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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Schenectady, NY

Population: 68,476 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
47/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$3.0B
Per Capita
$44,459
Total Revenue
$885.6M
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
62.6%$1.9B
Utilities
21.6%$658.0M
Police
6.4%$194.4M
Public Welfare
3.2%$98.3M
Health
2.0%$61.6M
Housing & Community Development
1.7%$53.2M
Highways & Roads
1.0%$30.1M
Fire Protection
0.9%$27.8M
Parks & Recreation
0.3%$8.4M
Interest on Debt
0.1%$3.2M
Hospitals
0.1%$2.3M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
0.5%$4.4M
Income Tax
0.2%$1.8M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$885.6M
Other
37.4%$331.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$2,839/person
Fire Protection$406/person
Highways & Roads$440/person
Parks & Recreation$122/person
Health$899/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)28/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Schenectady stacks up against another city.

vs New York, NYvs Buffalo, NYvs Rochester, NY
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in New York

New York, NY

Pop. 8.6M

C
Total Spending
$1113.3B
Per Capita
$129,119

Buffalo, NY

Pop. 277K

C
Total Spending
$16.7B
Per Capita
$60,354

Rochester, NY

Pop. 211K

D
Total Spending
$15.9B
Per Capita
$75,154

Yonkers, NY

Pop. 210K

C
Total Spending
$13.2B
Per Capita
$62,907

Compare Schenectady With

New York, NY

Spending: $129,119/person · Grade: C

Buffalo, NY

Spending: $60,354/person · Grade: C

Rochester, NY

Spending: $75,154/person · Grade: D

Yonkers, NY

Spending: $62,907/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Schenectady, NY spends $44,459 per resident, based on total expenditures of $3.0B for a population of 68,476. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (47/100).

Schenectady, NY has total expenditures of $3.0B and total revenue of $885.6M. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Schenectady, NY employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Schenectady, NY has a Fiscal Health Score of D (47/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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