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Buying a home in Ulster County, New York

The typical owner-occupied home in Ulster County is worth about $352,500, 17% below the New York median of $423,800 and 6% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $6,238 a year in property taxes, about 1.77% of their home's value, higher than the New York rate of 1.55%. The median household earns $86,271 a year, so the median home costs 4.1 times the median income (4.9 times for New York). 70% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 56% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Ulster County at a glance

Ulster County New York U.S.
Median home value $352,500 $423,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $6,238 $6,582 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.77% 1.55% 0.94%
Median household income $86,271 $85,974 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 70% 54% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 56% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,287 $2,555 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.3% 22.5% 21.0%
Median rent $1,425 $1,621 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 34.8% 31.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1966 1959 1980
Vacant homes 14.1% 10.0% 10.1%
Population 182,601 19,852,366 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Ulster County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Ulster County home of $352,500 with 20% down costs about $2,564 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,151, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $109,879 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 36% of the median Ulster County household income of $86,271; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $277,000.

The median rent here is $1,425 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,139 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$70,500
Loan amount$282,000
Principal and interest$1,897
Property taxes (1.77% a year)$520
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$147
PMI$0
Total per month$2,564

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$12,338
Loan amount$346,115
Principal and interest$2,328
Property taxes (1.77% a year)$520
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$147
FHA mortgage insurance$156
Total per month$3,151

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Questions about home buying in Ulster County

What is the median home value in Ulster County?

About $352,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Ulster County?

Homeowners pay a median $6,238 a year, which is about 1.77% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Ulster County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,564 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $109,879 a year.

More about Ulster County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data