Compare towns
Utica vs Deerfield vs Schenectady
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Utica has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Deerfield has the most homeowners (93.4%).
Schenectady has the most renters (54.4% rent).
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 | Utica | Deerfield | Schenectady |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 64,217 |
3,933Lowest |
68,847Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+1.4% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 35.2±1Lowest 12% below NY |
46.6±4.1Highest 17% above NY |
36.1±1 9% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.7%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±1.2 NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1 NY: 17.9% |
24.6%±4.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.1%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
37.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
25.4% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±0.8 NY: 7% |
3.8%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
9.8%±1Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,484±$3kLowest 39% below NY |
$101,029±$7kHighest 18% above NY |
$58,399±$3k 32% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $151,300±$6kLowest 64% below NY |
$231,300±$16kHighest 45% below NY |
$168,800±$5k 60% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $951±$24 41% below NY |
$763±$122Lowest 53% below NY |
$1,145±$33Highest 29% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,246Lowest 51% below NY |
$3,990 39% below NY |
$4,874Highest 26% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±5 NY: 52.1% |
44.1%±32.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
58.5%±4.5Highest 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 | 27.5%Highest NY: 14% |
6.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
23.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7% NY: 54.3% |
93.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
45.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1940Lowest 19 yrs older than NY |
1964Highest 5 yrs newer than NY |
1941 18 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 40% below NY |
21 min 36% below NY |
22 minHighest 33% below NY |
| Work from home | 7.5%±1.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
12.5%±4.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Deerfield and Schenectady are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #383 of 484 in NY | #120 of 484 in NY | #400 of 484 in NY |
| School district | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · UTICA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | WHITESBORO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | SCHENECTADY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | THOMAS R PROCTOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | SCHENECTADY HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.6Highest |
— | 13.3Lowest |
| 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.