Population 20,533 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rensselaer
Household size in Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.30 | 2.44 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.35 | 2.45 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.21 | 2.45 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.33 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.11 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Rensselaer are small: just 2.32 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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
| Period | Rensselaer | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.4 | 39.8 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.0 | 40.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.0 | 41.3 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.9 | 41.7 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +1.9 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Rensselaer is 41.9 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. That is in line with the rest of the Albany area. The median age has climbed from 40.4 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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
| Period | Rensselaer | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 10.5% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 10.0% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 10.1% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Rensselaer than nationally: 10.5%, against 11.6%. The Albany area as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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
Renters in Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.1% | 33.8% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.7% | 34.8% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.3% | 36.1% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.2% | 35.8% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +2.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Rensselaer than nationally: 40.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Just over three in ten owners (31.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the southeast.
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
| Period | Rensselaer | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 10.9% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 11.7% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 13.3% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 9.3% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Rensselaer is close to the national rate: 10.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Albany area as a whole (9.3%). Vacancy is up 5.3 points from 2006–10, 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
| Period | Rensselaer | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1962 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1964 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1966 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1969 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Rensselaer is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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
| Period | Rensselaer | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $935 | $882 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,045 | $975 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,171 | $1,114 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,293 | $1,360 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$358 | +$478 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Rensselaer costs $1,293 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $358 a month since 2006–10, up 38%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.6% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.7% | 32.9% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.6% | 34.4% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.8% | 37.3% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.6% | 42.2% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +9.4 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a third of adults 25 and older in Rensselaer (35.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, the same as the national share. The share is lower than in the Albany area overall (42.2%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.9 points, 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
| Period | Rensselaer | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.7% | 90.4% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.0% | 91.8% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.8% | 91.8% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.8% | 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 have finished high school (91.8%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The Albany area as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 3.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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
| Period | Rensselaer | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 6.2% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 7.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 5.0% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Rensselaer than nationally: unemployment was 3.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rensselaer | 2.32 | 41.9 | 10.5% | 40.2% | 10.9% | 1969 | $1,293 | 35.6% | 91.8% | 3.4% |
| Prospect Heights | 2.13 | 43.4 | 1.3% | 23.7% | 14.6% | 1978 | $1,221 | 31.3% | 89.5% | 0.0% |
| East Greenbush | 2.33 | 45.8 | 4.6% | 30.5% | 4.4% | 1983 | $1,646 | 49.9% | 94.4% | 3.0% |
| Menands | 2.14 | 38.3 | 4.3% | 68.7% | 4.6% | 1973 | $1,424 | 42.2% | 93.3% | 2.9% |
| Albany area | 2.33 | 41.7 | 9.8% | 35.8% | 9.3% | 1969 | $1,360 | 42.2% | 93.0% | 5.0% |
| Glenmont | 2.49 | 45.0 | 5.2% | 21.5% | 5.9% | 1986 | $1,662 | 67.3% | 96.1% | 4.1% |
| Wynantskill | 2.50 | 47.5 | 11.3% | 14.7% | 8.4% | 1976 | $1,205 | 44.0% | 97.9% | 2.6% |
| West Sand Lake | 2.68 | 45.7 | 7.8% | 11.8% | 7.6% | 1976 | $937 | 39.7% | 92.1% | 3.8% |
| Delmar | 2.43 | 44.6 | 8.0% | 24.9% | 3.8% | 1967 | $1,662 | 71.0% | 97.9% | 2.7% |
| Watervliet | 2.10 | 41.4 | 11.9% | 62.5% | 9.5% | 1959 | $1,250 | 28.5% | 92.0% | 4.0% |
| Cedar Hill | 2.11 | 48.1 | 3.0% | 34.1% | 11.9% | 1983 | $1,237 | 44.9% | 91.8% | 1.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Deming, NM · Sylacauga, AL · Swedesboro, NJ · Fort Bragg, NC · Floral Park, NY · Five Corners, WA · East Providence, RI · East Peoria, IL · East Liverpool, OH · East Hemet, CA
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. 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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