This is the spot where Thomas Edison first founded the General Electric Company, where the American Locomotive Works made nearly every steam and diesel locomotive that pulled passengers, where George Westinghouse first thought up air brakes and the rotary engine that helped move freight across the country and where New York State's first historic district, the Stockade, was named. Once known as "The City that Lights and Hauls the World," Schenectady is an exciting moving destination positioned for a new generation of growth and opportunity.
History:
Many people believe the Mohawk inhabited the areas consisting of Schenectady and nearby Niskayuna; however, evidence suggests if there were settlements in the area of Schenectady and Niskayuna, they more than likely belonged to the Mohican, who by the mid-1600s had been forced east of the Hudson River. Schenectady is home to the station WGY-AM, one of the first commercial radio stations in the country. The station was named after its owner, General Electric, and the city of Schenectady. General Electric is also credited with generating the first regular television broadcasts in the United States in 1928. This television station is now WRGB, the Capital District's NBC affiliate, and more recently, its CBS affiliate.
Economy:
Schenectady, New York is ranked fourth in the country's highest paid states. With its mean salary of about $48,000, Schenectady, New York continues to fight to proven itself to be an economically stable region. Government workers account for about 18% of the city's workers. Seventy-seven point seven percent of workers comprise private wage and salary workers. Median household income in Schenectady, New York is around $29,000, and the median family income averages $36,000. The earnings of male full-time workers, in Schenectady, New York are estimated at $31,000, while the amount of earnings for full-time, female workers is slightly above $25,000. Impressively, no family residing in Schenectady lives below the poverty line.
Demographics:
There are approximately 62,000 people residing in the city of Schenectady. The racial makeup of the city was 77% White, 15% African American and 6% of the population is Hispanic or Latino. The median age is 35 years. The median income for a household in the city is approximately $30,000, and the median income for a family is around $36,000. Males had a median income of approximately $31,000 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the city is around $17,000 and 20% of the population lives below the poverty line.