Compare towns
Schenectady vs Binghamton 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
Schenectady has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Binghamton has the most affordable homes ($125k median).
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Schenectady | Binghamton | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 68,847Highest |
47,151Lowest |
51,033 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% NY: +4.2% |
+1.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+2.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 36.1±1Highest 9% below NY |
35.9±1.6 10% below NY |
32.3±1.1Lowest 19% below NY |
| Schenectady and Binghamton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Highest NY: 20.5% |
16.9%±1.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
17.2%±1.3 NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1 NY: 17.9% |
18%±1.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
13.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
30.7% NY: 40.2% |
37.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
13.3%±2 NY: 7% |
16.6%±1Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,399±$3k 32% below NY |
$45,578±$3kLowest 47% below NY |
$58,477±$5kHighest 32% below NY |
| Troy and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,800±$5k 60% below NY |
$124,800±$7kLowest 71% below NY |
$206,500±$10kHighest 51% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,145±$33 29% below NY |
$870±$38Lowest 46% below NY |
$1,175±$29Highest 28% below NY |
| Troy and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,874Highest 26% below NY |
$3,622Lowest 45% below NY |
$4,749 28% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.5%±4.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
51.4%±3.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
52.7%±5.1 NY: 52.1% |
| Schenectady and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.8% NY: 14% |
32.6%Highest NY: 14% |
23.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
44% NY: 54.3% |
37.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941 18 yrs older than NY |
1945Highest 14 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 33% below NY |
19 minLowest 42% below NY |
21 min 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.9%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
9.3%±2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
14.5%±2Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #400 of 484 in NY | #426 of 484 in NY | #284 of 484 in NY |
| School district | SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BINGHAMTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | LANSINGBURGH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · TROY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | SCHENECTADY HIGH SCHOOL | BINGHAMTON HIGH SCHOOL | TROY HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.