CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

42.02° N · 73.91° W · GEOID 3604388

Bard College

Dutchess County, New York · part of the Kiryas Joel, NY metro

Limited data population under 5,000, core figures borrowed from county or metro: median_home_value

New YorkBard College, NYBard CollegeBard College

The short answer

Bard College is home to 1,130 people. Median household income is $216,406 a year and median rent is $1,159 a month, 6.4% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $400,600, about 1.9x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,159
15% below the median place
Median household income
$216,406
170% above the median place
Median home value
$400,600
25% above the median place
Unemployment
5.2%
7% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Bard College

  • Counting remote workers as zero, the average worker spends about 50 hours a year commuting, less than in 99% of the 2,101 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 331 New York places.
  • 0.0% of residents live below the poverty line, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 298 New York places.
  • The median rent takes only 6.4% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 340 New York places.
  • Only 0% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a lower share than in 98% of places its size. It is the lowest of 309 New York places.
  • Half the homes were built before 1938, older housing than in 97% of places its size. It is the lowest of 338 New York places.

Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 88 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

Many people here skip the commute entirely: 39% work from home, which keeps total commuting time lower than in 100% of places.

01

Moving to Bard College

Dutchess County loses about 1.3 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in10,975
Moved out11,281
Net−306

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Ulster County, NY749946−197
New York County, NY546387+159
Kings County, NY616302+314
Queens County, NY476

Within New York, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within New YorkOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$97K
Leavers$85K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Dutchess County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
35.1% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 21.7% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Dutchess County report $96,700 a year in income on average; those leaving, $85,200, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$46,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,159 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,597 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $400,600.
Getting to work
10 minutes each way on average; 39.0% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Lehi, UT matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
35.1%
above the median place (median 5.7%)
Moved from another state1
21.7%
above the median place (median 2.0%)
Income of households moving in7
$96,749
37% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureBard CollegeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year135.1%above (median 5.7%)
Moved from another state121.7%above (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-1.3117% below
Income of households moving in7County figure$96,74937% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$85,18721% above
02

What it costs to live here

Renters paying 30%+ is 0.0%, below the median place (median 50.6%).

Bard College6.4%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$46,360
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
6.4%
69% below the median place
Home price to income
1.9x
51% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
6%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$186,900
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Bard College, $1,159 a month, and local prices for everything else (108.1 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Bard College.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Bard College? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
0.0%
below the median place (median 50.6%)
Vacant homes1
0.0%
below the median place (median 7.1%)
Median year built1
1938
2% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureBard CollegeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,15915% below
Rent to income16.4%69% below
Property tax rate11.9%108% above
Home price to income11.9x51% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure109.48% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$2,13132% above
HUD area median income4County figure$125,90017% above
Property tax paid (median)1County figure$7,562132% above
Median home value1County figure$400,60025% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure6.3%96% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure55.9%9% above
Homeownership1County figure69.2%4% above
Renters paying 30%+10.0%below (median 50.6%)
Owner costs with a mortgage1County figure$2,59739% above
Vacant homes10.0%below (median 7.1%)
Median year built119382% below
03

Work and pay

Poverty rate is 0.0%, below the median place (median 10.8%).

Poverty rate1
0.0%
below the median place (median 10.8%)
Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Mean commute1
10 min
58% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureBard CollegeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$216,406170% above
Income per person1County figure$53,68334% above
Unemployment1County figure5.2%7% above
Average annual pay6County figure$73,40411% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.5%5% below
Jobs6County figure116,69923% below
Poverty rate10.0%below (median 10.8%)
Mean commute110 min58% below
Works from home139.0%213% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Median age is 19.7, 49% below the median place.

Median age1
19.7
49% below the median place
Household size1
2.3
10% below the median place
Homes with broadband1
89.7%
3% below the median place
All 8 people measures
MeasureBard CollegeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population11,1306646th largest
Median age119.749% below
Bachelor's or higher1County figure41.6%30% above
High school or higher1County figure91.9%0% below
Household size12.310% below
Born abroad1County figure11.7%33% above
No health insurance1County figure3.9%39% below
Homes with broadband189.7%3% below
05

Life in Bard College

272 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 11 of them National Historic Landmarks.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents17.7 +74%
Playgrounds per 10k53.1 5.6×
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k17.7 +59%
Libraries per 10k17.7 20.3×
Named paths and bike trails2 km +20%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi15.0 71.3×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars27.1 +30%
Shops34.9 +15%
Arts, recreation and fitness6.8 +66%
Doctors' offices and clinics18.7 −7%
Child care centers3.1 +35%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Students per teacher11
11.4
26% below the median place
Restaurants and bars per 10k8
27.1
30% above the median place
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8
6.8
66% above the median place
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureBard CollegeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure74above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure36,579above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11County figure11.426% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure27.130% above
Shops per 10k8County figure34.915% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure6.866% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure18.77% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure3.135% above
Parks per 10k917.774% above
Playgrounds per 10k953.1above (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k917.759% above
Libraries per 10k917.7above (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails92.420% above
Transit stops per sq mi915.0above (median 0.2)
National Register listings10County figure272above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Good air days is 94.0%, 37% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Bard College. Larger places are fetched first.

Good air days14
94.0%
37% above the median place
Median air quality index14
34
21% below the median place
January average low12
17°F
33% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureBard CollegeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure84°F3% below
January average low12County figure17°F33% below
Average temperature12County figure50°F9% below
Annual precipitation12County figure45.5 in4% above
Natural hazard risk13County figure88.35% below
Hurricane risk13County figure90.828% above
Tornado risk13County figure63.322% below
Wildfire risk13County figure57.36% below
Heat wave risk13County figure77.514% below
Median air quality index14County figure3421% below
Good air days14County figure94.0%37% above
08

Bard College in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 6% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 6% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,159/mo (2024)$1,470/mo$1,210 to $1,800/mo+4.1%
Median household income$216,406 (2024)$274,500$232,000 to $325,000+4.0%

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Bard College

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Lehi, UT$1,964$131,299Compare
Bondurant, IA$1,337$135,674Compare
Tea, SD$1,220$120,139Compare
Granville, OH$1,129$124,408Compare
Granville, OHTea, SDBondurant, IALehi, UTBard College, NYBard CollegeLehiBondurantTeaGranvilleBard CollegeLehiBondurantTeaGranville

Common questions

Is Bard College a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Counting remote workers as zero, the average worker spends about 50 hours a year commuting, less than in 99% of the 2,101 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 331 New York places. 0.0% of residents live below the poverty line, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 298 New York places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Bard College expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 6.4% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $400,600.

What salary do you need to live in Bard College?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $46,360 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Bard College?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Lehi, UT, Bondurant, IA, Tea, SD and Granville, OH.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Bard College with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Bard College itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/bard-college-new-york

Citytistics. “Bard College, New York.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/bard-college-new-york/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.