Rensselaer County, New York
Among the top 11% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 1% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 11% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 36% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 89% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 75% of US counties
- top 5% for school quality
- top 9% for walkability
- bottom 2% for property tax rate
Rensselaer County is a county in New York with about 161,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include school quality, walkability, and broadband access. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and property tax rate.
Official websiterensco.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cool
comf.
warm
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cold
v.cold
63%36%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.5 in2.9 in
humid 94%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$84k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$53kbetter than 15% of US counties
Home Value$231k76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 15% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 10% of US counties
Property Tax Rate2.27%better than 2% of US counties
Income Tax10.89%better than 4% of US counties
Sales Tax8.53%better than 23% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden19.95%better than 3% of US counties
Unemployment5.6%better than 33% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation43.8 in52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall56.0 inbetter than 9% of US counties
Sunny Days186 daysbetter than 8% of US counties
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 70% of US counties
Comfortable Days84 daysbetter than 63% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk82.2better than 17% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime1055/100kbetter than 33% of US counties
Property Crime1682/100kbetter than 21% of US counties
Community
Population160,94387th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.036th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3155th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0051st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)80.7%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.3%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.4%54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.1%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.5%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 54% of US counties
Walkability9.4/20better than 91% of US counties
Airport Distance68 mibetter than 69% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.6%better than 86% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.37better than 28% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 81% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Rensselaer County an affordable place to live?
- Rensselaer County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $53k, better than 15% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Rensselaer County?
- The median home value in Rensselaer County is $231k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Rensselaer County?
- Median household income in Rensselaer County is $84k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Rensselaer County?
- Median gross rent in Rensselaer County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Rensselaer County safe?
- Rensselaer County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1055/100k (better than 33%). Property crime is 1682/100k.
- What is the weather like in Rensselaer County?
- Rensselaer County averages 71°F in July and 24°F in January, with 43.8 in of annual precipitation and about 186 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Rensselaer County?
- Public-school quality in Rensselaer County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Rensselaer County?
- The average one-way commute in Rensselaer County is 24 min.
Other counties in New York
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Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)