Schenectady NY vs Shreveport LA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

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

Schenectady, NY

New York · Population: 28,542

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

Shreveport, LA

Louisiana · Population: 183,483

  • Median HH Income$48,465
  • Median Home Price$146,463
  • Unemployment8.9%
  • Bachelor's+27.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Schenectady
28,542
Shreveport
183,483
Shreveport +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Schenectady
N/A
Shreveport
N/A
Median Age
Schenectady
42.3
Shreveport
37.5
Shreveport +
Foreign Born
Schenectady
6.8%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
2.6%
White
Schenectady
86.7%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
36.5%
Black
Schenectady
3.1%
Shreveport
56.1%
Shreveport +
Asian
Schenectady
3.0%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
1.5%
Hispanic
Schenectady
4.7%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
3.9%
Spanish at Home
Schenectady
N/A
Shreveport
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Schenectady
$100,485
Schenectady +
Shreveport
$48,465
Per Capita Income
Schenectady
$62,931
Schenectady +
Shreveport
$33,788
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Schenectady
$77,425
Schenectady +
Shreveport
$55,297
Unemployment Rate
Schenectady
2.3%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
8.9%
Poverty Rate
Schenectady
10.3%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
23.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
Schenectady
58.8%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
27.5%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Schenectady
$321,835
Shreveport
$146,463
Shreveport +
Homeownership Rate
Schenectady
57.5%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
53.8%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Schenectady
434
Schenectady +
Shreveport
643
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Schenectady
1736
Schenectady +
Shreveport
2824

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Schenectady
38.6%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
43.1%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Schenectady
12.3%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
17.6%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Schenectady
19.2%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
20.1%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Schenectady
9.7%
Shreveport
9.6%
Shreveport +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Schenectady
15.2%
Shreveport
14.5%
Shreveport +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Schenectady
16.9%
Schenectady +
Shreveport
19.1%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Schenectady
N/A
Shreveport
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Schenectady
N/A
Shreveport
52.7 in

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Schenectady
26.2 min
Shreveport
20.5 min
Shreveport +

Which City is Right for You?

Schenectady leads in median household income at $100,485, while shreveport offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $146,463. On public safety, Schenectady is safer with a violent crime rate of 434 per 100,000 residents, compared to 643 in Shreveport. Schenectady has a lower unemployment rate at 2.3%, and Schenectady has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.1 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Schenectady scores better with a lower obesity rate of 38.6%.

Compare More Cities

About Schenectady & Shreveport