Schenectady vs Utica
Schenectady, New York versus Utica, New York: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Schenectady and Utica score about the same overall (40 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Schenectady | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $48k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $50k |
| Home Value | $140k | $124k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $873 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 3.31% | 2.48% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 22.20% | 20.10% |
| Unemployment | 9.4% | 7.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7 in | 48.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 59.2 in | 164.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 186 days | 187 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 88 days | 83 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 10.1 | 5.9 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 87.8 |
| Violent Crime | 3580/100k | 2859/100k |
| Property Crime | 3462/100k | 3422/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 68,476 | 64,728 |
| Median Age | 36.0 | 34.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.66 | 0.61 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+16 | R+16 |
| White (%) | 49.6% | 54.4% |
| Black (%) | 18.8% | 15.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| Asian (%) | 6.5% | 11.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 12.6% | 5.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 14.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 88 mi | 123 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.9% | 84.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 41.77 | 23.48 |
| 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 Schenectady or Utica more affordable?
- Utica has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Schenectady's $52k and Utica's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Schenectady versus $873 in Utica.
- Is Schenectady or Utica safer?
- Utica has the lower violent crime rate. Schenectady reports 3580/100k and Utica reports 2859/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Schenectady or Utica?
- The median home value is $140k in Schenectady and $124k in Utica, so homes are more affordable in Utica.