Representative Josh Riley, Democratic from New York

Josh Riley

New York's 19th congressional district

NY-19 Midterms Intelligence

Freshman Democrat Josh Riley represents one of New York’s purest swing seats: NY-19 is just D+2, with a 98% competitiveness score and only a 51.1% Democratic vote share. The district’s politics are shaped by an older, largely white electorate and a hybrid economy that mixes small-city professionals with rural agricultural and manufacturing communities. Riley’s committee footprint—Agriculture plus Science, Space, and Technology—fits a seat where voters want practical problem-solving, not ideological branding, and where Democrats win only by holding together culturally moderate upstate towns and issue-driven independents.

For advocates, the opening is in economic pragmatism: frame asks around farm viability, energy affordability, rural innovation, and workforce stability, not national partisan narratives. Healthcare/education is the largest industry base at 31.7%, but the district’s strategic tension is between institutional employers and outlying communities that feel squeezed by costs and decline. Campaigns that pair local job creation with tangible service delivery will travel; anything that reads as urban-progressive or abstract climate politics will not.

Representative Josh Riley represents New York's 19th congressional district, serving 774,788 constituents. The district has an estimated median household income of $73,134 and an unemployment rate of 5.9%.

Economic & Demographic Snapshot

774,788Population
↓ 76
$73,134Median Incomenat'l $37,585
↑ $6,963
5.9%Unemploymentnat'l 3.5%
→ no change
8.5%Poverty Ratenat'l 12.4%
→ no change
70.0%Homeownershipnat'l 65.5%
→ no change
$1,091Median Rentnat'l $1,163
↑ $101
2.2%Public Transitnat'l 5%
→ no change
23.7 minMean Commutenat'l 26.4 min
↑ 0.6 min

Data sourced from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2017-2021 vs. 2019-2023). All figures are statistical estimates with 90% confidence level.

New York District 19 Demographics

Median Age 42.1 (vs 38.5) · Homeownership 70% (vs 65.5%) · Bachelor’s+ 35.4% (vs 33.7%) · Poverty 8.5% (vs 12.4%) · Income $73,134 (vs $37,585)

Age Distribution

Skews older than the national average (median age 42.1 vs 38.5 nationally). The largest age cohort is 60–69 at 14.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

White residents are the largest group at 81.7%.

* Hispanic includes respondents of any race. Racial categories include both Hispanic and non-Hispanic individuals.

Education

35.4% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, above the 33.7% national average. 8.5% of residents lack a high school diploma. 17% hold a post-graduate degree.

Income Distribution

Median household income is $73,134, well above the $37,585 national median.

Housing

Homeownership at 70% (vs 65.5% nationally). Median rent is $1,091. Median home value is $222,900.

How People Get to Work

69.4% drive alone. Average commute is 23.7 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates
Data represents 5-year statistical estimates for increased reliability.
Note: New York congressional districts were significantly redrawn in 2022, affecting demographic comparisons between different survey periods.

New York District 19 FAQ

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