Schenectady, NY Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions: Schenectady, NY Crime & Safety (2026)

Is Schenectady safe?

Schenectady earns a city-wide safety rating of Safe (B) based on analysis of 12 neighborhoods. Exactly 75% of those neighborhoods fall into the A or B grade range, meaning the majority of the city's roughly 65,336 residents live in areas with low to moderate crime. The two top-rated neighborhoods — Pine Bush (A+) and Fort Hunter / McCormack Corners (A+) — both have median household incomes above $127,000, which correlates strongly with their low crime levels. On the other end, Hamilton Hill and Vale and Central State both hold a C grade, indicating elevated risk relative to the city average. No neighborhood in Schenectady received a D or F grade, which is a meaningful benchmark: even the city's highest-crime areas are not in the most dangerous tier nationally. Practicing standard precautions — locking vehicles, staying aware of surroundings at night, and checking the Schenectady crime map regularly — goes a long way in the neighborhoods rated C.

What is the crime rate in Schenectady, NY?

Schenectady carries an overall crime grade of D+ when measured against national benchmarks, yet its neighborhood-level breakdown tells a more nuanced story. Of the 12 neighborhoods analyzed for 2026: 4 neighborhoods (33.3%) earned an A grade, 5 neighborhoods (41.7%) earned a B grade, and 3 neighborhoods (25%) earned a C grade. Critically, zero neighborhoods received a D or F. This distribution means that while the city-wide aggregate lags behind many U.S. cities — likely influenced by Schenectady's 9.5% unemployment rate and 20.1% poverty rate, both of which are established predictors of crime — residents who choose their neighborhood carefully can live in areas that grade out as genuinely safe. Union Street (A-) and Downtown (A-) are particularly notable: both achieve strong safety grades despite having median incomes of $78,000 and $37,085 respectively, showing that low income does not automatically translate to high crime at the neighborhood level.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Schenectady?

Based on 2026 data, the safest neighborhoods in Schenectady rank as follows:

1. Pine Bush — A+: Population 3,278; median household income $127,795. The city's top-rated neighborhood by safety.
2. Fort Hunter / McCormack Corners — A+: Population 7,728; median income $129,591. The highest median income of any analyzed neighborhood, paired with the best crime grade.
3. Union Street — A-: Population 8,019; median income $78,000. One of the larger safe neighborhoods, offering a broad housing market.
4. Downtown — A-: Population 4,860; median income $37,085. Notably safe given its lower income level, making it one of the more affordable safe options.
5. Stockade — B+: Population 1,485; median income $59,144. A historic district with a strong safety profile.
6. Bellevue — B+: Population 6,746; median income $63,082.
7. Woodlawn — B+: Population 8,855; median income $62,544. The largest neighborhood in the B+ tier.

Together, these seven neighborhoods account for a substantial share of Schenectady's total population and all carry grades of B+ or better — a strong indicator of day-to-day safety for residents and visitors alike.

Which Schenectady neighborhoods have higher crime?

Three neighborhoods in the 2026 analysis carry a C grade, indicating above-average crime relative to the rest of the city: Hamilton Hill and Vale (C), Central State (C+), and Eastern Avenue (C+). Two additional neighborhoods — Mont Pleasant (B-) and Northside (B) — sit in the lower half of the B range, meaning they are still considered safe by city standards but show more crime activity than top-rated areas. Mont Pleasant is the most populous neighborhood analyzed at 10,125 residents with a median income of $47,187, close to the city median of $47,773. Eastern Avenue has a smaller population of 3,142 and a median income of $44,794. Importantly, even the C-graded neighborhoods did not reach D or F territory, which provides important context: Schenectady's higher-crime areas are elevated locally but not among the most dangerous neighborhoods in New York State.

Is Schenectady a good place to live in 2026?

Schenectady offers genuine affordability that is increasingly rare in New York State: a median home value of just $113,185 and a median rent of $919/month put homeownership and renting within reach for households earning near the city's median income of $47,773. The trade-offs are real — a 9.5% unemployment rate runs above the national average, and a 20.1% poverty rate reflects economic stress in parts of the city. However, the neighborhood safety data is more encouraging than the city-wide crime grade of D+ might suggest. With 75% of neighborhoods graded A or B and none graded D or F, families and individuals who research specific areas — particularly Pine Bush, Fort Hunter / McCormack Corners, Woodlawn, and Union Street — can find safe communities at prices far below comparable neighborhoods in Albany or Troy. The Schenectady crime map is the most practical tool for narrowing down which specific blocks and corridors within each neighborhood align with your safety priorities.

How does Schenectady's safety compare across its neighborhoods?

The spread between Schenectady's safest and most crime-affected neighborhoods is meaningful but not extreme. The top tier — Pine Bush and Fort Hunter / McCormack Corners, both A+ — benefits from high median incomes ($127,795 and $129,591 respectively) and lower population density within those areas. The middle tier, including Stockade (B+), Bellevue (B+), and Woodlawn (B+), offers solid safety with median incomes clustering between $59,000 and $63,000. The bottom tier — Hamilton Hill and Vale (C) and Central State (C+) — reflects areas where economic pressures are more acute. Across all 12 neighborhoods, 33.3% earned an A, 41.7% earned a B, and 25% earned a C. The complete absence of D and F grades citywide is a distinguishing feature: it means Schenectady does not have the kind of severely distressed, high-crime pockets that appear in some comparably sized Northeastern cities. Using the crime map to compare grades neighborhood by neighborhood gives the clearest picture of where safety levels diverge most sharply within the city.