Compare towns
Schenectady 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 people working from home (10.9%).
Utica has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 68,847Highest |
64,217Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 36.1±1Highest 9% below NY |
35.2±1Lowest 12% below NY |
| Schenectady and Utica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
25.4%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
15.2%±1Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Utica and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
22.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.8%±1Highest NY: 7% |
7.4%±0.8Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $58,399±$3kHighest 32% below NY |
$52,484±$3kLowest 39% below NY |
| Schenectady and Utica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,800±$5kHighest 60% below NY |
$151,300±$6kLowest 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,145±$33Highest 29% below NY |
$951±$24Lowest 41% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,874Highest 26% below NY |
$3,246Lowest 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.5%±4.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
52.6%±5Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Schenectady and Utica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 23.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
27.5%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
49.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941Highest 18 yrs older than NY |
1940Lowest 19 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 33% below NY |
20 minLowest 40% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
7.5%±1.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #400 of 484 in NY | #383 of 484 in NY |
| School district | SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · UTICA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | SCHENECTADY HIGH SCHOOL | THOMAS R PROCTOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Lowest |
16.6Highest |
| 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.