What it's like to live in Glens Falls
Glens Falls is a small city in New York with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Glens Falls deals with household incomes below the national average, cold, harsh winters, heavy snowfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Cold, harsh winters
- Heavy snowfall — 60" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Glens Falls compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Glens Falls
Based on Glens Falls's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,154
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,080 a year
- 49% of Glens Falls renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$42,440
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $21,220
- Homes cost 3.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 24% below US
$1,077/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,077 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $212,200. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $212,200 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Warren County is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Warren County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 49% below US
167 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 689/100k · Glens Falls Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 26% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 9°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Saratoga National Historical Park (22 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Glens Falls's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,077/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Glens Falls
All New York guides →Moving to Saratoga Springs →
18 mi away · pop. 28,631
Rent $1,470/mo · Income $105,944
Compare with Glens Falls →Moving to East Glenville →
32 mi away · pop. 11,914
Rent $1,470/mo · Income $96,588
Compare with Glens Falls →Moving to Niskayuna →
36 mi away · pop. 21,227
Rent $1,589/mo · Income $134,052
Compare with Glens Falls →Not sure Glens Falls is the one?
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