Beacon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Beacon
Newburgh
Opportunity
70 · Top 23%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
67 · Top 20%
vs36 · Bottom 26%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs75 · Top 31%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 45%
vs56 · Bottom 16%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
69 · Top 31%
vs35 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Beacon | Newburgh | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,834 | 28,519 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $107,859 | $56,960 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $58,996 | $31,232 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,130/sq mi | 7,493/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $471,600 | $247,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,658 | $1,454 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.1% | 34.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.9% | 19.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 24.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 71 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.8 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 184.0% | 13.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.9" | 41.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 41.7 min | 27.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.0 | 33.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Beacon
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Newburgh
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Beacon, NY · Newburgh, NY · How this is calculated: methodology