Dutchess County is located in southeastern New York . It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area and the Hudson Valley region. The Hudson River makes up the wetsern border of Dutchess County. Dutchess County has a total area of approximately 825 square miles of which 97% is land and 3% water. As of the census of 2000, there were 280,150 people, 99,536 households, and 69,177 families residing in Dutchess County, making it the eleventh most populous county in New York state. Dutchess County is a fast growing region with large migrations from its southern neighbors.