Rents are 14% below what Poughkeepsie's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,865 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Poughkeepsie usually run 0.7% below trend in December and 0.9% above it in March, about $30 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Poughkeepsie is 1.2% below its high of $1,888 in July 2026, at $1,865 as of September 2026.
Rent in Poughkeepsie changed +2.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 82 New York cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.3%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Poughkeepsie rose 61.4% while median household income rose 38.7% ($43,794 to $60,741). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Poughkeepsie is 62.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($60,741) is $1,519 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,405); a 2-bedroom is $1,795.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Poughkeepsie. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Poughkeepsie, NY is majority renter-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 31.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Poughkeepsie, NY has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Poughkeepsie, NY paid around $1,391 a month. That figure now sits near $1,865, up 34.1% from the 2021 baseline. On the earnings side, the typical household in Poughkeepsie, NY now reports about $60,741, up from $48,805 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Poughkeepsie, NY adding about 483 residents over the five-year window, up 1.5% on net. The renter share has eased from 62.9% to 61.2%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 29.6% to 31.9% across the same window. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Poughkeepsie, NY reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Poughkeepsie on your salary?
At $1,865/mo, how Poughkeepsie rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Poughkeepsie rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Poughkeepsie. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Poughkeepsie
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Poughkeepsie is $1,865/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,230/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,795/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,405/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,285/mo.
At 37% of local median household income ($60,741/yr), Poughkeepsie ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Poughkeepsie rent compare to other cities in New York?
At $1,865/mo, rent takes ~37% of Poughkeepsie's median household income ($60,741/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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