Abraham Glen House, Mohawk Avenue, 1933
Scotia’s story
190 years in pictures
Census counts: 222 in 1880, 7,272 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1730 and 5 maps from 1893 on.
- 1836Scotia is settled
ScotiaNY
Population
7,295
2025 Census estimate · +0.5% since 2020
Typical home
$261K
+3.8% in a year
Household income
$77K
median
Median age
39.1
years
Jobs based here
961
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#104 of 745 in NY
Is Scotia a good place to live?
Scotia gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $261K for a typical one, or 3 years of the Albany metro’s $88K median household income. It grades A overall, 104th among New York's 745 graded towns. On the plus side, CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 88% of the country. Scotia is more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Collins Park, at 53 acres. 4.9% of residents live below the poverty line in Scotia, below both the New York town median (9.5%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%).
What makes Scotia stand out
Where Scotia beats most towns.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Scotia for work
Where Scotia’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
961jobs based in Scotia
3%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Scotia grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Scotia is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 13.8 of 20; 17.5% of households have no carAOpen →HealthEllis Hospital 2.3 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & income$77K median household incomeA−Open →Cost of livingBOpen →SchoolsBeat 56% of New York districts on tests and graduationBOpen →SafetyB−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 5% conserved landBOpen →History5 notable people born hereA−Open →Civic life3.7 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 89 attractions →Great Escape and 41 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Scotia. Close and well known come first.
38 mi Theme parkGreat Escape
16 mi Stadium & arenaMVP Arena
19 mi MuseumNational Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
18 mi MuseumUSS Slater
17 mi Ancient siteFort Orange
17 mi MuseumSchuyler MansionSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Great Escape: Jared and Corin, CC BY-SA 2.0 · MVP Arena: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame: Peter Flass, 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
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Scotia: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Scotia, and how to reach them.
PowerNational Grid19.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterScotia Village Water WorksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offCity of Schenectady Solid Waste Transfer Station, 2 miOpenStreetMap
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 hereSchenectady County Board of ElectionsSchenectady County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2021
ZIP code1230212302 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 Scotia.
Scotia pairs an A overall with homes cheaper than the New York norm, has less food insecurity than most of New York and sends most of its workers to Schenectady and beyond.
OutdoorsB
Scotia has set aside 5.3% of its land for conservation
1.2 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Scotia’s trail density is 0.7 miles per square mile.
#209for trails in NY
| Scotia | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.3% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
5.3%
conserved · 60 of 1,136 acres
1.2 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Collins Park | 0.7 mi | 53 |
| 2. Freedom Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA
For health, Scotia earns an A
Its widest gap with New York is food insecurity: 9.9% of its 5,759 adults worry about having enough food, against 17.2% statewide.
19% of adults get no exercise outside work in Scotia. Scotia beats the New York average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 8.7% of adults have diabetes in Scotia.
88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Scotia | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 25% | 25% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 8.7% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 17% | 19% |
32 measures vs. New York
12 better19 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Scotia | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.9% | 17.2% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9% | 7.7% |
Ellis Hospital
2.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
77th
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B
For cost of living, Scotia earns a B
Scotia grades A overall with a typical home of about $261K, below the New York typical value; only 33 of the 89 New York towns graded A− or better can say that.
The typical Scotia home is worth about $261,000, up 3.8% in a year, 50% below the New York typical home.
$261KZillow home value
| Scotia | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,031 a month | $1,103 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Scotia$261K
New York$525K
Market temperature
7
days on market
102.5%
sale-to-list price
+3.8%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Most working residents commute out of Scotia
Scotia has 961 jobs for its 3,455 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. Jobs based here fell from 1,362 in 2013 to 961.
Most working residents leave Scotia for work: only 3% work in town. Jobs based in Scotia fell to 961 in 2023, 401 fewer than in 2013. The average trip to work in Scotia is 23 minutes.
3%work in town
| Scotia | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.4% | 10% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Scotia3%
Schenectady16%
Albany16%
Glenville12%
Colonie11%
11 mi
median commute distance
961
jobs based in Scotia
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Scotia has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Scotia has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 14° and about 56 inches of snow falls in a winter.
56″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–35°
Spring35–57°
Summer58–81°
Fall41–61°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.4°
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. 38% of Scotia adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
39.1median age · NY 39.8
| Scotia | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 38% | 32% | 29% |
| Median age | 39.1 years | 43 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 20% | 22% |
ScotiaNew YorkUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school23%
Some college17%
Associate’s17%
Bachelor’s23%
Graduate15%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
About 84 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±4.1 points). Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.
| Scotia | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.8% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.2% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.2% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 17.1% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.8% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.7% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.7% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.2% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.2% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.6% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 23% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.5% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 16.9% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.9% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15.2% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
SafetyB−
Crime per resident in Scotia is lower than in 54% of U.S. towns
Reported crimes fell from 106 to 63 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 7 reported in 2025, 1 per 1,000 residents.
54%of U.S. towns report more crimeB−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Scotia1
New York3.7
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Scotia7.6
New York15.7
U.S.15.5
54th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
44th
percentile among NY towns
7
violent crimes reported in 2025
56
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Scotia faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities. Since 1980, 49 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Scotia.
50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoes
49
paid flood claims since 1980
10
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Scotia
20pages on Scotia
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 56% of NY districtsSafetyB−1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than NY on 12 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$261K typical home · up 3.8% in a yearWork & commuteA−$77K median household income · 961 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 50% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
9 within 15 miles of the center of Scotia
Schenectady County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Schenectady1.3 mi$6,190 in-state tuitionUnion CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Schenectady1.9 mi$69,039 tuitionUniversity at AlbanyUniversity or college · Public · Albany12.2 mi$10,866 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Scotia residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York.
Famous people from Scotia
5 notable people were born in Scotia.
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About Scotia
Village in New York, United States
Scotia is a village in Schenectady County, New York, United States, incorporated in 1904. The population was 7,272 at the 2020 census. Scotia is part of the town of Glenville, and is connected with the city of Schenectady by the Western Gateway Bridge over the Mohawk River.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 243 ft
Scotia’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Scotia.
East GlenvilleScotia
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotia | #104 | A | B | B− | B | A |
| East Glenville | — | — | — | — | — | — |
East Glenville isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Scotia with a neighbor →
Questions about Scotia
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Scotia, NY a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Scotia grades A overall, better than 88% of U.S. towns and #104 of 745 in New York. It grades A for health, B− for safety and B for schools.
Is Scotia, 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 B.
What is Scotia, NY known for?
5 notable people were born here, including Conyers Herring and Laura Diaz.