A tough set of grades. Albany grades D overall and ranks 669th of 745 in New York. Nationally, it does better than 13% of U.S. towns. The weak point is safety — it reports more crime per resident than 95% of U.S. towns, including 842 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. Schools are weaker too (C−) — its public schools trail 85% of New York towns on state tests and graduation. Its strongest subject is walkability (A+). Homes run about $332K for a typical one, 3.8 times the Albany metro’s $88K median household income. Add health to its strengths — residents are healthier than 70% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates.

Figures: health, CDC PLACES · FBI crime data, 2025 · schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24.

StrongestA⁺History A⁺Walkability AOutdoorsWeakestDSafety C⁻Schools CJobs & income

What makes Albany stand out

Where Albany beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Philip Schuyler Mansion (Additional Documentation)

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1686

74 places on the National Register

A history going back 340 years.

Biggest of 7

College	Students
University at Albany	15,251
The College of Saint Rose	2,329
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences	875

College town

7 colleges

20,615 students on campus

Students are part of everyday life here.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Albany8.3

New York3.7

U.S.3.3

Worth knowing · SafetyD

2.2 times the violent crime than NY

FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.

Philip Schuyler Mansion (Additional Documentation) · National Register of Historic Places

Albany’s story

340 years in pictures

Philip Schuyler Mansion (Additional Documentation) is one of 6 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its 74 National Register listings are more than in 99% of New York towns with a listing.

Census counts: 3,498 in 1790, a peak of 134,995 in 1950, 99,224 in 2020. The archive holds 50 old photos and papers going back to 1630 and 6 maps from 1893 on.

1686Albany is settled

Explore the history →

How Albany grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Albany is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 13.7 of 20; 24% of households have no car; 19.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA⁺Open →SafetyCrime runs among the highest comparedDOpen →SchoolsAmong the weakest of the towns comparedC⁻Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 24% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA⁻Open →Jobs & income124,067 jobs based hereCOpen →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnCOpen →HealthSt. Peter's Hospital 1.1 miles awayB⁺Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors15% conserved landAOpen →History39 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life5.2 library visits per resident; 7.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Housing market10 days on market–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

MVP Arena and 56 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Albany. Close and well known come first.

All 93 attractions →

in town Stadium & arenaMVP Arena

in town MuseumUSS Slater

in town Ancient siteFort Orange

in town MuseumSchuyler Mansion

in town TheatreThe Egg

32 mi MountainMount Greylock

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

MVP Arena: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · USS Slater: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Orange: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Schuyler Mansion: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · The Egg: Nitant23, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Greylock: Jstergis, CC BY 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Albany: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Albany, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerNational Grid19.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterAlbany City water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressTown pickup · day by addressTown site

SchoolsAlbany City School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereAlbany County Board of ElectionsAlbany County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2021

ZIP codes12208, 12203, 12206, 1221012208 22% · 12203 18% · 12206 17% · 12210 11%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Albany.

Albany draws workers from Colonie and beyond and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it reports violent crime at about twice the New York rate.

OutdoorsA

Albany stands out in New York and nationally, with trail density higher than most

There are 49 miles of trail across 67 parks and preserves. Albany Pine Bush Preserve, at 826 acres with 7.7 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.

#19for trails in NY

15.2%

conserved · 2,128 of 13,954 acres

49 mi

of trails · 2.2 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Albany Pine Bush Preserve	7.7 mi	826
2. Tivoli Nature Preserve	4.1 mi	162
3. Washington Park	3.8 mi	81

Full pageAlbany’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map49 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk7.7 miles of trail · Albany Pine Bush Preserve Conserved land15.2% conserved · 2,128 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Albany?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsC⁻

Albany earns a C− for schools

The public schools here belong to the Albany City School District. Three of the 39 schools are below, and why each made the list. 6 public schools serve Albany, with 3,107 students in all.

15%of NY districts it outscoresC⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
KIPP Tech Valley Charter SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8	Grades K–8	840	–
Albany High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	2,937	B⁺
Green Tech High Charter SchoolTop results in townGrades 6–12	Grades 6–12	450	A

Full pageAlbany’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 5 graded neighbors Every school39 schools · KIPP Tech Valley Charter School Questions“Are Albany’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation

SafetyD

Violent crime in Albany is higher than in most of New York or the rest of the country

Violent crime runs at 8.3 per 1,000 residents, about twice the New York rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D. Each of the 4 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from Colonie (C−) to Bethlehem (B+).

In Albany, the level of property crime is 26.2 per 1,000 residents, where New York’s towns sit at 7.5 and U.S. towns at 9.9.

5%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade

	Albany	New York towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	8.3 per 1,000 residents	0.8	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	26.2 per 1,000 residents	7.5	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Albany8.3

New York3.7

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Albany26.2

New York15.7

U.S.15.5

5th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

2nd

percentile among NY towns

842

violent crimes reported in 2025

2,673

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageAlbany’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type8.3 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its 4 graded neighbors Questions“Is Albany, NY safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C

About one in two working residents works right in Albany

124,067 jobs are based in Albany, 3.3 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 20 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.

