Schenectady, New York Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Schenectady, NY Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Schenectady | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 68,515 | 19,748,855 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 6241.6 | 362.0 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.63% | 0.05% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.9 | 38.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 28,937 | 7,694,043 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Schenectady grew by 11.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 68,515 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Schenectady is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 25.3% of residents. That is 4.8 points above New York as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 17,327 25.3% +4.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 14,688 21.4% -0.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 13,577 19.8% -1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 9,911 14.5% -2.9 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below New York, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.7% of the people living in Schenectady and men 49.3%.
- Women 50.7% New York 51.3%
- Men 49.3% New York 48.7%
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Economy
Schenectady has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Schenectady | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,874 | $86,556 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.27% | 4.51% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.8% | 6.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Schenectady is about 33% lower than in New York.
Housing
| Metric | Schenectady | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $256,319 | $471,885 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,144 | $1,621 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 45.9% | 54.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Schenectady is about 18.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,144 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Schenectady spend about 41 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 172 hours, about 7.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Schenectady | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.7 | 28.7 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.4 | 57.4 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 172 | 239 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,347 | $7,414 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.8% | 15.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 8,820 | 9,257 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,880 | 1,586 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Schenectady is 21 minutes, shorter than the 29 minutes in New York.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Schenectady has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Schenectady | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 36.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.23 | 2.49 | 2.53 |
Health
Schenectady has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Schenectady | New York Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.8 | 80.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.7% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.4% | 17.4% | 19.0% |
Schenectady, NY Compared With Nearby Cities
How Schenectady, NY compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schenectady, NY | 68,515 | $57,874 #3/3 | $256,319 #1/3 | 20.7 min #2/3 |
| Rotterdam, NY | 21,779 | $85,479 | $249,703 | 22.0 min |
| Niskayuna, NY | 20,872 | $135,541 | $169,645 | 20.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Schenectady, New York.
How big is Schenectady, New York by population?
About 68,515 people live in Schenectady, New York, in 28,937 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 36.9, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Schenectady, New York urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Schenectady, New York has 6,242 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 72 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Schenectady, New York?
The median home costs 4.4 times the median household income ($256,319 against $57,874), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,144 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Schenectady, New York?
Unemployment in Schenectady, New York is 8.8%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Schenectady, New York?
20.0% of adults in Schenectady, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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