Schenectady NY vs Tallahassee FL — 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%

Tallahassee, FL

Florida · Population: 199,696

  • Median HH Income$55,931
  • Median Home Price$293,664
  • Unemployment6.5%
  • Bachelor's+51.0%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Schenectady
28,542
Tallahassee
199,696
Tallahassee +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Schenectady
N/A
Tallahassee
N/A
Median Age
Schenectady
42.3
Tallahassee
28.0
Tallahassee +
Foreign Born
Schenectady
6.8%
Tallahassee
8.0%
Tallahassee +
White
Schenectady
86.7%
Schenectady +
Tallahassee
50.7%
Black
Schenectady
3.1%
Tallahassee
35.7%
Tallahassee +
Asian
Schenectady
3.0%
Tallahassee
4.0%
Tallahassee +
Hispanic
Schenectady
4.7%
Tallahassee
8.6%
Tallahassee +
Spanish at Home
Schenectady
N/A
Tallahassee
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Schenectady
$100,485
Schenectady +
Tallahassee
$55,931
Per Capita Income
Schenectady
$62,931
Schenectady +
Tallahassee
$35,704
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Schenectady
$77,425
Schenectady +
Tallahassee
$65,328
Unemployment Rate
Schenectady
2.3%
Schenectady +
Tallahassee
6.5%
Poverty Rate
Schenectady
10.3%
Schenectady +
Tallahassee
23.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
Schenectady
58.8%
Schenectady +
Tallahassee
51.0%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Schenectady
$321,835
Tallahassee
$293,664
Tallahassee +
Homeownership Rate
Schenectady
57.5%
Schenectady +
Tallahassee
39.5%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Schenectady
434
Tallahassee
324
Tallahassee +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Schenectady
1736
Tallahassee
1453
Tallahassee +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Schenectady
38.6%
Tallahassee
34.1%
Tallahassee +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Schenectady
12.3%
Tallahassee
9.6%
Tallahassee +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Schenectady
19.2%
Schenectady +
Tallahassee
20.3%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Schenectady
9.7%
Schenectady +
Tallahassee
13.2%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Schenectady
15.2%
Schenectady +
Tallahassee
16.7%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Schenectady
16.9%
Tallahassee
12.2%
Tallahassee +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Schenectady
N/A
Tallahassee
67.6°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Schenectady
N/A
Tallahassee
58.1 in

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Schenectady
26.2 min
Tallahassee
20.3 min
Tallahassee +

Which City is Right for You?

Schenectady leads in median household income at $100,485, while tallahassee offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $293,664. On public safety, Tallahassee is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 434 in Schenectady. Schenectady has a lower unemployment rate at 2.3%, and Tallahassee has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Tallahassee scores better with a lower obesity rate of 34.1%.

Compare More Cities

About Schenectady & Tallahassee