The middle household income for Albany comes to $62,000. The top destinations are Colonie (13%), New York (7%) and Guilderland (3%). For residents here, the share who live below the poverty line is 23%. Only 5 of the 758 New York towns we compare have a higher share of working residents who work in town than Albany.

44%work in town

	Albany	New York towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	44%	10%	8%
Below the poverty line	23%	9.5%	9.6%
Average trip to work	20 minutes	25 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$62,000	$82,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Albany44%

Colonie13%

New York7%

Guilderland3%

Troy3%

4 mi

median commute distance

124,067

jobs based in Albany

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns

Full pageAlbany’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here124,067 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work44% work in Albany Commute times20 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 4 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Who lives here

More adults under 35 in Albany than across New York

Albany’s median age is 32 years. 45% of adults 25 and older hold at least a bachelor’s degree, against 40% across New York. The share of residents in Albany who are under 18: 14%. It has grown 2.6% since 2020, to 101,698 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.

32median age · NY 39.8

	Albany	New York towns	U.S. towns
Median age	32 years	43 years	40.5 years
Under 18	14%	20%	22%
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	45%	32%	29%
Aged 65 or older	14%	20%	18%

AlbanyNew YorkUnited States

NYU.S.

Ages · share of residents

23%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma9%

High school21%

Some college16%

Associate’s9%

Bachelor’s24%

Graduate21%

Women and men · all residents

52% women, 48% men

About 93 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1 point). Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women. Median age: women 32.7, men 31.5.

Ages and education in Albany
	Albany	NY	U.S.
Under 10	8.2%	11%	11.6%
10 to 17	5.8%	9.5%	10.3%
18 to 24	22.5%	8.9%	9.1%
25 to 34	18%	14.2%	13.7%
35 to 44	11.6%	13%	13.2%
45 to 54	10.1%	12.2%	12.2%
55 to 64	9.9%	13.3%	12.7%
65 to 74	7.7%	10.3%	10.2%
75 and older	6.3%	7.6%	7%
No diploma	8.7%	12%	10.4%
High school	21.1%	24.3%	26%
Some college	16.2%	14.6%	19.1%
Associate’s	8.7%	8.8%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	24.1%	22.4%	21.6%
Graduate	21.2%	17.9%	14.1%

Full pageAlbany by the numbersOpen the page

Ages32 median age · 14% are 65 or older Schooling45% have a four-year degree Homes38% own their home · Homeowners Income$62K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

HousingCost of living grade C

Albany earns a C for cost of living

Homes sold in Albany spent a median 10 days on the market. A typical home in the town is worth about $332,000, up 4.2% in a year, 37% below the New York typical home. 38% of households are owner-occupiers here.

$332KZillow home value

	Albany	New York towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	38%	75%	73%
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	51%	49%	48%
Median rent	$1,216 a month	$1,098 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Albany$332K

New York$525K

Market temperature

days on market

102.1%

sale-to-list price

+4.2%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageAlbany’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 4.2% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.3 years of income Rents$1,216 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 4 of its 5 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A⁻

Albany has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding

Paid flood insurance claims in Albany since 1979: 50. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage in the town than in 76% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 66% come from inland flooding and 11% from tornadoes. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 8 declared disasters, most recently in 2017.

24risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesHurricanes

paid flood claims since 1979

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageAlbany’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims50 paid flood claims · Since 1979 Past disasters8 federal disasters · Paid out in Albany Get ready2.8 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HealthB⁺

Albany earns a B+ for health

Against the 9,399 U.S. towns with household incomes like Albany’s, it is healthier than 92%, so that grade isn’t only a matter of income.

9.9% of Albany adults have diabetes. This New York town does better than the New York average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 11. Two figures for adults here: 21% worry about having enough food, 40% sleep under 7 hours. Only 9 of the 755 New York towns we compare have a higher share of adults who feel lonely than Albany.

70%healthier than U.S. townsB⁺Health Grade

	Albany	New York towns	U.S. towns
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	39%	32%	33%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	21%	13%	14%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	40%	37%	36%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	18%	17%	16%

32 measures vs. New York

6 better15 too close to call11 worse

What stands out	Albany	NY
Fewer adults who have had cancer	6%	7.7%
Fewer adults with heart disease	5%	6.1%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	11.3%	8.2%

St. Peter's Hospital

1.1 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

51st

percentile among NY towns

Full pageAlbany’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore binge drinkers Hospitals & doctors nearby1.1 miles to an ER · St. Peter's Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in frequent mental distress Every CDC estimateBetter than NY on 6 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Albany’s year

The range runs from 16° on a January night to 83° on a July afternoon, with about 56 inches of snow a winter.

