Rensselaer County, New York Demographics 2026

Name: Rensselaer County, New York Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Rensselaer County, New York has a population of 160,332, the 22nd most populous county in New York. The median household income is $87,915 and the median home value is $258,400. The poverty rate is 11.8%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Rensselaer County Quick Facts

Population 160,332

Median Household Income $87,915

Median Home Value $258,400

Poverty Rate 11.8%

Unemployment Rate 5.3%

Median Age 40.1 years

Homeownership Rate 64.8%

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 37.5%

High School Graduation 92.6%

Cities/Places 15

Population 160,332 22nd of 62

Median Income $87,915 2% higher than state

Poverty Rate 11.8%

Unemployment 5.3%

How Rensselaer County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	160,341	160,332	-0.0%
Median household income	$86,663	$87,915	+1.4%
Median home value	$244,300	$258,400	+5.8%

Median Household Income

Rensselaer

$87,915

$85,974

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Rensselaer

$258,400

$423,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.8%

$25K-$50K 15.4%

$50K-$100K 27.4%

$100K+ 43.4%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.8%

$10K-$15K

3.0%

$15K-$20K

3.3%

$20K-$25K

3.6%

$25K-$30K

3.2%

$30K-$35K

3.0%

$35K-$40K

3.3%

$40K-$45K

3.1%

$45K-$50K

2.8%

$50K-$60K

5.1%

$60K-$75K

8.8%

$75K-$100K

13.6%

$100K-$125K

11.0%

$125K-$150K

9.2%

$150K-$200K

11.9%

$200K+

11.3%

Employment

5.3% Unemployment Rate State: 6.4%|National: 5.2%

63.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 64.8%

Renter 35.2%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,217/mo 16.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.1%

18-34

23.8%

35-54

24.9%

55-74

25.2%

75+

7.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Rensselaer County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Troy	51,033	$58,477	23.4%	$206,500
Rensselaer	9,287	$70,080	17.9%	$208,900
East Greenbush	6,581	$118,393	4.2%	$303,400
Hampton Manor	5,334	$98,364	6.7%	$239,400
Wynantskill	3,487	$108,558	6.5%	$293,400
West Sand Lake	3,479	$121,250	4.0%	$315,800
Hoosick Falls	3,177	$48,214	16.1%	$154,600
Averill Park	1,615	$117,946	0.0%	$273,300
Castleton-on-Hudson	1,591	$52,056	14.1%	$222,600
Nassau	1,058	$84,781	4.6%	$239,200
Nassau Lake	830	N/A	16.9%	$282,800
Poestenkill	744	$113,036	11.6%	$291,900
East Nassau	613	$77,813	10.9%	$225,000
Schaghticoke	545	$54,643	19.6%	$185,300
Valley Falls	451	$87,143	1.1%	$203,300

Explore New York Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Rensselaer County is located in New York with a total population of 160,332. It is the 22nd most populous county out of 62 in New York. The county encompasses 15 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rensselaer County is 40.1 years. This is about the same as the state median of 39.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rensselaer County is $87,915. This is 2% higher than the state median of $85,974. It is also 9% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.8%. This is 16% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.3%. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 6.4%. The median home value is $258,400. Housing costs are 39% lower than the state median of $423,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Rensselaer County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 64.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Rensselaer County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 78.7% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 6.5%. The Black or African American population (6.5%) is well below the state average of 13.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (6.2%) is well below the state average of 19.8%. The Asian population (3.2%) is well below the state average of 9.0%.

Education

37.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 7% lower than the state rate of 40.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.6%. Notably, 15.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rensselaer County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against New York and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Rensselaer County, New York?

Rensselaer County has a population of 160,332, making it the 22nd most populous county in New York.

What is the median income in Rensselaer County?

The median household income in Rensselaer County is $87,915 with a poverty rate of 11.8%.

How many cities are in Rensselaer County, New York?

Rensselaer County contains 15 Census-designated places.