Schenectady, New York
Among the top 15% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 4% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 17% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 54% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 85% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 34% of US places
- top 1% for natural disaster risk
- top 3% for walkability
- bottom 1% for property tax rate
Schenectady is a mid-size city in New York with about 68,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include natural disaster risk, walkability, and school quality. It rates lower on violent crime and property tax rate.
Official websitecityofschenectady.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
63%36%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.1 in2.7 in
humid 94%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$55k36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$52kbetter than 27% of US places
Home Value$140k42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 38% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 40% of US places
Property Tax Rate3.31%better than 1% of US places
Income Tax10.90%better than 8% of US places
Sales Tax8.53%better than 26% of US places
Estimated total tax burden22.20%better than 2% of US places
Unemployment9.4%better than 15% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation40.7 in46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall59.2 inbetter than 10% of US places
Sunny Days186 daysbetter than 14% of US places
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 66% of US places
Comfortable Days88 daysbetter than 65% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk10.1better than 99% of US places
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 64% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime3580/100kbetter than 1% of US places
Property Crime3462/100kbetter than 4% of US places
Community
Population68,47698th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.026th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6697th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0157th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1617th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)49.6%17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)18.8%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)12.6%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)6.5%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)12.6%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 72% of US places
Walkability14.1/20better than 97% of US places
Airport Distance88 mibetter than 44% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access83.9%better than 42% of US places
Amenities Nearby41.77better than 35% of US places
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 51% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Schenectady an affordable place to live?
- Schenectady is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $52k, better than 27% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Schenectady?
- The median home value in Schenectady is $140k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Schenectady?
- Median household income in Schenectady is $55k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Schenectady?
- Median gross rent in Schenectady is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Schenectady safe?
- Schenectady is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 3580/100k (better than 1%). Property crime is 3462/100k.
- What is the weather like in Schenectady?
- Schenectady averages 72°F in July and 24°F in January, with 40.7 in of annual precipitation and about 186 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Schenectady?
- Public-school quality in Schenectady is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Schenectady?
- The average one-way commute in Schenectady is 23 min.
Places near Schenectady
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- 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)