Compare towns
Troy vs Schenectady vs Watertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
Schenectady has the most homeowners (45.6%).
Watertown has the shortest commute (16 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 | Troy | Schenectady | Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 51,033 |
68,847Highest |
24,375Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+1.4% NY: +4.2% |
-8.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 32.3±1.1Lowest 19% below NY |
36.1±1Highest 9% below NY |
35.7±1.8 10% below NY |
| Schenectady and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±1.2 NY: 20.5% |
21.5%±2.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Watertown and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1 NY: 17.9% |
16%±1.7Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Watertown and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
25.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
26.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 16.6%±1Highest NY: 7% |
9.8%±1 NY: 7% |
6.6%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,477±$5kHighest 32% below NY |
$58,399±$3k 32% below NY |
$51,753±$5kLowest 40% 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 | $206,500±$10kHighest 51% below NY |
$168,800±$5k 60% below NY |
$158,600±$11kLowest 63% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,175±$29Highest 28% below NY |
$1,145±$33 29% below NY |
$967±$57Lowest 40% 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 | $4,749 28% below NY |
$4,874Highest 26% below NY |
$2,710Lowest 59% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±5.1 NY: 52.1% |
58.5%±4.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
44.8%±7.4Lowest 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 | 23.4% NY: 14% |
23.8%Highest NY: 14% |
20.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
45.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
40.9% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1941 18 yrs older than NY |
1945Highest 14 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 35% below NY |
22 minHighest 33% below NY |
16 minLowest 50% below NY |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #284 of 484 in NY | #400 of 484 in NY | #279 of 484 in NY |
| School district | LANSINGBURGH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · TROY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | WATERTOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | TROY HIGH SCHOOL | SCHENECTADY HIGH SCHOOL | WATERTOWN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
13.3 |
13.6Highest |
| 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.