314 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Highland | CDP | 6,367 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| Ellenville | village | 4,211 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Watchtower | CDP | 3,974 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Saugerties | village | 3,884 | 24 | Wholly in this county |
| Marlboro | CDP | 3,679 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Port Ewen | CDP | 3,426 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hurley | CDP | 3,346 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Lincoln Park | CDP | 2,431 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Saugerties South | CDP | 2,251 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Woodstock | CDP | 2,239 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Glasco | CDP | 2,210 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Katrine | CDP | 2,176 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Stone Ridge | CDP | 1,884 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Clintondale | CDP | 1,784 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Milton | CDP | 1,679 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Kerhonkson | CDP | 1,677 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| West Hurley | CDP | 1,673 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Tillson | CDP | 1,530 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Wallkill | CDP | 1,355 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Walker Valley | CDP | 1,301 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Gardiner | CDP | 1,210 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Shokan | CDP | 1,196 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Ruby | CDP | 1,098 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Plattekill | CDP | 1,095 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Zena | CDP | 997 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rosendale | CDP | 962 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hillside | CDP | 911 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| High Falls | CDP | 887 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Napanoch | CDP | 776 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Accord | CDP | 638 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Rifton | CDP | 541 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cragsmoor | CDP | 481 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pine Hill | CDP | 317 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Malden-on-Hudson | CDP | 275 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Phoenicia | CDP | 271 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| East Kingston | CDP | 227 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 15 of the county's 198 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Ulster County, the largest being Pine Bush (5), West Park (2), Ulster Park (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby