1. Start with the geography your firm actually serves
New Paltz is recorded as a municipal town in Ulster County, New York. The 2020–2024 ACS five-year estimate records 15,330 residents, with a margin of error of 28. That is a description of the town, not evidence of legal-news demand, competition, search volume, cases, or revenue. A New Paltz firm may serve the town, other parts of Ulster County, or clients elsewhere in New York. Those are different scopes and should not be collapsed into one local label.
Recommended approach
Before evaluating coverage, define the geographic boundaries for each practice area. Decide whether a story about a New Paltz incident belongs alongside Ulster County developments, statewide legislative changes, appellate decisions, agency actions, or other New York matters. Ask to see how geographic relevance would be reviewed rather than treating population as a forecast.
