Population 160,369 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Schenectady County
Household size in Schenectady County
| Period | Schenectady County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.44 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.64 | 2.45 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.82 | 2.45 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.33 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.17 | −0.11 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Schenectady County are small: just 2.39 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. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.56, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Schenectady County
| Period | Schenectady County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6 | 39.8 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.3 | 40.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.0 | 41.3 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 41.7 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.5 | +1.9 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Schenectady County are younger than 40.2 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the wider Albany area, where the median age is 41.7. The median age has edged down from 40.6 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
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 Schenectady County
| Period | Schenectady County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 10.5% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 10.0% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 10.1% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Schenectady County (11.6%), the same as the national share. Single parents are more common here than in the Albany area overall (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 Schenectady County
Renters in Schenectady County
| Period | Schenectady County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.8% | 33.8% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.3% | 34.8% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.3% | 36.1% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.0% | 35.8% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +2.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Schenectady County rent their homes (36.0%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Nearly four in ten owners (38.3%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 5.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Schenectady County
| Period | Schenectady County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 10.9% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 11.7% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 21.8% | 13.3% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 9.3% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Schenectady County than nationally: 7.4%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy has fallen 6.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Schenectady County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five New York counties.
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 Schenectady County
| Period | Schenectady County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1962 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1964 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1966 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1958 | 1969 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Schenectady County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1958, 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 1953 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 Schenectady County
| Period | Schenectady County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $844 | $882 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $906 | $975 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,038 | $1,114 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,287 | $1,360 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$443 | +$478 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Schenectady County costs $1,287 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $443 a month since 2006–10, up 53%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the center.
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 Schenectady County
Bachelor's degrees in Schenectady County
| Period | Schenectady County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5% | 32.9% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.7% | 34.4% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.2% | 37.3% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.9% | 42.2% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.4 pts | +9.4 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a third of adults 25 and older in Schenectady County (35.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Albany area as a whole (42.2%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Schenectady County
| Period | Schenectady County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.6% | 90.4% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.8% | 91.8% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.2% | 91.8% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.6% | 93.0% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +2.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Schenectady County is close to the national rate: 90.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Albany area as a whole (93.0%). The share with a diploma has edged up 1.0 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 Schenectady County
| Period | Schenectady County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 6.2% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 7.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 5.0% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Schenectady County than nationally: unemployment was 6.4%, against 5.4%. Schenectady County has higher unemployment than the great majority of New York counties. 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).
Schenectady 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schenectady County | 2.39 | 40.2 | 11.6% | 36.0% | 7.4% | 1958 | $1,287 | 35.9% | 90.6% | 6.4% |
| Montgomery County | 2.54 | 40.2 | 11.1% | 29.6% | 14.4% | 1954 | $917 | 23.3% | 88.5% | 4.4% |
| Bennington County | 2.46 | 47.8 | 8.8% | 26.3% | 23.1% | 1969 | $1,226 | 41.9% | 94.2% | 3.9% |
| Windham County | 2.24 | 46.8 | 9.8% | 26.1% | 25.3% | 1969 | $1,052 | 44.0% | 95.4% | 4.6% |
| Cheshire County | 2.45 | 44.7 | 8.4% | 27.3% | 13.8% | 1970 | $1,331 | 35.8% | 94.5% | 3.2% |
| Madison County | 2.32 | 42.5 | 9.5% | 21.7% | 13.9% | 1963 | $962 | 31.5% | 92.7% | 4.3% |
| Hillsborough County | 2.54 | 42.2 | 9.6% | 32.6% | 6.0% | 1974 | $1,733 | 41.5% | 93.4% | 2.9% |
| Cayuga County | 2.32 | 44.3 | 12.1% | 28.6% | 13.5% | 1957 | $1,054 | 24.7% | 90.0% | 3.7% |
| Rockingham County | 2.56 | 45.2 | 7.9% | 21.6% | 7.8% | 1982 | $1,853 | 46.2% | 96.2% | 3.6% |
| Seneca County | 2.33 | 44.0 | 8.5% | 29.0% | 16.0% | 1960 | $1,016 | 25.7% | 86.0% | 4.6% |
| Ontario County | 2.28 | 45.1 | 9.2% | 26.3% | 8.5% | 1973 | $1,220 | 38.2% | 93.5% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Dorchester County, SC · Alexandria City, VA · Houston County, GA · Hampshire County, MA · Greene County, OH · Franklin County, PA · Fairfield County, OH · Ector County, TX · Cumberland County, NJ · Comal County, TX
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 Schenectady 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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