Education
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau

What does this measure?

The number of people with a particular level of education in a region, expressed as a percentage of all adults 25 and older, broken down by race and ethnicity.

Why is this important?

An educated population makes a more attractive workforce and is better prepared to instruct the next generation of residents. High educational attainment represents a region's investment in human capital and preparation for long-term growth.

How is Westchester County performing?

The proportion of adults in 2018-22 with a bachelor's degree or higher was highest among Asian (75%) and White (60%) people in Westchester, and far lower among African American (36%) and Hispanic (28%) residents.

Westchester had higher shares of adults of all racial/ethnic backgrounds with at least a bachelor's degree than the state and nation. However, compared to the nation, state, and similar counties, Westchester had the largest disparities between the shares of both Hispanic and African American adults compared to the share of White adults with at least a bachelor's degree (32-point and 24-point gaps, respectively).

The proportion of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher increased amongst all racial/ethnic groups from 2008-12 to 2018-22. The largest change was amongst African American and White adults, both increasing by 10 points.

Why do these disparities exist?

There are a variety of factors believed to contribute to disparities in educational attainment. School systems in the United States are highly segregated, and students of color disproportionately attend schools with high proportions of low-income students who may not have benefited from early learning opportunities at the same rate as other students. Schools also have different levels of resources ranging from qualified/experienced teachers to advanced courses to facilities and technology, and schools with large Black and Latino populations often have lower levels. In addition, teachers across all school systems tend to be disproportionately white, and teaching practices and curriculum may not be culturally relevant to students of color. Low staff expectations at racially and economically segregated schools also contribute disparities in educational attainment. The accumulation of inequities leads to lower graduation rates and college matriculation, with college affordability acting as another barrier. When Black and Latino students enter higher education institutions, they are less likely to attain a college a degree given weaker academic preparation and financial hardship.

Notes about the data

The multi-year figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability that the true value (if the whole population had reported) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). In practical terms, the race/ethnicity breakdowns are reliable for Westchester County but are increasingly less precise for the outlying counties, largely as a function of population. The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census.


Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County11%28%24%18%
Nassau County14%30%24%22%
Putnam County24%*20%*23%26%
Rockland County16%30%25%24%
New York State14%28%23%24%
Mount Vernon17%***32%27%*20%
New Rochelle20%*28%18%16%
Peekskill28%***29%*32%*24%*
Rye City8%***7%***8%***11%*
White Plains7%**28%*24%17%
Yonkers19%*27%25%22%
Westchester County Towns
Bedford4%***26%***17%***13%*
Cortlandt12%***28%**26%23%
Eastchester10%**32%***36%**16%
Greenburgh6%*20%*28%*15%
Harrison18%***44%***24%**19%
Lewisboro12%***1%***10%***16%*
Mamaroneck6%***18%***17%**14%
Mount Kisco7%***21%***17%**19%*
Mount Pleasant4%***39%**19%*18%
New Castle5%***1%***14%***9%*
North Castle4%***33%***21%***11%*
North Salem0%***0%***28%***18%*
Ossining7%***26%**27%*20%
Pelham11%***24%***14%***15%*
Pound Ridge0%***14%***9%***11%*
Rye7%***18%**24%17%
Scarsdale4%***5%***4%***4%*
Somers13%***24%***17%**18%
Yorktown24%**29%***27%**20%
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley2%***14%***0%***9%**
Briarcliff Manor4%***28%***10%***9%*
Bronxville10%***0%***0%***20%**
Buchanan23%***51%***35%***25%*
Croton-on-Hudson9%***0%***22%***17%*
Dobbs Ferry2%***31%***24%***19%*
Elmsford10%***21%***32%**26%**
Village of Harrison18%***44%***24%**19%
Hastings-on-Hudson6%***1%***16%***14%*
Irvington15%***73%***32%***11%**
Larchmont11%***0%***11%***9%**
Village of Mamaroneck5%***7%***19%**19%*
Village of Mount Kisco7%***21%***17%**19%*
Village of Ossining8%***25%**29%*25%
Village of Pelham20%***34%***18%***16%*
Pelham Manor0%***2%***5%***14%**
Pleasantville0%***85%***17%***13%*
Port Chester9%***20%**24%20%*
Rye Brook4%***16%***30%***14%*
Village of Scarsdale4%***5%***4%***4%*
Sleepy Hollow2%***51%***18%**16%*
Tarrytown0%***24%***28%***13%**
Tuckahoe7%***37%***56%**13%**

