Compare towns
Schenectady vs Niskayuna
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 affordable homes ($169k median).
Niskayuna has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
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 | Niskayuna |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 68,847Highest |
23,591Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+6.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 36.1±1Lowest 9% below NY |
41.6±1.3Highest 5% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
27.3%±2.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.4%±2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
67.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±1Highest NY: 7% |
2.8%±0.8Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $58,399±$3kLowest 32% below NY |
$137,349±$11kHighest 60% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,800±$5kLowest 60% below NY |
$362,000±$12kHighest 15% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,145±$33Lowest 29% below NY |
$1,586±$156Highest about the NY average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,874Lowest 26% below NY |
$8,939Highest 36% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.5%±4.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
39.3%±14.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 23.8%Highest NY: 14% |
4.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
82.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941Lowest 18 yrs older than NY |
1969Highest 10 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 33% below NY |
21 minLowest 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
20.7%±3.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #400 of 484 in NY | #31 of 484 in NY |
| School district | SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | NISKAYUNA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | SCHENECTADY HIGH SCHOOL | NISKAYUNA HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
12.7Lowest |
| 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.