Rensselaer County, NY

County

Add Comparison

2021 Population

161,125

1.33% 1-year growth

US Senator

Chuck Schumer

Democratic Party

US Senator

Kirsten Gillibrand

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

40.1

0.501% 1-year increase

N/A Poverty Rate

12.1%

N/A 1-year N/A

2021 Median Household Income

$76,731

5.82% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$204,200

3.6% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

81,138

0.139% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Rensselaer County, NY had a population of 161k people with a median age of 40.1 and a median household income of $76,731. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Rensselaer County, NY grew from 159,013 to 161,125, a 1.33% increase and its median household income grew from $72,510 to $76,731, a 5.82% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Rensselaer County, NY are White (Non-Hispanic) (82%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (6.08%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.52%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.91%), and White (Hispanic) (2.03%).

None of the households in Rensselaer County, NY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.2% of the residents in Rensselaer County, NY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Rensselaer County, NY are Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2,179 degrees awarded in 2021), Hudson Valley Community College (1,705 degrees), and Russell Sage College (719 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Rensselaer County, NY was $204,200, and the homeownership rate was 62.8%.

Most people in Rensselaer County, NY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Rensselaer County, NY was 2 cars per household.

Rensselaer County, NY borders Berkshire County, MA, Albany County, NY, Columbia County, NY, Greene County, NY, Saratoga County, NY, Washington County, NY, and Bennington County, VT.

United States New York Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

Population & Diversity

Rensselaer County, NY is home to a population of 161k people, from which 97.2% are citizens. As of 2021, 5.41% of Rensselaer County, NY residents were born outside of the country (8.71k people).

In 2021, there were 13.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (132k people) in Rensselaer County, NY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 9.8k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 5.68k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.2%

2021 Citizenship

97.3%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 97.2% of Rensselaer County, NY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Rensselaer County, NY was 97.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Rensselaer County, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Rensselaer County, NY

White (Non-Hispanic)
132k ± 380
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
9.8k ± 509
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
5.68k ± 672

5.23%

Hispanic Population

8.43k people

5.23% of the people in Rensselaer County, NY are hispanic (8.43k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Rensselaer County, NY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for New York.

Most Common Origin

Dominican Republic
512,419 ± 17,349 people
China
414,157 ± 15,637 people
Jamaica
233,946 ± 11,806 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New York was Dominican Republic, the natal country of 512,419 New York residents, followed by China with 414,157 and Jamaica with 233,946.

Foreign-Born Population

5.41%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

8.71k people

5.25%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

8.35k people

As of 2021, 5.41% of Rensselaer County, NY residents (8.71k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Rensselaer County, NY was 5.25%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Rensselaer County, NY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,255 ± 366
Gulf War (2001-)
1,634 ± 416
Gulf War (1990s)
884 ± 234

Rensselaer County, NY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.99 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Rensselaer County, NY employs 81.1k people. The largest industries in Rensselaer County, NY are Health Care & Social Assistance (11,888 people), Educational Services (9,656 people), and Public Administration (7,623 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($105,294), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($70,548), and Manufacturing ($65,222).

Males in New York have an average income that is 1.28 times higher than the average income of females, which is $70,847. The income inequality in New York (measured using the Gini index) is 0.493, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

81.1k

2021 Value

± 2,139

0.139%

1 Year growth

± 3.73%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Rensselaer County, NY grew at a rate of 0.139%, from 81k employees to 81.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Rensselaer County, NY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,949 people), Management Occupations (8,884 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (6,059 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Rensselaer County, NY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New York (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

81.1k

2021 Value

± 2,139

0.139%

1 Year growth

± 3.73%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Rensselaer County, NY grew at a rate of 0.139%, from 81k employees to 81.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Rensselaer County, NY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (11,888 people), Educational Services (9,656 people), and Public Administration (7,623 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Rensselaer County, NY, though some of these residents may live in Rensselaer County, NY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$53,079

Median earning men ± $1,539

$43,734

Median earning women ± $1,873

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Manufacturing ($68,926), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($68,878), and Public Administration ($68,783).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($64,583), Public Administration ($62,066), and Construction ($59,978).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in New York. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New York.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,113
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
650
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
521
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.67M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$942k
Manufacturing
$319k
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from New York to other states, or from other states to New York.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound New York product (by dollars) was Misc. mfg. prods. with $158B, followed by Mixed freight ($72.3B) and Electronics ($71.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound New York products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for New York.

$810B

2020 Value in New York

$1.62T

Projected 2050 Value in New York

100% growth

In 2020, total outbound New York trade was $810B. This is expected to increase 100% to $1.62T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound New York trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from New York to other states, or from other states to New York.

Most Common Trade Partners

New Jersey
$65.9B
Pennsylvania
$49.6B
California
$30.8B

In 2020, the top outbound New York domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New Jersey with $65.9B, followed by Pennsylvania with $49.6B and California and $30.8B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that New York shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Rensselaer County, NY went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 51.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.6%), followed by Other (1.85%).

Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are the senators currently representing the state of New York. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

New York is currently represented by 26 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (51.2%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (45.6%)
Republican Party
Other (1.85%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Rensselaer County, NY went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 51.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.6%), followed by Other (1.85%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Rensselaer County, NY for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from New York

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Chuck Schumer

Senator from New York

Assumed office on January 3, 1999

Kirsten Gillibrand

Senator from New York

Assumed office on January 26, 2009
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Hillary Clinton, who had become Secretary of State.

Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are the senators currently representing New York.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in New York over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from New York

New York is currently represented by 26 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for New York have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Rensselaer County, NY awarded 4,676 degrees. The student population of Rensselaer County, NY in 2021 is skewed towards men, with 9,281 male students and 8,357 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Rensselaer County, NY are White (2,745 and 66.2%), followed by Asian (432 and 10.4%), Hispanic or Latino (353 and 8.52%), and Black or African American (284 and 6.85%).

The largest universities in Rensselaer County, NY by number of degrees awarded are Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2,179 and 46.6%), Hudson Valley Community College (1,705 and 36.5%), and Russell Sage College (719 and 15.4%).

The most popular majors in Rensselaer County, NY are Computer Science (295 and 6.31%), General Business Administration & Management (291 and 6.22%), and Mechanical Engineering (289 and 6.18%).

The median tuition cost in Rensselaer County, NY for private four year colleges is $44,747.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Rensselaer County, NY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 55%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 14.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 17,638 (52.6% men and 47.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 17,638 students enrolled in Rensselaer County, NY, 52.6% men and 47.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 10,074 records, of which 50% were women and 50% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Aerospace, Aeronautical, & Astronautical Engineering
114 degrees awarded
Computer Science
262 degrees awarded
Mechanical Engineering
239 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Rensselaer County, NY was Aerospace, Aeronautical, & Astronautical Engineering with 114 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Rensselaer County, NY according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
2,179 degrees awarded
Hudson Valley Community College
1,705 degrees awarded
Russell Sage College
719 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with 2,179 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 2,462 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Rensselaer County, NY, which is 1.11 times more than the 2,214 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,745 degrees mean that there were 6.35 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 432 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($44,747) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($2,836) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($1,800) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Measure

In 2021, 1.52% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.63% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New York.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (4.08M), Bachelors Degree (3.3M), and Some college (2.84M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Rensselaer County, NY was $204,200 in 2021, which is 0.834 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $197,100 to $204,200, a 3.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Rensselaer County, NY is 62.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Rensselaer County, NY have an average commute time of 23.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Rensselaer County, NY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Rensselaer County, NY is $76,731. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Rensselaer County, NY was Census Tract 524.02 with a value of $117,500, followed by Census Tract 520.02 and Census Tract 522.01, with respective values of $113,333 and $111,518.

In 2022, 13.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rensselaer County, NY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.47%.

Housing

Property

$204,200

Median Property Value 2021

±$4,202

$41,693

Median Property Taxes

±$1,273

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Rensselaer County, NY the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Rensselaer County, NY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

62.8%

Homeownership

2021

62%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 62.8% of the housing units in Rensselaer County, NY were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 62.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Rensselaer County, NY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 524.02
Census Tract 520.02
Census Tract 522.01

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Rensselaer County, NY was Census Tract 524.02 with a value of $117,500, followed by Census Tract 520.02 and Census Tract 522.01, with respective values of $113,333 and $111,518.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Rensselaer County, NY colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$76,731

Median Household Income

± $1,672

66.3k

Number of Households

± 1,917

In 2021, the median household income of the 66.3k households in Rensselaer County, NY grew to $76,731 from the previous year's value of $72,510.

The following chart displays the households in Rensselaer County, NY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Rensselaer County, NY is from New York.

0.493

2021 Wage GINI in New York

0.494

2020 Wage GINI in New York

In 2021, the income inequality in New York was 0.493 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.136% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New York was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in New York in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New York across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (76.9%)
Worked At Home (8.89%)
Carpooled (7.26%)

In 2021, 76.9% of workers in Rensselaer County, NY drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (8.89%) and those who carpooled to work (7.26%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Rensselaer County, NY have a shorter commute time (23.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.58% of the workforce in Rensselaer County, NY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Rensselaer County, NY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Rensselaer County, NY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Rensselaer County, NY have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 13.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rensselaer County, NY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.47%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

12.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Rensselaer County, NY (168k out of 1.39M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Rensselaer County, NY is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 14.3% of the children was living in poverty in Rensselaer County, NY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 305 in Rensselaer County, NY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 20.9 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

96.6% of the population of Rensselaer County, NY has health coverage, with 54.5% on employee plans, 16.8% on Medicaid, 13.3% on Medicare, 10.7% on non-group plans, and 1.28% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Rensselaer County, NY see 2035 patients per year on average, which represents a 3% decrease from the previous year (2098 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2259 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 559 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,035 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Rensselaer County, NY

Primary care physicians in Rensselaer County, NY see an average of 2,035 patients per year. This represents a 3% decrease from the previous year (2,098 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Rensselaer County, NY in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.5% under 18 years, 22% between 18 and 34 years, 39.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

3.43%

Uninsured

54.5%

Employer Coverage

16.8%

Medicaid

13.3%

Medicare

10.7%

Non-Group

1.28%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Rensselaer County, NY declined by 6.43% from 3.67% to 3.43%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Rensselaer County, NY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 47.7 in Rensselaer County, NY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rensselaer County, NY.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 31.2% in Rensselaer County, NY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rensselaer County, NY.

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