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Adults are people 25 and older. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Number of Adults, by Education Level and Race/Ethnicity
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County5,24328,31638,65472,994
Nassau County15,16633,32135,693135,261
Putnam County421*477*2,37415,037
Rockland County2,4467,8099,15632,518
New York State173,410584,970575,2872,088,894
Mount Vernon200***10,4882,008*2,091
New Rochelle615*3,0152,8194,821
Peekskill101***1,078*2,223*2,107*
Rye City66***14***68***938*
White Plains288**1,454*3,0564,079
Yonkers1,727*7,13913,83114,981
Westchester County Towns
Bedford27***173***320***1,163*
Cortlandt138***750**1,0855,057
Eastchester278**138***709**2,877
Greenburgh507*1,432*2,746*6,567
Harrison232***217***563**2,512
Lewisboro51***1***53***1,163*
Mamaroneck57***162***644**2,240
Mount Kisco19***76***355**1,039*
Mount Pleasant75***448**958*4,145
New Castle53***2***97***836*
North Castle19***57***245***727*
North Salem0***0***91***607*
Ossining103***700**2,237*3,636
Pelham72***129***112***932*
Pound Ridge0***20***19***347*
Rye102***380**3,2843,190
Scarsdale88***11***17***352*
Somers99***80***272**2,402
Yorktown326**352***842**4,185
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley9***19***0***217**
Briarcliff Manor14***29***35***398*
Bronxville20***0***1***681**
Buchanan13***47***58***309*
Croton-on-Hudson19***0***146***835*
Dobbs Ferry22***40***208***1,066*
Elmsford42***147***461**342**
Village of Harrison232***217***563**2,512
Hastings-on-Hudson23***1***59***724*
Irvington52***53***105***404**
Larchmont26***0***39***334**
Village of Mamaroneck28***46***654**1,905*
Village of Mount Kisco19***76***355**1,039*
Village of Ossining82***603**2,186*2,599
Village of Pelham72***126***100***513*
Pelham Manor0***3***12***419**
Pleasantville0***51***105***572*
Port Chester45***344**2,9591,857*
Rye Brook29***16***181***735*
Village of Scarsdale88***11***17***352*
Sleepy Hollow4***170***548**597*
Tarrytown0***79***480***849**
Tuckahoe66***110***527**443**

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Adults are people 25 and older. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity, 2018-22
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County11%28%24%18%
Nassau County14%30%24%22%
Putnam County24%*20%*23%26%
Rockland County16%30%25%24%
New York State14%28%23%24%
Mount Vernon17%***32%27%*20%
New Rochelle20%*28%18%16%
Peekskill28%***29%*32%*24%*
Rye City8%***7%***8%***11%*
White Plains7%**28%*24%17%
Yonkers19%*27%25%22%
Westchester County Towns
Bedford4%***26%***17%***13%*
Cortlandt12%***28%**26%23%
Eastchester10%**32%***36%**16%
Greenburgh6%*20%*28%*15%
Harrison18%***44%***24%**19%
Lewisboro12%***1%***10%***16%*
Mamaroneck6%***18%***17%**14%
Mount Kisco7%***21%***17%**19%*
Mount Pleasant4%***39%**19%*18%
New Castle5%***1%***14%***9%*
North Castle4%***33%***21%***11%*
North Salem0%***0%***28%***18%*
Ossining7%***26%**27%*20%
Pelham11%***24%***14%***15%*
Pound Ridge0%***14%***9%***11%*
Rye7%***18%**24%17%
Scarsdale4%***5%***4%***4%*
Somers13%***24%***17%**18%
Yorktown24%**29%***27%**20%
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley2%***14%***0%***9%**
Briarcliff Manor4%***28%***10%***9%*
Bronxville10%***0%***0%***20%**
Buchanan23%***51%***35%***25%*
Croton-on-Hudson9%***0%***22%***17%*
Dobbs Ferry2%***31%***24%***19%*
Elmsford10%***21%***32%**26%**
Village of Harrison18%***44%***24%**19%
Hastings-on-Hudson6%***1%***16%***14%*
Irvington15%***73%***32%***11%**
Larchmont11%***0%***11%***9%**
Village of Mamaroneck5%***7%***19%**19%*
Village of Mount Kisco7%***21%***17%**19%*
Village of Ossining8%***25%**29%*25%
Village of Pelham20%***34%***18%***16%*
Pelham Manor0%***2%***5%***14%**
Pleasantville0%***85%***17%***13%*
Port Chester9%***20%**24%20%*
Rye Brook4%***16%***30%***14%*
Village of Scarsdale4%***5%***4%***4%*
Sleepy Hollow2%***51%***18%**16%*
Tarrytown0%***24%***28%***13%**
Tuckahoe7%***37%***56%**13%**

