New York · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Schenectady County, NY

Prices around Schenectady County, NY run 0.4% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $79,623 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,702 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $68,080 a year.

Schenectady County, NY at a glance

Median household income

$79,623$6,635 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,702HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)99.6-0.4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity29.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential NY
Population160,369Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Schenectady County, NY?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,702Monthly market rent
Share of gross income25.7%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$68,080To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,991At 30% of $79,623
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Schenectady County, NY? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Schenectady County, NY, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,217$14,604$48,68018.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,417$17,004$56,68021.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,702$20,424$68,08025.7%
3-Bedroom Home$2,041$24,492$81,64030.8%
4-Bedroom Home$2,253$27,036$90,12034%

Rent in Schenectady County, NY, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Schenectady County, NY

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $79,623 a year ($6,635 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,318/moRent ($1,702 2-BR), utilities (~$265/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,991/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,327/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $79,623 leaves after New York taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and New York tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$79,623
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$79,623
Net 77%
Fed 11%
NY 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$61,142After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,095Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,352Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate23.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,687 / yr
New York state income tax$3,703 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,091 / yr

Living in Schenectady County, NY: common questions

What is the median household income in Schenectady County, NY?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Schenectady County, NY is $79,623 per year (approximately $6,635 per month).

What is the average rent in Schenectady County, NY?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,217 for a studio, $1,417 for one bedroom, $1,702 for two, $2,041 for three and $2,253 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Schenectady County, NY expensive to live in?

Prices there run 0.4% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 99.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Schenectady County, NY?

To keep a $1,702 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $68,080 a year, or $5,673 a month. That is 86% of what the typical household in Schenectady County, NY earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Schenectady County, NY?

On the local median income of $79,623 ($6,635 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,318 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,991 for everything else and $1,327 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,702 takes 51% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Schenectady County, NY?

Homes in New York paid 29.5¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $265. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.