Dutchess County is located in southeastern New York State, between the Hudson River on its west and the New York–Connecticut border on its east, about halfway between the cities of Albany and New York City.

Duchess County is mostly hilly, with the Taconic Mountains to the northeast, and the Hudson Highlands in the southwestern corner.

The County can be accessed by train through the Metro-North railroad, on the western edge of the Hudson River, and the Harlem Line which serves the eastern side of the county. Metro-North is critical to the commute of many people who work in the city.

Duchess County’s two major cities are Beacon and Poughkeepsie. Today, Beacon is renowned for the Dia Beacon, one of the largest modern art museums in the country. Located just 20 minutes south of the Hudson Valley Region capital city, Poughkeepsie, Beacon is close to many historic sites - among them Bannerman Castle.

After being abandoned for decades, the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge, built in the late 19th, was converted into the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park in October 2009. It is now one the main attractions in the Hudson Valley.

With a population of 31,850 the city is not only architecturally mixed, but ethnically diverse as well. Caucasians make up about the half the population, census records show; African-Americans and Latinos make up most of the rest.

The city's economy is stimulated by several major corporations, including IBM. Educational institutions include Marist College, Vassar College, Dutchess Community College and The Culinary Institute of America.

Population - 294,218, Land Area - 796 SQ MI