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Adults are people 25 and older. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Number of Adults, by Education Level and Race/Ethnicity, 2018-22
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County5,24328,31638,65472,994
Nassau County15,16633,32135,693135,261
Putnam County421*477*2,37415,037
Rockland County2,4467,8099,15632,518
New York State173,410584,970575,2872,088,894
Mount Vernon200***10,4882,008*2,091
New Rochelle615*3,0152,8194,821
Peekskill101***1,078*2,223*2,107*
Rye City66***14***68***938*
White Plains288**1,454*3,0564,079
Yonkers1,727*7,13913,83114,981
Westchester County Towns
Bedford27***173***320***1,163*
Cortlandt138***750**1,0855,057
Eastchester278**138***709**2,877
Greenburgh507*1,432*2,746*6,567
Harrison232***217***563**2,512
Lewisboro51***1***53***1,163*
Mamaroneck57***162***644**2,240
Mount Kisco19***76***355**1,039*
Mount Pleasant75***448**958*4,145
New Castle53***2***97***836*
North Castle19***57***245***727*
North Salem0***0***91***607*
Ossining103***700**2,237*3,636
Pelham72***129***112***932*
Pound Ridge0***20***19***347*
Rye102***380**3,2843,190
Scarsdale88***11***17***352*
Somers99***80***272**2,402
Yorktown326**352***842**4,185
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley9***19***0***217**
Briarcliff Manor14***29***35***398*
Bronxville20***0***1***681**
Buchanan13***47***58***309*
Croton-on-Hudson19***0***146***835*
Dobbs Ferry22***40***208***1,066*
Elmsford42***147***461**342**
Village of Harrison232***217***563**2,512
Hastings-on-Hudson23***1***59***724*
Irvington52***53***105***404**
Larchmont26***0***39***334**
Village of Mamaroneck28***46***654**1,905*
Village of Mount Kisco19***76***355**1,039*
Village of Ossining82***603**2,186*2,599
Village of Pelham72***126***100***513*
Pelham Manor0***3***12***419**
Pleasantville0***51***105***572*
Port Chester45***344**2,9591,857*
Rye Brook29***16***181***735*
Village of Scarsdale88***11***17***352*
Sleepy Hollow4***170***548**597*
Tarrytown0***79***480***849**
Tuckahoe66***110***527**443**

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Adults are people 25 and older. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




INDICATORS TREND | WESTCHESTER
Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Infant Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels 0
Maintaining
Children Receiving Subsidized Child Care 0
Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19 -1
Decreasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Single Female-Headed Households -1
Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate 1
Increasing
Voter Participation Rate -1
Decreasing
Serious Crimes -1
Decreasing
Reported Victims of Domestic Violence -1
Decreasing
Arrest Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households With Internet Access, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households without Vehicles 0
Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Air Quality 1
Increasing
Population Density 0
Maintaining
Water Quality of the Long Island Sound 10 Not Applicable*
Open Space in Westchester County 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Total Population 1
Increasing
Change in Population, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Population, by Age 10 Not Applicable*
People with Disabilities 1
Increasing
Language Diversity 1
Increasing
People 65 or Older Living Alone -1
Decreasing
Foreign-Born Population 1
Increasing
Change in Total Jobs 1
Increasing
Change in Jobs by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Average Salary by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0
Maintaining
Income in Relation to Poverty Level 10 Not Applicable*
Unemployment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
People Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Seniors Living in Poverty 1
Increasing
Seniors Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Food Insecurity -1
Decreasing
Households Receiving SNAP, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Public Assistance 0
Maintaining
People Receiving Supplemental Security Income 0
Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Overall Housing Cost Burden -1
Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Rent Burdened Households -1
Decreasing
Homelessness, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Homelessness, by Sex 10 Not Applicable*
Per-Student Spending 0
Maintaining
Student Suspensions -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
College Enrollment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
People Without Health Insurance -1
Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Mortality Rate from Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Diabetes Mortality, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Suicide Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*


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