Rensselaer County vs Schenectady County
A side-by-side comparison of Rensselaer County and Schenectady County: population, income, housing, and more.
Rensselaer County and Schenectady County are counties in New York. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Rensselaer County has the higher population (160,341 vs 159,603 in Schenectady County). Rensselaer County has the higher median household income ($86,663 vs $76,989 in Schenectady County). Rensselaer County has the higher median home value ($244,300 vs $223,100 in Schenectady County).
Population, income & housing
| Rensselaer County | Schenectady County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 160,341 | 159,603 |
| Median age | 40.2 yrs | 39.6 yrs |
| Median household income | $86,663 | $76,989 |
| Median home value | $244,300 | $223,100 |
| Median gross rent | $1,182 | $1,159 |
| Housing units | 74,388 | 71,051 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.1% | 63.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.3% | 35.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 5.8% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Rensselaer County | Schenectady County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 159,185 → 160,341 (+0.7%) | 154,859 → 159,603 (+3.1%) |
| Median household income | $68,991 → $86,663 (+25.6%) | $65,499 → $76,989 (+17.5%) |
| Median home value | $188,700 → $244,300 (+29.5%) | $169,600 → $223,100 (+31.5%) |
| Median gross rent | $973 → $1,182 (+21.5%) | $945 → $1,159 (+22.6%) |
Rensselaer County
159,185160,341
$68,991$86,663
$188,700$244,300
$973$1,182
Schenectady County
154,859159,603
$65,499$76,989
$169,600$223,100
$945$1,159
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Rensselaer County | Schenectady County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.9% | 5.8% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.3% | 15.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.0% | 9.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.0% | 12.1% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.2% | 13.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.9% | 10.3% |
| 75 and over | 6.9% | 7.3% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Rensselaer County | Schenectady County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 79.8% | 68.7% |
| Black or African American | 6.3% | 10.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 3.1% | 4.8% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.4% | 1.7% |
| Two or more races | 4.4% | 6.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.9% | 8.1% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Rensselaer County | Schenectady County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.3% | 8.2% |
| High school graduate | 25.5% | 26.3% |
| Some college or associate's | 30.0% | 30.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.5% | 19.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 15.8% | 15.7% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Rensselaer County | Schenectady County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 72.6% | 72.2% |
| Carpooled | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| Public transit | 2.4% | 3.5% |
| Walked | 3.7% | 2.8% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| Other means | 1.4% | 0.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Rensselaer County | Schenectady County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 55.7% | 59.9% |
| 1-unit, attached | 3.7% | 2.1% |
| 2 to 4 units | 22.3% | 21.3% |
| 5 to 19 units | 8.5% | 8.4% |
| 20 or more units | 7.0% | 7.6% |
| Mobile home & other | 2.7% | 0.7% |
Poverty & households
| Rensselaer County | Schenectady County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 12.5% |
| Average household size | 2.32 | 2.33 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 24 | 23 |
| Median year structure built | 1962 | 1955 |
Full profiles
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