Albany vs Schenectady
Albany, New York versus Schenectady, New York: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Albany and Schenectady score about the same overall (40 vs 40 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Albany | Schenectady |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $55k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $52k |
| Home Value | $213k | $140k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.47% | 3.31% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 23.34% | 22.20% |
| Unemployment | 8.0% | 9.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.1 in | 40.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.2 in | 59.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 186 days | 186 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 18.8 | 10.1 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 3495/100k | 3580/100k |
| Property Crime | 3834/100k | 3462/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 99,692 | 68,476 |
| Median Age | 32.0 | 36.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.62 | 0.66 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+32 | D+16 |
| White (%) | 50.6% | 49.6% |
| Black (%) | 26.3% | 18.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.9% | 12.6% |
| Asian (%) | 7.1% | 6.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.0% | 12.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 13.2/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 77 mi | 88 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.6% | 83.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 68.41 | 41.77 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Albany or Schenectady more affordable?
- Schenectady has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Albany's $53k and Schenectady's $52k. Median rent is $1k in Albany versus $1k in Schenectady.
- Is Albany or Schenectady safer?
- Albany has the lower violent crime rate. Albany reports 3495/100k and Schenectady reports 3580/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Albany or Schenectady?
- The median home value is $213k in Albany and $140k in Schenectady, so homes are more affordable in Schenectady.