PlainZIP

Schenectady, NY · standard

ZIP Code 12304

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

21,482
1,217/sq mi
$69,235
Median income
$179,200
Median home value
25.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Schenectady pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

45th pct
household income, US ZIPs
38th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,217
people per sq mi
60%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 12304 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 12304 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Schenectady, Schenectady County, New York, with 21,482 residents across 17.7 square miles, a density of 1,217 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 12304 reports a modest median household income of $69,235 (25% below the New York average), while per-capita income is $36,797. Poverty here runs at 22.1%, with unemployment measured at 8.6%. Median home value sits at $179,200 (53% below the state average), median rent at $1,100 a month, and owner-occupancy at 59.6%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 25.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Schenectady County, so you can benchmark 12304 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 12304

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Schenectady, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 12304.

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 12304, Schenectady, 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

21,482

Population

17.7

Area (sq mi)

1,217

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 12304?

41.0

Median Age

48.3%

Male

51.7%

Female

16.9%

Foreign-Born

White 47.6%
African American 19.3%
Asian 11.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 16.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.5%

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?

$69,235

Median Household Income

-25% vs state

$36,797

Per Capita Income

22.1%

Poverty Rate

8.6%

Unemployment Rate

22.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 12304 ranks nationally

Schenectady, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$69,235 45th percentile higher than 45% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 57.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 25.6%

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

What does housing look like?

9,495

Total Housing Units

9,306

Occupied Units

189

Vacant Units

2.36

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 59.6%
Renter 40.4%

$179,200

Median Home Value

-53% vs state

$1,100

Median Rent

1956

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

+2.6%

YoY Change (2024)

290

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+190%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 12304 have increased 2.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +190% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.5% 195
2021 +10.6% 215
2022 +14.1% 246
2023 +15.0% 283
2024 +2.6% 290

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 406 business establishments in ZIP 12304, employing approximately 5,491 people with a combined annual payroll of $239,994,000.

406

Businesses

5,491

Employees

$240.0M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 103 25.4%
Other services (except public administration) 51 12.6%
Accommodation and food services 50 12.3%
Health care and social assistance 42 10.3%
Construction 36 8.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 19 4.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 17 4.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 16 3.9%
Finance and insurance 15 3.7%
Manufacturing 11 2.7%
Information 11 2.7%
Transportation and warehousing 10 2.5%
Educational services 10 2.5%
Wholesale trade 7 1.7%
Management of companies and enterprises 4 1.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 1.0%

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 12304 vs 12303 →

ZIP 12304 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 12304 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 12304 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 12304 ranks #7 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
12303 Schenectady, NY 29,857 2.2 mi
12309 Schenectady, NY 29,343 2.2 mi
12307 Schenectady, NY 7,692 2.8 mi
12308 Schenectady, NY 15,335 3.5 mi
12084 Guilderland, NY 4,271 4.8 mi
12008 Alplaus, NY 497 5.5 mi
12305 Schenectady, NY 5,716 3.8 mi
12148 Rexford, NY 4,569 4.9 mi
12205 Albany, NY 26,977 5.1 mi
12085 Guilderland Center, NY 479 5.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Schenectady County

12303 standard
Schenectady, NY
Pop: 29,857
12309 standard
Schenectady, NY
Pop: 29,343
12302 standard
Schenectady, NY
Pop: 27,582
12306 standard
Schenectady, NY
Pop: 25,636
12308 standard
Schenectady, NY
Pop: 15,335
12307 standard
Schenectady, NY
Pop: 7,692

Related Areas

Schenectady County Schenectady, NY New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 12304 in? ▼
ZIP code 12304 (Schenectady) is located in Schenectady County, New York. Schenectady County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/schenectady-ny.
What is the population of ZIP code 12304? ▼
ZIP code 12304 in Schenectady, NY has a population of 21,482 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 12304? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 12304 is $69,235, which is 9% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 12304? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 12304 is $179,200, which is 36% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 12304? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 12304 is White at 47.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 12304? ▼
ZIP code 12304 has 406 business establishments employing approximately 5,491 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 12304? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 12304 are: Retail trade (103), Other services (except public administration) (51), Accommodation and food services (50). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 12304? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 12304 increased by 2.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 190%. 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 12304? ▼
In ZIP code 12304, 57.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.6% 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 12304? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 12304 is 22.8 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 12304? ▼
In ZIP code 12304, approximately 59.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 40.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 12304? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 12304 is 22.1% 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.