PlainZIP

Rensselaer, NY · standard

ZIP Code 12144

Rensselaer County, New York - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

20,555
419/sq mi
$90,738
Median income
$249,700
Median home value
38.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Rensselaer pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 26%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 43%
home value, US ZIPs
419
people per sq mi
59%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 12144 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 12144 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Rensselaer, Rensselaer County, New York, with 20,555 residents across 49.0 square miles, a density of 419 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 12144 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $90,738 (2% below the New York average), while per-capita income is $46,062. Local economic indicators show a 11.0% poverty rate alongside 3.6% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $249,700 (34% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,366 monthly, and 59.0% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 38.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.7, and the average commute is 22 minutes. To put 12144 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Rensselaer County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 12144

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rensselaer, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 12144.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 12144, Rensselaer, NY · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

20,555

Population

49.0

Area (sq mi)

419

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 12144?

40.7

Median Age

48.1%

Male

51.9%

Female

7.9%

Foreign-Born

White 76.5%
African American 6.4%
Asian 7.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$90,738

Median Household Income

-2% vs state

$46,062

Per Capita Income

11.0%

Poverty Rate

3.6%

Unemployment Rate

21.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 12144 ranks nationally

Rensselaer, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$90,738 Top 26% higher than 74% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 61.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

10,563

Total Housing Units

9,627

Occupied Units

936

Vacant Units

2.28

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 59.0%
Renter 41.0%

$249,700

Median Home Value

-34% vs state

$1,366

Median Rent

1971

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+11.4%

YoY Change (2024)

292

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+192%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 12144 have increased 11.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +192% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.1% 199
2021 +11.3% 222
2022 +12.7% 250
2023 +5.0% 262
2024 +11.4% 292

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 429 business establishments in ZIP 12144, employing approximately 11,684 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,209,396,000.

429

Businesses

11,684

Employees

$1.2B

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 76 17.7%
Accommodation and food services 62 14.4%
Other services (except public administration) 55 12.8%
Construction 48 11.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 45 10.5%
Health care and social assistance 40 9.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 22 5.1%
Wholesale trade 18 4.2%
Transportation and warehousing 13 3.0%
Finance and insurance 12 2.8%
Manufacturing 11 2.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 9 2.1%
Information 6 1.4%
Educational services 5 1.2%
Utilities 3 0.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 12144 vs 12202 →

ZIP 12144 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 12144 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 12144 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 12144 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
12202 Albany, NY 9,628 2.3 mi
12207 Albany, NY 1,948 2.4 mi
12204 Albany, NY 7,349 4.1 mi
12210 Albany, NY 10,158 2.9 mi
12209 Albany, NY 10,121 3.7 mi
12061 East Greenbush, NY 9,050 3.9 mi
12077 Glenmont, NY 6,246 4.2 mi
12196 West Sand Lake, NY 3,031 5.1 mi
12033 Castleton On Hudson, NY 7,851 6.4 mi
12189 Watervliet, NY 17,568 7.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Rensselaer County

12180 standard
Troy, NY
Pop: 53,606
12182 standard
Troy, NY
Pop: 14,733
12061 standard
East Greenbush, NY
Pop: 9,050
12018 standard
Averill Park, NY
Pop: 7,930
12198 standard
Wynantskill, NY
Pop: 7,903
12033 standard
Castleton On Hudson, NY
Pop: 7,851

Related Areas

Rensselaer County Rensselaer, NY New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 12144 in? ▼
ZIP code 12144 (Rensselaer) is located in Rensselaer County, New York. Rensselaer County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/rensselaer-ny.
What is the population of ZIP code 12144? ▼
ZIP code 12144 in Rensselaer, NY has a population of 20,555 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 12144? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 12144 is $90,738, which is 19% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 12144? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 12144 is $249,700, which is 10% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 12144? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 12144 is White at 76.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 12144? ▼
ZIP code 12144 has 429 business establishments employing approximately 11,684 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 12144? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 12144 are: Retail trade (76), Accommodation and food services (62), Other services (except public administration) (55). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 12144? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 12144 increased by 11.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 192%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 12144? ▼
In ZIP code 12144, 61.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 12144? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 12144 is 21.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 12144? ▼
In ZIP code 12144, approximately 59.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 41.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 12144? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 12144 is 11.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.