Compare towns
Schenectady vs Lysander vs Utica
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 renters (54.4% rent).
Lysander has the highest household income ($108k).
Utica has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Lysander | Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 68,847Highest |
23,086Lowest |
64,217 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+4.9% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 36.1±1 9% below NY |
43.6±1.9Highest 10% above NY |
35.2±1Lowest 12% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
24.4%±2.9 NY: 20.5% |
25.4%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Utica and Lysander are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.2%±1 NY: 17.9% |
| Lysander and Utica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4% NY: 40.2% |
47.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
22.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±1Highest NY: 7% |
3.6%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
7.4%±0.8 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,399±$3k 32% below NY |
$107,984±$5kHighest 26% above NY |
$52,484±$3kLowest 39% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,800±$5k 60% below NY |
$288,400±$18kHighest 32% below NY |
$151,300±$6kLowest 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,145±$33Highest 29% below NY |
$1,130±$100 30% below NY |
$951±$24Lowest 41% below NY |
| Schenectady and Lysander are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,874 26% below NY |
$6,748Highest about the NY average |
$3,246Lowest 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.5%±4.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
54.5%±10.5 NY: 52.1% |
52.6%±5Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Schenectady and Lysander are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.8% NY: 14% |
5.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
27.5%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.5%Highest NY: 54.3% |
49.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941 18 yrs older than NY |
1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY |
1940Lowest 19 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 33% below NY |
24 minHighest 26% below NY |
20 minLowest 40% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.9%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
16.6%±3.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
7.5%±1.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #400 of 484 in NY | #158 of 484 in NY | #383 of 484 in NY |
| School district | SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BALDWINSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · UTICA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | SCHENECTADY HIGH SCHOOL | CHARLES W BAKER HIGH SCHOOL | THOMAS R PROCTOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Lowest |
15.4 |
16.6Highest |
| 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.