1st Advantage MortgageOrange County households have a median income of $97,178 and median rent of $1,680 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's New York license first.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Orange County
- Paychecks and income spread in Orange County
- How Orange County residents earn a living
- Housing costs in Orange County
- Places inside Orange County
- The counties around Orange County
- Room for a loan payment in Orange County
- What the numbers mean for Orange County borrowers
- Who lives in Orange County, in numbers
- Checklist for Orange County applicants
- Who licenses lenders for Orange County residents
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Orange County
Roughly 406,616 residents live in Orange County, New York, 12th by population among the state's 62 counties and county equivalents. It covers 812 square miles of land, or about 501 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY metropolitan area. The Census Bureau counts 39 places in the county (22 incorporated, 17 census-designated); the largest is Kiryas Joel, with about 38,916 residents, or 10% of the county.
Paychecks and income spread in Orange County
Orange County households have a median income of $97,178 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 10th of 62 in New York.
| Yearly household income | Orange County | Gap to New York |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 18.2% | -4.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 33.0% | -0.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 32.4% | +5.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 16.4% | -0.6 pts |
The spread is wide: 49% of Orange County households make $100,000 or more, and 18% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 12.6%, 1 point lower than the state's 14.0%. None of these numbers decides a Orange County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
How Orange County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Orange County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 28% of workers, followed by retail trade (13%). The sharpest difference from the state is in retail trade, at 13% locally and 10% for New York. Averaged over the five survey years, 5.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 28% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 9.4% of the total (29.2% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Orange County | Gap to New York |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.8% | -1.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.9% | +3.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.1% | -3.2 pts |
| Construction | 7.0% | +1.3 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 6.5% | +0.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 6.4% | +0.6 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Housing costs in Orange County
Renters in Orange County pay a median of $1,680 a month, 4% above the New York figure of $1,621. By the Census definition, 57% of Orange County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $387,900, about 4.0 times the median household income. 68% of Orange County households own their home and 32% rent.
| Housing | Orange County | New York statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,680/mo | $1,621/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $387,900 | $423,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 68% | 54% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 57% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 37% | 33% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 2.0% | 2.1% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Places inside Orange County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 39 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 65% of Orange County residents live in one of the 39. Tuxedo Park has the highest median household income on the list ($250,001) and Port Jervis the lowest ($47,917), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $1,260 in Port Jervis to $3,501 in West Point. Names with links open a city guide. The other 36 places are covered here.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiryas Joel | village | 38,916 | $50,032 | $1,604 | 8 mi |
| Middletown | city | 30,289 | $79,346 | $1,661 | 7 mi |
| Newburgh | city | 28,519 | $56,960 | $1,454 | 16 mi |
| Woodbury | village | 11,334 | $121,221 | $1,868 | 12 mi |
| Scotchtown | CDP | 10,252 | $96,689 | $1,813 | 6 mi |
| Orange Lake | CDP | 9,784 | $109,063 | $2,290 | 14 mi |
| Monroe | village | 9,515 | $109,851 | $2,202 | 9 mi |
| New Windsor | CDP | 8,919 | $81,340 | $1,666 | 15 mi |
| Mechanicstown | CDP | 8,808 | $81,250 | $1,687 | 5 mi |
| Port Jervis | city | 8,652 | $47,917 | $1,260 | 20 mi |
| Walden | village | 6,868 | $87,487 | $1,625 | 12 mi |
| Warwick | village | 6,585 | $89,609 | $1,296 | 10 mi |
| West Point | CDP | 6,349 | $135,333 | $3,501 | 15 mi |
| Goshen | village | 5,773 | $104,643 | $1,805 | 1 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
The counties around Orange County
Rockland County is closest, 23 miles from center to center; the sixth, Bergen County, is 33 miles off. 4 of the six report a higher median household income than Orange County; Putnam County is highest at $126,257 and Sullivan County lowest at $72,382. The list crosses into New Jersey, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County | - | $97,178 | $1,680/mo | 68% |
| Rockland County, NY | 23 mi | $109,959 | $1,901/mo | 68% |
| Passaic County, NJ | 25 mi | $87,522 | $1,621/mo | 53% |
| Sussex County, NJ | 27 mi | $116,186 | $1,585/mo | 84% |
| Putnam County, NY | 29 mi | $126,257 | $1,775/mo | 84% |
| Sullivan County, NY | 33 mi | $72,382 | $1,106/mo | 67% |
| Bergen County, NJ | 33 mi | $124,884 | $1,914/mo | 65% |
Room for a loan payment in Orange County
Here is the Orange County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Median income divided by twelve: $8,098 before taxes
- Less median rent of $1,680, which is 21% of it
- Under a 35% cap, $2,834 total minus rent leaves $1,154
- At 45%, room after rent is $1,964 a month
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Orange County's.
What the numbers mean for Orange County borrowers
Where the Orange County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Vehicle repairs. 28% of Orange County workers commute 45+ minutes, so a breakdown can cost a paycheck. Get two written estimates.
- Higher earners. 49% of households clear $100,000; shop at least three lenders and pick the shortest term.
- Rent squeeze. 57% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
Who lives in Orange County, in numbers
College graduates make up 33% of the adult population. 4.7% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Orange County | New York | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 | 39.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 32.5% | 40.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.2% | 12.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.7% | 5.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.4% | 29.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 14.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 14.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.5% | 6.4% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 26.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 28.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 16.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.1% |
| 60+ min | 19.3% |
Checklist for Orange County applicants
A short checklist for Orange County borrowers:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in New York.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Who licenses lenders for Orange County residents
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Orange County borrowers answers to the New York State Department of Financial Services. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. See the New York state guide for the statewide picture.
Related local guides
City guides inside Orange County, and the statewide guide:
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Orange County earn?
The median is $97,178; 49% earn $100,000 or more and 18% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Orange County?
$1,680 a month at the median, about 21% of median household income.
I live in a small Orange County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Kiryas Joel, Middletown, Newburgh, Woodbury, Scotchtown and 34 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Orange County or elsewhere in New York, the same rules apply.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Orange County?
Start with the New York State Department of Financial Services, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.