About

Life in Niskayuna

The median home value around $357,900 reflects a fairly affluent suburb, and while housing costs are real, so are the incomes: the median household brings in around $134,000, which gives you actual breathing room compared to most Northeast suburbs. You'll be part of a town that skews family-oriented (64% married couples, over a third of households with kids under 18) with strong schools through the Niskayuna Central School District, so if schools matter to your decision, this is a genuine draw. The commute game is manageable—most people are looking at around 20 minutes on average, and many work in nearby Albany, the state capital, which keeps job options relatively accessible without needing a brutal drive.

Niskayuna at a Glance

Population, income, housing and more

Median Age

41.4 yrs

Poverty Rate

4.0%

Foreign-Born

12.5%

Broadband Internet

94.7%

of households

Median household income

Niskayuna$134,052
New York avg$85,974
US$80,734

Demographics12.5% foreign-born, most often from Philippines

Who lives in Niskayuna: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin

In Niskayuna, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (17.6%), and 2.8% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.

Under 18

27.5%

of residents

65 and Older

19.0%

of residents

Households with Kids

37.8%

anyone under 18

Living Alone

23.5%

of households

Married Couples

60.1%

of households

Avg Household Size

2.55

people

Race & Ethnicity

White73.2%
Asian11.0%
Hispanic or Latino5.8%
Two or more races5.2%
Black4.0%
Other0.6%

Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic

Top countries of origin (foreign-born)

Philippines17.6%
India10.5%
Pakistan9.0%
China7.1%
United Kingdom5.9%
Cameroon4.5%
Guyana4.4%
Vietnam3.2%
Germany3.2%
Jamaica2.4%

Languages Spoken at Home

English only87.1%
Other Indo-European2.8%
Spanish2.1%
Tagalog/Filipino1.8%
Chinese1.6%
Other Asian/Pacific1.2%
French/Haitian1.1%
Other0.8%

Cost of Livingrent about average for NY

Rent, home values, and income in Niskayuna

In Niskayuna, home values are 16% below the NY average.

Median rent (per month)

Niskayuna$1,589
New York avg$1,621
US$1,413

Median home value

Niskayuna$357,900
New York avg$423,800
US$332,700

Rent Burdened

37.3%

spending 30%+ of income on rent

Severely Rent Burdened

7.5%

spending 50%+

Cost of Living Index

99.6

metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100

Median Property Tax

$8,982

per year, owner-occupied homes

Homeowners

80.6%

of occupied homes are owned

Typical Home Built

1968

median year built

Vacant Homes

6.8%

of housing units

Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below NY average

Unemployment in Niskayuna

Unemployment in Schenectady County, which includes Niskayuna, is 0.6 percentage points lower than the NY average.

Unemployment rate

Niskayuna3.7%
New York avg4.3%
US4.3%

Niskayuna: Schenectady County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average

Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend

4.5%
4.5%
4%
3.7%
7.9%
5.1%
3.4%
3.4%
3.7%
3.7%
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Schenectady County (county-wide) · Annual averages

What Niskayuna Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry

Education & health care31.8%
Professional & business services19.4%
Finance & real estate10.3%
Public administration9.0%
Manufacturing7.3%
Arts, hospitality & food service5.0%
Other services4.3%
Retail3.8%

City residents, wherever they work

Commute20.8 min avg

How Niskayuna residents get to work, and the nearest airports

In Niskayuna, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 71% get there in under 30 minutes.

How People Get to Work

Drive alone72.6%
Carpool3.6%
Public transit0.1%
Walk2.2%
Work from home20.6%
Other0.9%

Commute Time Distribution

Under 15 min33.4%
15–29 min37.2%
30–44 min23.1%
45–59 min4.3%
60+ min2.0%

Nearest airports · with airline service

  • Albany International Airport (ALB)

    Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025

    7 mi
  • Bradley International Airport (BDL)

    Medium hub3.3M passengers boarded in 2025

    86 mi
  • LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

    Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025

    141 mi

Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.

Safetyviolent crime 84% below national average

Crime rates for 2025

Violent crime in Niskayuna runs 84% below the national average.

Violent Crime Rate

53.7

per 100,000 residents

Below average (329 national, 2025)

Property Crime Rate

1,980.3

per 100,000 residents

Above average (1,552 national, 2025)

Niskayuna Town Police Department

Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 37 events in 2025

Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes

FEMA National Risk Index

Relatively Low

71.3 / 100

Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).

Ice storm · ModerateLightning · ModerateInland flooding · ModerateTornado · Moderate

Schenectady County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025

In Schenectady County, which includes Niskayuna, the most common type is winter weather, with 37 recorded events in 2025.

Most common events:

Winter WeatherStrong WindHeatThunderstorm WindWinter Storm

Storm events by year

YearEventsTop TypeProperty Damage
202537Strong Wind$500
202424Winter WeatherNone reported
202313Winter StormNone reported
202231Winter Weather$20,000
202122Winter Weather$1,000
202023Thunderstorm Wind$14,000
201942Thunderstorm Wind$123,000
201834Winter Weather$12,000

Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.

0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year

Schenectady County, county-wide

Air Quality39 median AQI — Good

Days by air quality category (2025)

Air quality in Albany County, NY (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 16 miles from Niskayuna) is typically good — 250 good-air days per year.

Median AQI

39

Good Days

250

per year

Moderate Days

110

per year

Unhealthy Days

0

per year

Nearest EPA monitor county: Albany County, NY (16 mi away)

Climate82°F summers, 19°F winters

30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation

Niskayuna has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).

