Median Income
$54,650
household / year
Median Home Value
$140,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,038
gross / month
Cost of Living
98
national avg = 100

Is Schenectady, NY a Good Place to Live?

Schenectady is a mid-sized city of 68,476 in New York, with a median household income of $54,650 and a 9.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.

Strengths: Schenectady stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Schenectady is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Schenectady city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 97.6

Schenectady's overall cost of living index is 97.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Schenectady costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.

Metric Schenectady, NY National Avg
Median Home Value $140,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,038 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 45.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $54,650 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Schenectady's violent crime rate is 645.7 per 100,000 residents — 70% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
645.7 /100k
Property Crime
3129.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Schenectady is served primarily by SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Schenectady, NY National Avg
School District SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT —
Elementary Schools 11 —
Middle Schools 3 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 11.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 85.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Schenectady sees average highs of 32.8°F in January and 83.9°F in July, with 40.7 inches of annual precipitation and 59.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricSchenectady, NY
Average High — January32.8°F
Average High — July83.9°F
Annual Precipitation40.7"
Annual Snowfall59.2"

Demographics

MetricSchenectady, NYNational Avg
Population68,476—
Median Age36.038.9
Unemployment Rate9.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time22.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)52.0%59.3%
Black or African American20.2%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino13.4%18.9%
Asian6.6%6.3%
Under 1820.0%22.2%
65 and over14.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Niskayuna, NY 2 mi Rotterdam, NY 2 mi Scotia, NY 3 mi East Glenville, NY 4 mi Clifton Knolls-Mill Creek, NY 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Schenectady

Schenectady, NY is covered by 4 ZIP codes:

12304 12308 12305 12307

Schenectady vs Other Cities

Schenectady, NY vs Niskayuna, NY Schenectady, NY vs Rotterdam, NY Schenectady, NY vs Scotia, NY Schenectady, NY vs East Glenville, NY Schenectady, NY vs Clifton Knolls-Mill Creek, NY

Frequently Asked Questions

Schenectady's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average. That makes Schenectady roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $140,000 and median rent is $1,038/month.
Schenectady's violent crime rate is 645.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3129.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Schenectady are operated by SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has 11 elementary, 3 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.4:1. 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Schenectady, NY has a population of 68,476, a median household income of $54,650, and an unemployment rate of 9.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Schenectady averages 32.8°F in January and 83.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 40.7 inches with about 59.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Schenectady, NY is covered by 4 ZIP codes: 12304, 12308, 12305, 12307.
The population of Schenectady, New York is 68,476 with a median age of 36.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Schenectady: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $140,000, median household income $54,650, crime index 162 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Schenectady side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.