Schenectady County, New York Demographics 2026

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

Schenectady County, New York has a population of 160,369, the 21st most populous county in New York. The median household income is $79,623 and the median home value is $235,700. The poverty rate is 13.3%.

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

Schenectady County Quick Facts

Population 160,369

Median Household Income $79,623

Median Home Value $235,700

Poverty Rate 13.3%

Unemployment Rate 5.8%

Median Age 39.6 years

Homeownership Rate 64.0%

Affordability Ratio 3.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 36.1%

High School Graduation 91.8%

Cities/Places 9

Population 160,369 21st of 62

Median Income $79,623 7% lower than state

Poverty Rate 13.3%

Unemployment 5.8%

How Schenectady 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	159,603	160,369	+0.5%
Median household income	$76,989	$79,623	+3.4%
Median home value	$223,100	$235,700	+5.6%

Median Household Income

Schenectady

$79,623

$85,974

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Schenectady

$235,700

$423,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 15.8%

$25K-$50K 15.1%

$50K-$100K 30.2%

$100K+ 39.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.3%

$10K-$15K

3.2%

$15K-$20K

3.7%

$20K-$25K

2.5%

$25K-$30K

2.5%

$30K-$35K

3.2%

$35K-$40K

3.7%

$40K-$45K

2.9%

$45K-$50K

2.8%

$50K-$60K

6.7%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

14.1%

$100K-$125K

9.9%

$125K-$150K

7.9%

$150K-$200K

10.1%

$200K+

11.0%

Employment

5.8% Unemployment Rate State: 6.4%|National: 5.2%

62.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 64.0%

Renter 36.0%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,194/mo 18.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.5%

18-34

22.8%

35-54

24.7%

55-74

23.6%

75+

7.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Schenectady County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Schenectady	68,847	$58,399	23.8%	$168,800
Rotterdam	22,695	$85,887	6.8%	$214,400
Niskayuna	21,227	$134,052	4.0%	$357,900
East Glenville	11,914	$96,588	4.9%	$296,200
Scotia	7,264	$76,525	4.9%	$189,900
Mariaville Lake	1,085	$83,168	13.1%	$248,200
Delanson	263	$113,750	3.5%	$264,500
Duane Lake	236	$142,150	11.0%	$404,300
Duanesburg	63	N/A	0.0%	N/A

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

Schenectady County is located in New York with a total population of 160,369. It is the 21st most populous county out of 62 in New York. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Schenectady County is 39.6 years. This is about the same as the state median of 39.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Schenectady County is $79,623. This is 7% lower than the state median of $85,974. It is also 1% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.3%. This is 5% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.8%. This is 9% lower than the state rate of 6.4%. The median home value is $235,700. Housing costs are 44% lower than the state median of $423,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 64.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Schenectady County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 67.7% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 9.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (8.3%) is well below the state average of 19.8%.

Education

36.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 10% 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 91.8%. Notably, 16.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Schenectady 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 Schenectady County, New York?

Schenectady County has a population of 160,369, making it the 21st most populous county in New York.

What is the median income in Schenectady County?

The median household income in Schenectady County is $79,623 with a poverty rate of 13.3%.

How many cities are in Schenectady County, New York?

Schenectady County contains 9 Census-designated places.