Putnam Valley is a medium-sized town located in the state of New York. With a population of 11,722 people and three associated neighborhoods, Putnam Valley is the 159th largest community in New York. Housing costs in Putnam Valley are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in New York.Unlike some towns where white-collar or blue-collar occupations dominate the local economy, Putnam Valley is neither predominantly one nor the other. Instead, it has a mixed workforce of both white- and blue-collar jobs. Overall, Putnam Valley is a town of professionals, managers, and sales and office workers. There are especially a lot of people living in Putnam Valley who work in management occupations (15.40%), teaching (12.66%), and office and administrative support (11.18%). A relatively large number of people in Putnam Valley telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 10.64% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes. Putnam Valley is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, Putnam Valley’s overall crime rate is lower than average for the country. In Putnam Valley, however, the average commute to work is quite long. On average, people spend 40.06 minutes each day getting to work, which is significantly higher than the national average. One bright side is that local public transit is widely used, so it may be an option to avoid the headache of driving in the heavy traffic by leaving the car at home and taking transit. Even though Putnam Valley is a smaller town, it has many people who hop on public transportation – mostly the train for their daily commute to work. Typically, these people are commuting to good jobs in the surrounding cities.The citizens of Putnam Valley are among the most well-educated in the nation: 47.44% of adults in Putnam Valley have a bachelor's degree or even advanced degree, whereas the average US city has 21.84% holding at least a bachelor's degree. The per capita income in Putnam Valley in 2022 was $54,158, which is upper middle income relative to New York, and wealthy relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $216,632 for a family of four. Putnam Valley is a very ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Putnam Valley home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Putnam Valley residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Putnam Valley also has a sizeable Hispanic population (people of Hispanic origin can be of any race). People of Hispanic or Latino origin account for 12.55% of the town’s residents. Important ancestries of people in Putnam Valley include Irish, Italian, German, English, and Northern European. The most common language spoken in Putnam Valley is English. Other important languages spoken here include Other Indo-European and Italian.
