Compare towns
Albany vs Wright vs Bethlehem vs Guilderland
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 most renters (61.8% rent).
Wright has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (19.6%).
Guilderland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Wright | Bethlehem | Guilderland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 100,492Highest |
1,739Lowest |
35,139 |
37,260 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% NY: +4.2% |
-1.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.1% NY: +4.2% |
+4.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 32±0.6Lowest 20% below NY |
51.4±4.7Highest 29% above NY |
45.3±2 14% above NY |
39.4±1.1 about the NY average |
| Wright and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±0.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
16.7%±3.1 NY: 20.5% |
20.9%±1.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
20%±1.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Bethlehem and Guilderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.9 NY: 17.9% |
22.2%±1.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
19%±1.5 NY: 17.9% |
| Bethlehem and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% NY: 40.2% |
24.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
64.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
57.5% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 17.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
4.3%±0.9 NY: 7% |
10.8%±1.2 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,986±$3kLowest 28% below NY |
$86,250±$13k about the NY average |
$123,893±$9kHighest 44% above NY |
$112,273±$7k 31% above NY |
| Bethlehem and Guilderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,700±$7kLowest 45% below NY |
$242,000±$36k 43% below NY |
$370,400±$10kHighest 13% below NY |
$357,400±$11k 16% below NY |
| Bethlehem and Guilderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,216±$37 25% below NY |
$953±$79Lowest 41% below NY |
$1,721±$81Highest 6% above NY |
$1,564±$74 4% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,091Lowest 23% below NY |
$5,279 20% below NY |
$7,842Highest 19% above NY |
$6,314 4% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±3.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
40%±7.6 NY: 52.1% |
39.6%±6.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 22.9%Highest NY: 14% |
7% NY: 14% |
5%Lowest NY: 14% |
5.9% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 38.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
80.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
73% NY: 54.3% |
65.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949Lowest 10 yrs older than NY |
1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY |
1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
1978 19 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 39% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
22 min 33% below NY |
21 min 34% below NY |
| Work from home | 13.2%±1.6 NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
19.6%±2.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
16.4%±2.3 NY: 14.9% |
| Bethlehem and Guilderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #355 of 484 in NY | — | #34 of 484 in NY | #76 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 | GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL | — | BETHLEHEM CENTRAL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | GUILDERLAND HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 13.0 |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | 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.