Compare towns
Rotterdam vs Schenectady
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rotterdam has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Schenectady has the most renters (54.4% 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 | Rotterdam | Schenectady |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 30,616Lowest |
68,847Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+1.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.3Highest about the NY average |
36.1±1Lowest 9% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Rotterdam and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±1.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
25.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±0.8Lowest NY: 7% |
9.8%±1Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $86,331±$2kHighest about the NY average |
$58,399±$3kLowest 32% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$4kHighest 46% below NY |
$168,800±$5kLowest 60% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$70Highest 20% below NY |
$1,145±$33Lowest 29% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,845Lowest 26% below NY |
$4,874Highest 26% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±7.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
58.5%±4.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest NY: 14% |
23.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Highest NY: 54.3% |
45.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Highest 1 yr newer than NY |
1941Lowest 18 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 31% below NY |
22 minLowest 33% below NY |
| Work from home | 15.1%±2.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #137 of 484 in NY | #400 of 484 in NY |
| School district | ROTTERDAM-MOHONASEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SCHALMONT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | MOHONASEN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | SCHENECTADY HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
13.3Lowest |
| 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.