Tick risks rated high across Dutchess County

A new tool for measuring tick activity shows that northern Dutchess County is a hotspot for the blood-sucking parasites.
According to daily risk scores compiled by TickZone, a free website and app built on public data, every municipality in Dutchess County falls into the platform’s “High” risk band.

TickZone assigns a score of 0-100 for each town to assess each area’s risk. Milan and Dover topped the county’s northeastern towns with a score of 96. While the town of North East is last on the list, its score of 85 is still high enough to inspire caution.

“Dutchess has no low-risk corner,” said TickZone founder Nathan Burnett.

A 2026 study by the Cary Institute in Millbrook found that more than 38% of the ticks tested were capable of spreading at least one disease-causing pathogen to people. In Dutchess County, those diseases include Lyme disease, Powassan disease, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. Short-term effects can include fever, chills, headache, and the tell-tale erythema migrans rash, better known as the bull’s-eye.

Over time, Lyme disease can cause facial palsy, arthritis, and a host of other painful maladies.

Avoiding ticks is a practice in vigilance — and know-how. “Ticks climb up from the ground,” said TickZone’s Burnett, “which is why treating shoes and pant cuffs with permethrin helps more than spraying your arms.”

It also helps to stay informed. In Dutchess County, that has meant increased attention to the lone star tick, a species that has steadily expanded northward over the past several decades.

“Dutchess is right at that line now,” Burnett said. “There have been reported sightings, but no established breeding population. Alpha-gal syndrome barely existed as a diagnosis 20 years ago.”

Alpha-gal syndrome is an allergic condition linked to bites from lone star ticks. The condition can cause an allergic reaction to red meat and other mammalian products, including some dairy products. Reactions can range from hives and gastrointestinal symptoms to life-threatening anaphylaxis.

TickZone uses publicly available data from the CDC to score the towns. The first and most volatile determining factor is weather.

Ticks become active in warm, humid conditions with damp ground, and pull back during drier stretches. TickZone tracks each town’s temperature and the past week’s rainfall to model that behavior. A town’s live score can shift several points day to day, even though the underlying landscape hasn’t changed.

Dutchess County ranks 8th among New York’s 62 counties for reported Lyme disease incidence, with 376.9 cases per 100,000 residents, according to CDC data.