Murrieta 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)

Murrieta, CA

California · Population: 84,304

  • Median HH Income$158,461
  • Median Home Price$690,322
  • Unemployment4.4%
  • Bachelor's+69.6%

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
Murrieta
84,304
Murrieta +
Schenectady
28,542
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Murrieta
N/A
Schenectady
N/A
Median Age
Murrieta
46.0
Schenectady
42.3
Schenectady +
Foreign Born
Murrieta
15.9%
Murrieta +
Schenectady
6.8%
White
Murrieta
79.2%
Schenectady
86.7%
Schenectady +
Black
Murrieta
0.7%
Schenectady
3.1%
Schenectady +
Asian
Murrieta
8.1%
Murrieta +
Schenectady
3.0%
Hispanic
Murrieta
10.1%
Murrieta +
Schenectady
4.7%
Spanish at Home
Murrieta
N/A
Schenectady
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Murrieta
$158,461
Murrieta +
Schenectady
$100,485
Per Capita Income
Murrieta
$113,918
Murrieta +
Schenectady
$62,931
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Murrieta
$77,230
Schenectady
$77,425
Schenectady +
Unemployment Rate
Murrieta
4.4%
Schenectady
2.3%
Schenectady +
Poverty Rate
Murrieta
7.3%
Murrieta +
Schenectady
10.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
Murrieta
69.6%
Murrieta +
Schenectady
58.8%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Murrieta
$690,322
Schenectady
$321,835
Schenectady +
Homeownership Rate
Murrieta
53.1%
Schenectady
57.5%
Schenectady +

Safety

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

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
33.4%
Murrieta +
Schenectady
38.6%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
10.0%
Murrieta +
Schenectady
12.3%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Murrieta
17.0%
Murrieta +
Schenectady
19.2%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
7.5%
Murrieta +
Schenectady
9.7%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
15.6%
Schenectady
15.2%
Schenectady +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Murrieta
10.0%
Murrieta +
Schenectady
16.9%

Climate

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

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Murrieta
24.9 min
Murrieta +
Schenectady
26.2 min

Which City is Right for You?

Murrieta leads in median household income at $158,461, 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 Murrieta. Schenectady has a lower unemployment rate at 2.3%, and Murrieta has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Murrieta scores better with a lower obesity rate of 33.4%.

Compare More Cities

About Murrieta & Schenectady