Townofwatervliet1866, 1866
Colonie’s story
216 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,406 in 1810, 85,590 in 2020. The archive holds 17 old photos and papers going back to 1866 and 7 maps from 1893 on.
- 1810Colonie is settled
Photo: Tyler A. McNeil · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
7,679
2025 Census estimate · −1.2% since 2020
Median home value
$285K
Census ACS
Household income
$104K
median
Median age
43.4
years
Jobs based here
6,043
A job hub
TownGrade
A
#55 of 745 in NY
Is Colonie a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Colonie earns an A, ranked 55th of 745 in New York. The median household earns $104K, residents are healthier than 86% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, and natural-hazard risk is low. Its lowest mark, a C+, is in cost of living. Only 55 of New York’s 1,216 towns score lower on history. Colonie is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 78% of U.S. towns. The biggest place to walk is Cook Park, 59 acres with 1.2 miles of trail.
What makes Colonie stand out
Where Colonie beats most towns.
A job hub
Every workday, about 5,833 people come to Colonie for work
Where Colonie’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6,043jobs based in Colonie
5%of working residents work in town
6 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Colonie grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Colonie is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 5% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →Jobs & incomeAOpen →HealthSt. Peter's Hospital 4.8 miles awayAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 13.6 of 20; 6% of households have no car; 1.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA−Open →SchoolsBeat 68% of New York districts on tests and graduationB+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $285K, 3.2 years of the Albany metro’s $88K median household incomeC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsA−Open →History1 notable person born hereC+Open →Civic life5.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 91 attractions →MVP Arena and 54 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Colonie. Close and well known come first.
6 mi Stadium & arenaMVP Arena
34 mi MountainMount Greylock
8 mi MuseumUSS Slater
7 mi Ancient siteFort Orange
7 mi MuseumSchuyler Mansion
6 mi TheatreThe EggSources: 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 · Mount Greylock: Jstergis, CC BY 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
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Colonie: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Colonie, and how to reach them.
PowerNational Grid19.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterColonie Village water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site
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.govWho runs elections hereAlbany County Board of ElectionsAlbany County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2021
ZIP code1220512205 100%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 Colonie.
Colonie draws workers from Colonie and beyond and has less tooth loss than most of New York.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
About one in three of Colonie’s working residents commute to Albany
6,043 jobs are based in Colonie, 1.5 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here fell from 8,702 in 2013 to 6,043.
Most working residents leave Colonie for work: only 5% work in town. Colonie’s average trip to work is 17 minutes, below both the New York town median (25 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Jobs based in Colonie fell to 6,043 in 2023, 2,659 fewer than in 2013.
5%work in town
| Colonie | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $104,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 16% | 12% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.4% | 10% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Colonie5%
Albany31%
Colonie26%
New York4%
Schenectady4%
6 mi
median commute distance
6,043
jobs based in Colonie
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 78% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsA−
Conserved land covers 8% of Colonie
2.3 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. Colonie’s trail density is 0.7 miles per square mile, above both New York’s towns (0.4) and U.S. towns (0.4).
#198for trails in NY
| Colonie | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 8% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
8%
conserved · 164 of 2,064 acres
2.3 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cook Park | 1.2 mi | 59 |
| 2. Albany Pine Bush Preserve | 0.1 mi | 22 |
| 3. Colonie Open Space | — | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Colonie faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 95% of U.S. communities.
5risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHurricanes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA
Colonie’s grade for health is an A
Its widest gap with New York is tooth loss: 6.4% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 12.8% statewide.
35% of adults feel lonely in Colonie. Colonie beats the New York average on 11 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 29% of adults have obesity in Colonie.
86%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Colonie | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 32% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 19% |
32 measures vs. New York
11 better18 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Colonie | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.4% | 12.8% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.7% | 17.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.5% | 7.7% |
St. Peter's Hospital
4.8 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
75th
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Colonie
Colonie has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 15° and about 56 inches of snow falls in a winter.
56″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–35°
Spring36–58°
Summer59–81°
Fall42–61°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
An age mix much like New York’s
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the New York average. 36% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 40% across New York.
43.4median age · NY 39.8
| Colonie | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 36% | 32% | 29% |
| Median age | 43.4 years | 42.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 20% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 20% | 20% | 22% |
ColonieNew YorkUnited States
Ages · share of residents
14%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma11%
High school22%
Some college13%
Associate’s19%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate19%
Women and men · all residents
47% women, 53% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.7 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.
| Colonie | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.9% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.1% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.2% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.7% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.2% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.6% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.3% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.5% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.1% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 13% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 18.6% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.1% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 18.5% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
HousingCost of living grade C+
The median home in Colonie sells for about $255K
Colonie’s median rent is $1,570 a month.
$255Kmedian sale price
| Colonie | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,570 a month | $1,098 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 80% | 75% | 73% |
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Colonie
19pages on Colonie
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
16 within 15 miles of the center of Colonie
Bryant & Stratton College-AlbanyCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Albany1.9 mi$18,374 tuitionUniversity at AlbanyUniversity or college · Public · Albany2.5 mi$10,866 in-state tuitionHudson Valley Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Troy7.7 mi$6,796 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Colonie residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York.
About Colonie
Town in New York, United States
Colonie is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. It is the most-populous suburb of Albany, and is the third-largest town in area in Albany County, occupying approximately 11% of the county. Several hamlets exist within the town. As of the 2020 census, the town had a total population of 85,590. The name is derived from the Dutch Colonye or "Colonie", derived from the Colonie of Rensselaerswyck. All the land outside the Village of Beverwyck (now Albany) was referred to as the "Colonie". The town of Colonie is north of Albany and is at the northern border of the county. Within the town of Colonie are two villages, one also known as Colonie and the other known as Menands.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1895
- Area
- 58 sq mi
- Elevation
- 413 ft
- Area code
- 518
Colonie’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Colonie.
RoesslevilleColonieGuilderlandColonie
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colonie | #55 | A | C+ | — | B+ | A |
| Roessleville | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Colonie | #253 | B+ | C | C− | A− | A |
| Guilderland | #166 | A− | C− | B− | A− | A |
Colonie reports no FBI crime data of its own. Roessleville isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Colonie with a neighbor →
Questions about Colonie
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Colonie, NY a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Colonie grades A overall, better than 95% of U.S. towns and #55 of 745 in New York. It grades A for health and B+ for schools.
Is Colonie, NY expensive?
The typical home is worth about $285,000, 46% below the New York typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.