Watervliet receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Watervliet
Schenectady
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 47%
vs46 · Bottom 28%
Growth
12 · Bottom 3%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 6%
vs84 · Top 18%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 35%
vs87 · Top 38%
Schools
28 · Bottom 20%
vs25 · Bottom 16%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 23%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Watervliet | Schenectady | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,287 | 68,847 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,919 | $58,399 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,740 | $34,175 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,665/sq mi | 6,370/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $179,700 | $168,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,083 | $1,145 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 34.7% | 45.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.4% | 23.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 40.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 23.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.35 | 11.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.8% | 20.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.4% | 29.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.6% | 77.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Your best match
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Watervliet
60
Your Score
59
Area Score
Schenectady
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
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Full profiles: Watervliet, NY · Schenectady, NY · How this is calculated: methodology