Four Top Towns to Buy a Home in Columbia County, NY

Tucked between the Hudson River and the New York-Massachusetts state line, Columbia County offers homebuyers countryside settings that take your breath away and a mix of local farms, small towns, and unique cultural venues that emphasizes pastoral splendor rather than urban sprawl.

With a population of about 59,000, Columbia County attracts homebuyers looking for a primary residence as well as buyers looking for a second home. Homes for sale in Columbia County, NY run the gamut of styles from farmhouse to contemporary. Many homes feature extensive acreage.

We’re highlighting four towns in Columbia County that offer top community amenities and services along with quiet roads, bustling village centers, and views that don’t stop.

Chatham: Arts and Retail Central for North Columbia County

Exterior view of the historic Crandell Theatre in Chatham, New York

With its Spanish Renaissance style, the Crandell Theatre is one of Chatham’s best-known architectural gems and is Columbia County’s oldest and largest movie theatre.

Chatham’s location is about 30 minutes from Albany on Interstate 90 and about two and a half hours from New York City on the Taconic State Parkway. Restaurants, galleries, unique shops, and a thriving farmers and makers market create a vibrant community atmosphere. Town landmarks cherished by residents include the Chatham Public Library, Crandell Theatre, the Clocktower, and Tracy Memorial Village Hall. This village of about 4,000 residents is small but mighty. The town hosts three annual festivals: SummerFest, OctoberFeast, and WinterFest.

Town of Chatham Website As you look for homes in Chatham, make the Town of Chatham website one of your first stops for digital research.

Chatham Virtual Walking Tour Explore Chatham from the comfort of your present home and learn about the historic buildings in Chatham.

Town of Chatham Photo Gallery This beautifully curated photo gallery is a perfect way to learn about community events in Chatham—and the town spirit that makes them so popular.

PS21 Chatham The cutting-edge Performances Spaces for the 21st Century offers live music, theater, and dance in a 300-seat open-air pavilion and a smaller black box theater.

Crandall Theatre Built in 1926, this Spanish Renaissance style movie palace screened its first “talkie” in 1929. Today this architectural jewel is the oldest and largest single-screen movie theater in Columbia County.

Ghent: A Town of Hamlets

_{Tony Tasset, Arrows, 2015. Art Omi Photograph by Bryan Zimmerman}

Ghent is a small town comprised of hamlets. With a population under 5,400, Ghent lies about 127 miles from New York City on the Taconic State Parkway. Albany is about 30 miles north on Interstate 90. Ghent is small, yet the community provides a full range of services and year-round events. Ghent is part of the Chatham Central School District, which serves an enrollment of about 1,000 students in one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. Other towns served by the district are Austerlitz, Chatham, Canaan, Kinderhook, and New Lebanon. Town of Ghent Website— Art Omi This 120-acre sculpture and architecture park is one of the top cultural attractions in Columbia County. Located on Route 22 in Ghent, Art Omi welcomes visitors to its events and grounds free of charge and is open daily.

Kinderhook: A Historic Town with a Dutch Heritage

_{Located in the historic town of Kinderhook, Lindenwald is the home and estate of President Martin Van Buren.}

Located 8 miles south of Interstate 90 in North Columbia County, Kinderhook traces its history to Dutch settlement in the seventeenth century. Proud of its Dutch heritage, Kinderhook is also known as the birthplace of Martin Van Buren, the eighth U.S. president. The town is home to many historic and architecturally significant buildings that represent Dutch, Federal, and Greek Revival styles.

Town of Kinderhook Website

Village of Kinderhook Website

Village of Kinderhook Walking Tour

Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

Google Arts and Culture Virtual Tour of Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

Austerlitz: Where a Poet Lived

A scenic view of a meadow from the Pinnacle Point Loop trail at Harvey Mountain State Park in Austerlitz, New York.

_{A scenic view from the Pinnacle Point Loop trail at Harvey Mountain State Forest in Austerlitz, New York.}

The tiny town of Austerlitz, with just about 1,600 people at the last U.S. census count, is known for its most famous resident, the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. Her home at Steepletop includes Millay’s library and 700 acres of grounds and gardens. Residents of Austerlitz are surrounded by outdoor recreational opportunities at Beebe Hill State Forest and Harvey Mountain State Forest.