Poll: Rhinebeck or Red Hook (Poughkeepsie, Hope: rentals, crime rate, houses)

[KidsMake5]

Which Dutchess County town is better for a family?

1. Rhinebeck
2. Red Hook

[DareToDream]

Can you be more specific about what you're looking for? I've lived in both Red Hook and Rhinebeck. Both are very nice. Rhinebeck, however, seems to have more NYC weekender types, who may or may not have a home there. Taxes are higher in Rhinebeck, as are houses. Red Hook has many of the same amenities, restaurants, stores, etc., but not as expensive as Rhinebeck. Houses are cheaper, as are taxes, and Red Hook seems to have more "reasonable" rentals than Rhinebeck.

[KidsMake5]

Moving with three kids (ages 13/10/7) at the end of August and we have narrowed it down to these two towns. Just wondering what has more to offer kids, what is more kid friendly, which is safer and which has the better schools. 10 year old would love to be able to walk/rider her bike to school. Also looking at the commute time to Fox Street in Poughkeepsie, which is where my husband is working.

[DareToDream]

Originally Posted by KidsMake5

Moving with three kids (ages 13/10/7) at the end of August and we have narrowed it down to these two towns. Just wondering what has more to offer kids, what is more kid friendly, which is safer and which has the better schools. 10 year old would love to be able to walk/rider her bike to school. Also looking at the commute time to Fox Street in Poughkeepsie, which is where my husband is working.

The commute time is about 30 minutes, give or take a few depending on traffic and where you are actually located. Walking/riding a bike to school will also depend on where you are located for both Rhinebeck and Red Hook. Both Red Hook and Rhinebeck are what I would consider safe, especially compared to areas like Poughkeepsie. You still need to be aware of your surroundings, etc., but the crime rate is relatively low. Both towns have sidewalks.

Both towns are kid friendly and family friendly and I believe they both have very good schools - you can check them out on this site: GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community . The 2 towns are very similar, but Red Hook is quieter than Rhinebeck. Rhinebeck has the County Fairgrounds which holds many events, including the Dutchess County Fair every August and traffic can be a nightmare until you learn the "back way" to get to places. Rhinebeck seems to become more over-run with tourists and people from NYC who come for a weekend get-away. Amtrak is closest to Rhinebeck, in Rhinecliff.

Both towns have parks for the kids. Red Hook has a movie theater which has the new releases. There are

Rhinebeck is considered by many to be more "upscale" than Red Hook. Red Hook was once a part of Rhinebeck until it established itself 200 years ago. This year Red Hook is celebrating it's bicentennial

I think you would need to visit both areas to see which one is a better fit for your family. Living in either town, the other is "just down the road." As I think I said earlier, there is a difference in housing prices/rentals between the 2 towns, with Red Hook being less than Rhinebeck. There are many historic sites nearby, as well.

Hope this helps and doesn't just confuse you!

[KidsMake5]

Thank you DareToDream - that is very helpful. We have done a brief visit to both towns and were hoping to keep the commute as short as possible but given the lack of affordable housing with enough space - we are now considering Red Hook. It is nice to know that they are both similar in regards to schools/families.