Huntington Beach CA vs Schenectady NY — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Huntington Beach, CA

California · Population: 196,010

  • Median HH Income$119,885
  • Median Home Price$1,364,265
  • Unemployment5.4%
  • Bachelor's+47.2%

Schenectady, NY

New York · Population: 28,542

  • Median HH Income$100,485
  • Median Home Price$321,835
  • Unemployment2.3%
  • Bachelor's+58.8%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Huntington Beach
196,010
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
28,542
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Huntington Beach
N/A
Schenectady
N/A
Median Age
Huntington Beach
43.4
Schenectady
42.3
Schenectady +
Foreign Born
Huntington Beach
16.4%
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
6.8%
White
Huntington Beach
64.3%
Schenectady
86.7%
Schenectady +
Black
Huntington Beach
1.3%
Schenectady
3.1%
Schenectady +
Asian
Huntington Beach
12.6%
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
3.0%
Hispanic
Huntington Beach
19.4%
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
4.7%
Spanish at Home
Huntington Beach
N/A
Schenectady
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Huntington Beach
$119,885
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
$100,485
Per Capita Income
Huntington Beach
$62,450
Schenectady
$62,931
Schenectady +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Huntington Beach
$77,230
Schenectady
$77,425
Schenectady +
Unemployment Rate
Huntington Beach
5.4%
Schenectady
2.3%
Schenectady +
Poverty Rate
Huntington Beach
7.4%
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
10.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
Huntington Beach
47.2%
Schenectady
58.8%
Schenectady +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Huntington Beach
$1,364,265
Schenectady
$321,835
Schenectady +
Homeownership Rate
Huntington Beach
55.8%
Schenectady
57.5%
Schenectady +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Huntington Beach
503
Schenectady
434
Schenectady +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Huntington Beach
2388
Schenectady
1736
Schenectady +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Huntington Beach
24.0%
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
38.6%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Huntington Beach
10.2%
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
12.3%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Huntington Beach
16.2%
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
19.2%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Huntington Beach
6.4%
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
9.7%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Huntington Beach
16.2%
Schenectady
15.2%
Schenectady +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Huntington Beach
8.9%
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
16.9%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Huntington Beach
N/A
Schenectady
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Huntington Beach
N/A
Schenectady
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Huntington Beach
7.9 µg/m³
Huntington Beach +
Schenectady
8.1 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Huntington Beach
75.0%
Schenectady
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Huntington Beach
31.2 min
Schenectady
26.2 min
Schenectady +

Which City is Right for You?

Huntington Beach leads in median household income at $119,885, while schenectady offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $321,835. On public safety, Schenectady is safer with a violent crime rate of 434 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Huntington Beach. Schenectady has a lower unemployment rate at 2.3%, and Huntington Beach has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Huntington Beach scores better with a lower obesity rate of 24.0%.

Compare More Cities

About Huntington Beach & Schenectady