Population 160,332 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rensselaer County
Household size in Rensselaer County
| Period | Rensselaer County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.44 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.42 | 2.45 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.39 | 2.45 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.33 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.11 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Rensselaer County is a place of small households, averaging 2.36 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.45 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Rensselaer County
| Period | Rensselaer County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.0 | 39.8 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.6 | 40.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.0 | 41.3 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.4 | 41.7 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +1.9 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Rensselaer County are younger than 41.4 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 39.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Rensselaer County
| Period | Rensselaer County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 10.5% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 10.0% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 10.1% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Rensselaer County as they are nationally: 11.5%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the wider Albany area (9.8%).
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Rensselaer County
Renters in Rensselaer County
| Period | Rensselaer County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.9% | 33.8% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.8% | 34.8% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.2% | 36.1% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.2% | 35.8% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Rensselaer County rent their homes (35.2%), close to the national share of 34.8%. About four in ten owners (39.6%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the northeast.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Rensselaer County
| Period | Rensselaer County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 10.9% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 11.7% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 13.3% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 9.3% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Rensselaer County: 11.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.7 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Rensselaer County
| Period | Rensselaer County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1962 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1964 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1966 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1969 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Rensselaer County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1964, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1960 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the west has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Rensselaer County
| Period | Rensselaer County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $841 | $882 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $911 | $975 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,020 | $1,114 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,209 | $1,360 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$368 | +$478 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Rensselaer County costs $1,209 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $368 a month from 2006–10, a 44% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.2% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Rensselaer County
Bachelor's degrees in Rensselaer County
| Period | Rensselaer County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.3% | 32.9% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.0% | 34.4% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.4% | 37.3% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.3% | 42.2% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | +9.4 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in Rensselaer County (37.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Albany area overall (42.2%). The share with a degree is up 10.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Rensselaer County
| Period | Rensselaer County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.1% | 90.4% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.7% | 91.8% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 91.8% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.3% | 93.0% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Rensselaer County have finished high school (92.3%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Albany area. The share with a diploma has risen 3.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Rensselaer County
| Period | Rensselaer County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 6.2% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 7.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 5.0% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Rensselaer County is the same as the national rate: 5.4% of the labor force. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.0 points, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Rensselaer County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rensselaer County | 2.36 | 41.4 | 11.5% | 35.2% | 11.4% | 1964 | $1,209 | 37.3% | 92.3% | 5.4% |
| Albany County | 2.27 | 40.3 | 9.1% | 43.4% | 9.1% | 1966 | $1,421 | 46.7% | 93.5% | 5.4% |
| Schoharie County | 2.26 | 46.8 | 8.6% | 23.6% | 22.1% | 1969 | $1,013 | 27.8% | 92.2% | 5.0% |
| Franklin County | 2.23 | 47.6 | 9.8% | 29.9% | 8.9% | 1962 | $1,211 | 40.0% | 94.4% | 5.4% |
| Otsego County | 2.38 | 42.0 | 9.1% | 26.1% | 19.9% | 1961 | $939 | 33.9% | 92.1% | 6.4% |
| Cortland County | 2.26 | 39.0 | 11.1% | 33.7% | 10.0% | 1961 | $1,046 | 28.3% | 90.4% | 4.7% |
| Essex County | 2.64 | 42.1 | 12.1% | 36.5% | 5.8% | 1961 | $1,864 | 41.9% | 89.4% | 5.3% |
| Yates County | 2.48 | 43.1 | 7.9% | 22.8% | 23.5% | 1965 | $892 | 25.7% | 83.9% | 3.0% |
| Livingston County | 2.33 | 43.1 | 8.6% | 23.7% | 10.9% | 1967 | $948 | 32.1% | 93.7% | 5.2% |
| Wyoming County | 2.24 | 44.7 | 9.1% | 24.1% | 9.3% | 1958 | $819 | 18.3% | 88.2% | 3.7% |
| Macomb County | 2.53 | 41.8 | 10.3% | 25.0% | 5.1% | 1977 | $1,335 | 27.5% | 90.6% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Beaver County, PA · Penobscot County, ME · Kings County, CA · Madera County, CA · Martin County, FL · Maui County, HI · McLean County, IL · Merrimack County, NH · Mesa County, CO · Middlesex County, CT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Rensselaer County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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