Population 134,412 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Schenectady
Household size in Schenectady
| Period | Schenectady | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.44 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.63 | 2.45 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 2.45 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.45 | 2.33 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.11 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in Schenectady has 2.45 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in the wider Albany area, where it has 2.33 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.58, 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
| Period | Schenectady | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.1 | 39.8 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.9 | 40.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.8 | 41.3 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 41.7 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.3 | +1.9 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Schenectady are younger than 39.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the Albany area as a whole, where the median age is 41.7. The median age has edged down from 40.1 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
| Period | Schenectady | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 10.5% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 10.0% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 10.1% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Schenectady (11.7%), close to the national share of 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 Schenectady
Renters in Schenectady
| Period | Schenectady | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.7% | 33.8% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.1% | 34.8% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.5% | 36.1% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.9% | 35.8% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +2.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Schenectady rent their homes (37.9%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 39.7% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southeast. The renter share is up 5.2 points from 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
| Period | Schenectady | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.5% | 10.9% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 11.7% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 20.7% | 13.3% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 9.3% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Schenectady than nationally: 7.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is down 7.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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
| Period | Schenectady | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1962 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1964 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1966 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1960 | 1969 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Schenectady is a place of older homes: half were built before 1960, 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 1955 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center 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 Schenectady
| Period | Schenectady | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $869 | $882 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $936 | $975 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,026 | $1,114 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,322 | $1,360 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$453 | +$478 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Schenectady costs $1,322 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $453 a month from 2006–10, a 52% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.6% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the east.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Schenectady
| Period | Schenectady | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4% | 32.9% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.1% | 34.4% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.8% | 37.3% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.6% | 42.2% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +9.4 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in Schenectady (38.6%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Even so, the share is lower than in the Albany area as a whole (42.2%). The share with a degree has risen 7.3 points since 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 Schenectady
| Period | Schenectady | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.0% | 90.4% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.9% | 91.8% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.7% | 91.8% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.8% | 93.0% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +2.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Schenectady is close to the national rate: 89.8% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Albany area overall (93.0%). The share with a diploma has edged up 0.8 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
| Period | Schenectady | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 6.2% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 7.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 5.0% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Schenectady than nationally: unemployment was 6.8%, against 5.4%. Schenectady has higher unemployment than at least four in five New York cities. 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schenectady | 2.45 | 39.8 | 11.7% | 37.9% | 7.0% | 1960 | $1,322 | 38.6% | 89.8% | 6.8% |
| Rotterdam | 2.33 | 40.8 | 11.1% | 21.1% | 6.6% | 1958 | $1,210 | 30.3% | 94.1% | 3.1% |
| Scotia | 2.25 | 41.7 | 13.3% | 25.6% | 7.4% | 1950 | $1,081 | 37.7% | 94.4% | 3.7% |
| Alplaus | 2.52 | 35.5 | 5.7% | 13.9% | 2.6% | 1943 | $933 | 47.6% | 82.1% | 0.4% |
| Wyatts | 2.63 | 36.2 | 16.4% | 36.1% | 3.0% | 1960 | $1,183 | 17.5% | 100.0% | 1.5% |
| East Glenville | 2.31 | 47.2 | 5.7% | 38.3% | 3.4% | 1970 | $1,176 | 46.3% | 95.7% | 6.0% |
| Rexford | 2.52 | 46.7 | 5.0% | 17.1% | 7.0% | 1992 | $1,091 | 62.0% | 96.3% | 1.6% |
| Dunnsville | 2.51 | 45.8 | 6.4% | 10.5% | 2.5% | 1975 | $1,113 | 49.2% | 97.6% | 4.8% |
| Colonie | 2.47 | 42.6 | 10.6% | 19.8% | 3.0% | 1967 | $1,371 | 35.4% | 89.3% | 1.2% |
| Guilderland | 2.18 | 41.3 | 8.1% | 63.0% | 5.2% | 1980 | $1,505 | 61.1% | 97.7% | 4.5% |
| Guilderland Center | 2.33 | 41.7 | 1.5% | 24.5% | 9.4% | 1977 | $1,133 | 50.8% | 91.3% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: The Woodlands, TX · Tulare, CA · Troy, NY · Tonawanda, NY · Toms River, NJ · Town 'n' Country, FL · Torrance, CA · Turlock, CA · Troy, MI · Tracy, 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 Schenectady. 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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