Moving to
Rotterdam.

All Rotterdam data Compare Rotterdam

22,695people live here $85,887median household incomeNear US average $1,278median rent per monthNear US average $214,400median home value▼ 36% below US

Rotterdam is an unincorporated community in Schenectady County, NY. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.

What it's like to live in Rotterdam

Rotterdam is an unincorporated community in New York with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Rotterdam deals with cold winters, snowy winters, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.

The good

Rent below the national average
Affordable home prices
Low unemployment in the county
Low crime rates
Short commutes
Fast-growing population

The not so good

Cold winters
Snowy winters — 59" per year
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How Rotterdam compares

Median household income

Rotterdam$85,887

New York avg$85,974

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Rotterdam$1,278

New York avg$1,621

US$1,413

Median home value

Rotterdam$214,400

New York avg$423,800

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Rotterdam

Based on Rotterdam's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,556

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $51,120 a year
39% of Rotterdam renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$42,880

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $21,440
Homes cost 2.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,278/mo median rent

Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,278 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $214,400. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.

Median home value $214,400 · 39% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

3.7% county unemployment

Unemployment in Schenectady County is 3.7%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Schenectady County (county-wide)

Safety▼ 62% below US

125 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 1971/100k · Rotterdam Town Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 14% below US

22 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

77%

Work from home

15%

Carpool

7.1%

Public transit

0.8%

Other

0.4%

Walk

0.2%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 19°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▼ 11% below US

32% bachelor's degree or higher

Education levels run about average, with 32% 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

5 public schools inside the boundary

There are 5 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, 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

Rotterdam's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,278/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.

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