The Town FilesRensselaer, New York
City in Rensselaer County · population 9,210 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $208,900
- Household income
- $70,080
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 56 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 36.7
Rensselaer is a city of 9,210 people in Rensselaer County, New York. The median home is worth $208,900, close to the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for young professionals than 91% of New York towns, more walkable than 89% of New York towns, hipper than 88% of New York towns.
How Rensselaer ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rensselaer is worth $208,900, close to the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $70,080, which is more affordable than 45% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,219 a month. 43.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rensselaer | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $208,900 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,219 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $70,080 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 43.3% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rensselaer
| People | Rensselaer | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.3% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.9% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.8% | — |
| Work from home | 14.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.6% | 91.1% |
Weather in Rensselaer
July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 16.9°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.2 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rensselaer since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 31, 1998 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 115 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 16, 2009.
Severe weather in Rensselaer County since 1996
Rensselaer County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County had 56,791 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $78,789 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Rensselaer itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Rensselaer
4 public schools with 1,485 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RENSSELAER JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 6-12 | 478 | 9.6 |
| VAN RENSSELAER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 475 | 14.8 |
| RED MILL SCHOOL | PK-5 | 467 | 12.0 |
| NURSES MIDDLE COLLEGE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL-CAPITAL REGION (charter) | 9-9 | 65 | 8.1 |
Towns near Rensselaer
- Hampton Manor, NY1.7 mi · 5,423 people · home $239,400
- Menands, NY3.2 mi · 4,554 people · home $271,300
- East Greenbush, NY3.3 mi · 16,748 people · home $291,500
- Albany, NY3.6 mi · 99,224 people · home $234,700
- North Greenbush, NY3.7 mi · 13,292 people · home $339,800
- East Greenbush, NY3.8 mi · 6,266 people · home $303,400
- Loudonville, NY4.7 mi · 10,296 people · home $391,200
- Roessleville, NY4.8 mi · 11,518 people · home $264,500
Rensselaer questions
Is Rensselaer, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rensselaer scores better for retirees than 18% of New York towns and quieter than 14%. 14.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.7).
How much does a house cost in Rensselaer?
The median owner-occupied home in Rensselaer is valued at $208,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,080, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,219 a month.
What is the weather like in Rensselaer?
July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 16.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 56.2 inches of snow.
Does Rensselaer get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rensselaer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 31, 1998. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)