Ulster County, New York Eviction Risk: High

Ulster County carries an average eviction-risk score of 8.2/10, placing it in the High tier and squarely in the higher-risk third of New York state. Of the 60 counties in the state, 17 rank riskier than Ulster and 42 are more landlord-friendly, putting this market at rank 18. For landlords and investors weighing assets here, that number reflects a combination of an average rent burden of 34.3%, a renter share of 41.8%, and an average rent of $1,547 that leaves many tenants with thin financial margins.

The picture is not uniform across the county. Scores across its 35 cities run from 5.6 at the low end up to 9.5 at the high end, a range of nearly four full points. That spread means operating conditions can differ sharply from one municipality to the next, and blanket assumptions about the county as a whole can mislead a purchase decision or portfolio strategy.

The cities inside Ulster County

Kingston dominates the high-risk end of the county. The city, home to 23,911 residents and the largest population center in Ulster County, posts a score of 9.5/10, the highest in the county and one that demands serious due-diligence attention from any prospective landlord. Vacancy risk, tenant-payment stress, and the frequency of formal eviction proceedings all trend sharply higher at that score level.

Below Kingston, a cluster of cities sits in the mid-to-upper range. New Paltz (population 8,314, score 8.9/10), Ellenville (population 4,211, score 8.2/10), and Saugerties (population 3,884, score 8.3/10) each carry meaningful risk, though well below Kingston's ceiling. At the more favorable end of the spectrum, Marlboro scores 7.5/10 and Port Ewen scores 7.8/10, offering comparatively calmer operating conditions while still sitting above the county's own minimum of 5.6. The intra-county variation underscores that risk in this market is hyper-local, and city-level data should drive any serious investment analysis.

State-level laws that apply here

New York eviction laws state law governs the eviction framework for every landlord in Ulster County. Under RPAPL § 711(2), a nonpayment case requires a 14-day notice before filing. Holdover notices scale with tenancy length: 30 days for tenancies under one year, 60 days for tenancies of one to two years, and 90 days for tenancies of two years or more, all under RPL § 226-c. A material lease-violation notice requires just 10 days under RPAPL § 711(1). Just-cause eviction requirements apply statewide, and rent caps vary by locality with no statewide preemption of local rent control, meaning some Ulster municipalities may layer additional restrictions on top of state minimums.

On costs, the New York eviction process is not cheap. Court filing fees range from $45 to $210, sheriff lockout fees add $50 to $200, and attorney fees for a contested matter commonly run $1,000 to $4,000. Timeline risk is substantial: uncontested cases resolve in 30 to 90 days, while contested proceedings stretch to 90 to 210 days. Reviewing the full New York eviction costs guide and understanding New York tenant protections in detail before placing a tenant are practical steps for any landlord entering this market.

With a poverty rate of 15.4% and renters making up 41.8% of households across the county, financial fragility is a consistent backdrop to tenancy here. The city-by-city breakdown in the grid above shows exactly where that risk concentrates, and where the 5.6-to-9.5 range leaves room for more defensible positioning.