Saratoga Springs vs Schenectady
Saratoga Springs, 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.
Saratoga Springs and Schenectady score about the same overall (42 vs 40 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Saratoga Springs | Schenectady |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $97k | $55k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $52k |
| Home Value | $421k | $140k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.39% | 3.31% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 19.72% | 22.20% |
| Unemployment | 2.7% | 9.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 22°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.5 in | 40.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.5 in | 59.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 186 days | 186 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 84 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 28.5 | 10.1 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 83.6 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1660/100k | 3580/100k |
| Property Crime | 1825/100k | 3462/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 28,505 | 68,476 |
| Median Age | 41.8 | 36.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.23 | 0.66 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.88 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+16 |
| White (%) | 85.5% | 49.6% |
| Black (%) | 3.1% | 18.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.3% | 12.6% |
| Asian (%) | 3.2% | 6.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 12.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 8.7/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 95 mi | 88 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.7% | 83.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 60.34 | 41.77 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Saratoga Springs or Schenectady more affordable?
- Schenectady has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Saratoga Springs's $58k and Schenectady's $52k. Median rent is $1k in Saratoga Springs versus $1k in Schenectady.
- Is Saratoga Springs or Schenectady safer?
- Saratoga Springs has the lower violent crime rate. Saratoga Springs reports 1660/100k and Schenectady reports 3580/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Saratoga Springs or Schenectady?
- The median home value is $421k in Saratoga Springs and $140k in Schenectady, so homes are more affordable in Schenectady.