Rensselaer, NY
Census place 3661148 · pop 9,287
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
43.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
2.07% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
17.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+0.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$1,983/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
14.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
26.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
26.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
90.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$70,080 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
32.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$208,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
7.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
68/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.40 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
Not measured for Rensselaer: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Rensselaer, NY a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Rensselaer scores 50/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 18 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is income inequality and its weakest is homeownership. New York overall ranks #48 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Rensselaer, NY expensive to live in?
- Rensselaer has a median home value of $208,900 and typical rent around $1,983/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Rensselaer, NY?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (43.3%) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Rensselaer, NY best at?
- Its strongest measured area is income inequality (0.40) — 77/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.