Compare towns
Albany vs Bethlehem vs Troy
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Albany has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Bethlehem has the highest household income ($124k).
Troy has the most affordable homes ($207k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Albany | Bethlehem | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 100,492Highest |
35,139Lowest |
51,033 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+2.5% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 32±0.6Lowest 20% below NY |
45.3±2Highest 14% above NY |
32.3±1.1 19% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±0.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.9%±1.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.2%±1.3 NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 14%±0.9 NY: 17.9% |
22.2%±1.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
13.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% NY: 40.2% |
64.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
37.3%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 17.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
4.3%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
16.6%±1 NY: 7% |
| Albany and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,986±$3k 28% below NY |
$123,893±$9kHighest 44% above NY |
$58,477±$5kLowest 32% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,700±$7k 45% below NY |
$370,400±$10kHighest 13% below NY |
$206,500±$10kLowest 51% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,216±$37 25% below NY |
$1,721±$81Highest 6% above NY |
$1,175±$29Lowest 28% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,091 23% below NY |
$7,842Highest 19% above NY |
$4,749Lowest 28% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±3.3 NY: 52.1% |
40%±7.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
52.7%±5.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Troy and Albany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.9% NY: 14% |
5%Lowest NY: 14% |
23.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 38.2% NY: 54.3% |
73%Highest NY: 54.3% |
37.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949 10 yrs older than NY |
1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 39% below NY |
22 minHighest 33% below NY |
21 min 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 13.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
19.6%±2.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
14.5%±2 NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #355 of 484 in NY | #34 of 484 in NY | #284 of 484 in NY |
| School district | NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS · ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BETHLEHEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | LANSINGBURGH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · TROY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL | BETHLEHEM CENTRAL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | TROY HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
13.0 |
11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet |
NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.