Schenectady, NY Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Schenectady. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Schenectady compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Schenectady, New York

Cost of living in Schenectady research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Schenectady is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New York, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

97 Cost of living index 1.0x lower vs US
#39 Cheapest in New York (of 336)
#2,094 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$318,449 Median home value
$1,145 Median rent
$58,399 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Schenectady, NY?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Schenectady has an overall cost of living index of 97, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to New York, Schenectady has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than New York's index of 121.

The standard of living in Schenectady ranks as #39 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Schenectady ranks as the #297 most expensive place in the Empire State.

For more reading on life in Schenectady, check out:

Schenectady Cost Of Living Vs. New York

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Schenectady. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Schenectady is 104.

  • The Groceries index in Schenectady is 112.

  • The Health index in Schenectady is 71.

  • The Housing index in Schenectady is 110.

  • The Transportation index in Schenectady is 110.

  • The Utilities index in Schenectady is 113.

Living Expense Schenectady New York National Average
Overall 97 121 100
Services 104 105 100
Groceries 112 108 100
Health 71 143 100
Housing 110 112 100
Transportation 110 114 100
Utilities 113 111 100

Schenectady Cost Of Living Compared To New York Averages

Services
Schenectady 104
New York avg 105
Groceries
Schenectady 112
New York avg 108
Health
Schenectady 71
New York avg 143
Housing
Schenectady 110
New York avg 112
Transportation
Schenectady 110
New York avg 114
Utilities
Schenectady 113
New York avg 111

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around New York, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Schenectady, NY Housing Cost Breakdown

$318,449Median Home Value
$1,145Median Rent
$58,399Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New York, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Schenectady is $318,449.

  • The Median Rent in Schenectady is $1,145.

  • The Median Income in Schenectady is $58,399.

  • The Home Value To Income in Schenectady is 5.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Schenectady is 0.24x.

Statistic Schenectady New York United States
Median Home Value $318,449 $507,794 $332,700
Median Rent $1,145 $1,621 $1,413
Median Income $58,399 $85,974 $80,734
Home Value To Income 5.5x 5.9x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.23x 0.21x

Schenectady, NY Costs By Category

Detailed Schenectady Services costs vs. New York
Item Schenectady New York
Shampoo $1.28 $1.28
Movie $13.08 $12.13
Bowling $15.96 $18
Haircut $28.28 $24.26
Beauty Salon $51.36 $45.56
Detailed Schenectady Groceries costs vs. New York
Item Schenectady New York
Ground Beef $6.06 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.6 $1.57
Milk $4.85 $4.67
Potatoes $5.09 $4.93
Pizza $14.69 $12.09
Beer $10.9 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.74 $3.7
Detailed Schenectady Health costs vs. New York
Item Schenectady New York
Optometrist $132.47 $125.68
Doctor $111.33 $135.78
Dentist $111.69 $113.29
Detailed Schenectady Transportation costs vs. New York
Item Schenectady New York
Gasoline $3.55 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.33 $59.92
Detailed Schenectady Utilities costs vs. New York
Item Schenectady New York
All Electricity $196.7 $193.99
Phone $195.71 $192.25

Schenectady SnackAbility

5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 5/10
Housing 6/10
Affordability 7/10
Diversity 10/10
Safety 4/10
Amenities 10/10
Education 6/10
Commute 8.5/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Schenectady

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Schenectady. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Albany, NY has a cost of living index of 110, 1.1x Schenectady.

  • Saratoga Springs, NY has a cost of living index of 135, 1.4x Schenectady.

  • Rotterdam, NY has a cost of living index of 103, 1.1x Schenectady.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Schenectady
Albany, NY 100,492 110 1.1x
Saratoga Springs, NY 28,631 135 1.4x
Rotterdam, NY 22,695 103 1.1x
Niskayuna, NY 21,227 124 1.3x
Cohoes, NY 18,159 104 1.1x
East Glenville, NY 11,914 114 1.2x
Rensselaer, NY 9,287 104 1.1x
Westmere, NY 8,334 121 1.2x
Colonie, NY 7,702 118 1.2x
Scotia, NY 7,264 103 1.1x