56″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter19–36°

Spring36–58°

Summer59–81°

Fall42–62°

Oct 15

typical first frost

Apr 27

typical last frost

+1.5°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageAlbany’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 83°, January lows 16°Rain & snow56″ of snow a winter · 41 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.5° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Albany

20pages on Albany

The big questions

SchoolsC⁻Behind 85% of NY districts · 39 schools SafetyD8.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB⁺Better than NY on 6 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingC$332K typical home · up 4.2% in a year Work & commuteC$62K median household income · 124,067 jobs here Natural hazardsA⁻FEMA risk higher than 24% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA49 mi of trails · 15% conserved land PlacesAttractions93 nearby · MVP Arena under 1 mi LibraryA⁻5.2 library visits per resident CollegesAlbany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, in town

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1686 · 74 on the National Register Famous people39 born in Albany Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 76 residents Climate83° summer highs · 56″ of snow

Day to day

News19 recent stories about Albany WeatherHandbookZIP code 12201, 12202, 12203 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

16 within 15 miles of the center of Albany

University at AlbanyUniversity or college · Public · AlbanyIn town$10,866 in-state tuition Albany College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · AlbanyIn town$41,475 tuition Hudson Valley Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Troy6.2 mi$6,796 in-state tuition

College town 18 of every 100 Albany residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Get outside

49 miles of trails in Albany

15.2% of the town is conserved land, across 67 parks and preserves.

Map of trails and conserved land in Albany

ConservedTrails

Albany Pine Bush Preserve7.7 mi of trails · 826 acres

Directions

Tivoli Nature Preserve4.1 mi of trails · 162 acres

Directions

Washington Park3.8 mi of trails · 81 acres

Directions

Landmarks

74 places in Albany on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Philip Schuyler Mansion (Additional Documentation)Built 1760 · National Historic Landmark

New York State CapitolBuilt 1899 · National Historic Landmark

St. Peter's ChurchBuilt 1876 · National Historic Landmark

James Hall OfficeNational Historic Landmark

Famous people from Albany

39 notable people were born in Albany.

See all 39 →

Paul KrugmanAmerican economist · born 1953

Joseph HenryAmerican scientist and the 1st Secretary of the Smithsonian · 1797–1878

Bret HarteAmerican writer and poet · 1836–1902

Kirsten GillibrandAmerican politician · born 1966

Marion Zimmer BradleyAmerican novelist and editor · 1930–1999

Philip SheridanUnited States Army general · 1831–1888

About Albany

Capital city of New York, United States

Official town website ↗

Albany ( AWL-bə-nee) is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York. It is also the county seat of, and the most populous city in Albany County. Albany is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, approximately ten miles (16 km) south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. Its population was 99,224 at the time of the 2020 census and was estimated at 102,305 in 2026. The oldest city in New York, the City of Albany is the economic and cultural core of New York State's Capital District. The Capital District is a metropolitan area including the nearby cities and suburbs of Colonie, Schenectady, Saratoga Springs and Troy. With an estimated 1.3 million residents, the Capital District is …

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1686
Area: 22 sq mi
Elevation: 141 ft
ZIP code: 12201, 12202, 12203
Area code: 518

Albany’s neighbors

8 towns share a border with Albany.

Explore the map →

All 5 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D; Rensselaer (C+) is closest.

How the neighbors grade

Town	NY rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Albany	#669	D	C	D	C⁻	B⁺
Bethlehem	#77	A	C⁻	B⁺	A⁻	A⁺
Guilderland	#166	A⁻	C⁻	B⁻	A⁻	A
Colonie	#253	B⁺	C	C⁻	A⁻	A
Roessleville	—	—	—	—	—	—
Rensselaer	#494	C⁺	B⁻	B⁻	D	B
Westmere	—	—	—	—	—	—
Menands	#202	A⁻	C	—	C⁺	A

Menands reports no FBI crime data of its own. Roessleville and Westmere aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Albany with a neighbor →

Questions about Albany

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Albany, NY a good place to live?

Albany grades D overall, better than 13% of U.S. towns and #669 of 745 in New York. It grades B+ for health, D for safety and C− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Albany, NY expensive?

Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.

What is Albany, NY known for?

39 notable people were born here, including Paul Krugman and Joseph Henry.

Post to Albany

Check your email

AlbanyNY

Is Albany a good place to live?

What makes Albany stand out

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

340 years in pictures

How Albany grades

MVP Arena and 56 more within 40 miles

Moving to Albany: who provides what

The data

Albany stands out in New York and nationally, with trail density higher than most

Albany earns a C− for schools

Violent crime in Albany is higher than in most of New York or the rest of the country

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

About one in two working residents works right in Albany

Where working residents work

More adults under 35 in Albany than across New York

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Albany earns a C for cost of living

Typical home value

Albany has a low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding

Albany earns a B+ for health

Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Albany’s year

Typical low → high °F

Everything we know about Albany

Colleges nearby

49 miles of trails in Albany

Landmarks

Famous people from Albany

About Albany

Albany’s neighbors

Questions about Albany