United States › New York › Rensselaer CITY
Rensselaer New York · 9,421 residents (2025 est.) · 3.18 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Rensselaer is home to 9,287 people in New York. Owners hold 43% of the housing stock. 26% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Density works out to 2,921 people per square mile. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $208,900. 1,526 more people live here than in 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
26% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 38%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 7,761 in 2000
9,421 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,921 / sq mi
+18%since 2009
from 2,479 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 8K 9K 9K 10K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Rensselaer Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $70,080
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,730 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,674 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 12.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.429 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 7.1%
Public administration 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.7%
Education & health services 0.5%
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$208,900
+38%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,219
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $509 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 49.7% in 2000
56.7% rent
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.28 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 87.9%(6,821)
Hispanic / Latino 2.1%(165)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 66.6%(6,184)
from 35 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 70.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 23.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 94.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 82.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 41.4%(1,472)
Women 15+
Never married 38.5%(1,540)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 28.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 70.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 46.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 7.1%(25)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.6%(80)
Share of the 354 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Rensselaer, New York? Rensselaer, New York has about 9,287 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Rensselaer, New York? The typical household in Rensselaer, New York earns about $70,080 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Rensselaer, New York expensive? In Rensselaer, New York, the median home is worth about $208,900, and the typical rent is about $1,219 a month.
How educated are people in Rensselaer, New York? About 26.1% of adults age 25 and over in Rensselaer, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Rensselaer, New York? About 17.9% of people in Rensselaer, New York live below the federal poverty line.
Has Rensselaer, New York grown since 1990? Yes, Rensselaer, New York has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,032 residents, a change of about 13 percent over that period.
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