Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Albany
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethlehem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Albany has the most renters (61.8% rent).
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 | Bethlehem | Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 35,139Lowest |
100,492Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+1.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45.3±2Highest 14% above NY |
32±0.6Lowest 20% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±1.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
13.9%±0.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±1.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
14%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
45.3%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
17.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $123,893±$9kHighest 44% above NY |
$61,986±$3kLowest 28% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $370,400±$10kHighest 13% below NY |
$234,700±$7kLowest 45% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,721±$81Highest 6% above NY |
$1,216±$37Lowest 25% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,842Highest 19% above NY |
$5,091Lowest 23% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±7.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
51.4%±3.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest NY: 14% |
22.9%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Highest NY: 54.3% |
38.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1949Lowest 10 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 33% below NY |
20 minLowest 39% below NY |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
13.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #34 of 484 in NY | #355 of 484 in NY |
| School district | BETHLEHEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS · ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | BETHLEHEM CENTRAL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.