Spring (Mar–May)

59°/37°F

avg high / low

Summer (Jun–Aug)

82°/60°F

avg high / low

Fall (Sep–Nov)

62°/42°F

avg high / low

Winter (Dec–Feb)

36°/19°F

avg high / low

Annual Precipitation

40.7"

Annual Snowfall

59.2"

Hot Days/Year

10

days above 90°F

Freeze Days/Year

136

days below 32°F

Rainy Days/Year

139

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)
0°20°40°60°80°100°5"Jan: 2.60" precipitationFeb: 2.28" precipitationMar: 3.09" precipitationApr: 3.11" precipitationMay: 3.41" precipitationJun: 4.05" precipitationJul: 4.55" precipitationAug: 3.76" precipitationSep: 3.73" precipitationOct: 3.85" precipitationNov: 2.99" precipitationDec: 3.26" precipitation16°JJan: high 33°F, low 16°FFFeb: high 36°F, low 18°FMMar: high 45°F, low 26°FAApr: high 59°F, low 37°FMMay: high 71°F, low 48°FJJun: high 79°F, low 57°F84°JJul: high 84°F, low 62°FAAug: high 82°F, low 61°FSSep: high 74°F, low 53°FOOct: high 62°F, low 41°FNNov: high 49°F, low 32°FDDec: high 38°F, low 23°F
Show month-by-month table ↓
MonthHighLowPrecip
Jan33°F16°F2.60"
Feb36°F18°F2.28"
Mar45°F26°F3.09"
Apr59°F37°F3.11"
May71°F48°F3.41"
Jun79°F57°F4.05"
Jul84°F62°F4.55"
Aug82°F61°F3.76"
Sep74°F53°F3.73"
Oct62°F41°F3.85"
Nov49°F32°F2.99"
Dec38°F23°F3.26"

Healthcare

Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Niskayuna

Uninsured

0.5%

of residents

No hospitals inside Niskayuna's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles

Sunnyview Hospital and Rehabilitation Center

Acute Care Hospitals · 1.1 mi away · Schenectady

Not rated

Ellis Hospital

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.4 mi away · Schenectady

St Peter's Hospital

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.3 mi away · Albany

Adult Health · vs. the typical US place

Obesity28.6%US 36.8%
Diabetes8.2%US 12.6%
High blood pressure30.4%US 37.1%
Current smoking7.2%US 15.0%
No leisure-time physical activity15.9%US 26.6%
Depression16.9%US 23.0%
Asthma9.8%US 10.7%
Routine checkup in past year81.8%US 78.2%

Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.

Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.

Education12.1:1 student/teacher ratio

Schools and degree attainment in Niskayuna

Niskayuna's student/teacher ratio is 12.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 67.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public Schools

6

within city limits

Private Schools

2

within city limits

College Degree Rate

67.4%

adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher

Student/Teacher Ratio

12.1:1

National avg 16:1

Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year

Colleges Near Niskayuna (within 15 miles)

University at Albany

9.6 mi away

Public · 4-year · 12,564 students · in-state tuition $10,881 · 67% graduate · median earnings $72,751 (10 yrs after entry)

Excelsior University

7.7 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,550 students · 60% graduate · median earnings $81,471 (10 yrs after entry)

Hudson Valley Community College

13.4 mi away

Public · 2-year · 6,499 students · in-state tuition $6,796 · 37% graduate · median earnings $50,915 (10 yrs after entry)

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

12.5 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,714 students · in-state tuition $66,032 · 85% graduate · median earnings $113,011 (10 yrs after entry)

Union College

1.8 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,046 students · in-state tuition $71,676 · 85% graduate · median earnings $95,269 (10 yrs after entry)

Schenectady County Community College

2.9 mi away

Public · 2-year · 1,507 students · in-state tuition $6,612 · 24% graduate · median earnings $44,042 (10 yrs after entry)

Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)

Parks & Recreationclosest: Saratoga National Historical Park, 18 mi

Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Niskayuna

Niskayuna has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Saratoga National Historical Park (18 mi away).

Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas

Saratoga National Historical Park

National Historical Park

18 mi away

Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

National Historic Site

32 mi away

Thomas Cole National Historic Site

National Historic Site

41 mi away

Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

National Historic Site

70 mi away

Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site

National Historic Site

72 mi away

Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

National Historic Site

73 mi away

New England National Scenic Trail

National Scenic Trail

78 mi away

Springfield Armory National Historic Site

National Historic Site

83 mi away

Public Libraries in Niskayuna

Niskayuna Branch

2400 Nott Street East, Niskayuna

Branch~44 hrs/week

Cities Near Niskayuna

The closest cities within 60 miles

Planning a move to Niskayuna?

Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.

Moving to Niskayuna →

Niskayuna FAQ

Is Niskayuna, New York affordable?⌄

Niskayuna's median rent is $1,589/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $134,052/year. Median home value is $357,900.

Is Niskayuna, New York safe?⌄

Niskayuna's violent crime rate was 54 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1980 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.

What is the job market like in Niskayuna, New York?⌄

Schenectady County, which includes Niskayuna, has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.

What is the cost of living in Niskayuna, New York?⌄

The cost of living in Niskayuna is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,589/month and median household income is $134,052/year. The median home value is $357,900. About 37% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

How is the commute in Niskayuna, New York?⌄

The average commute in Niskayuna is 21 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.

Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from