Rensselaer County, New York
36 ZIP codes · Avg score 54/100 · Grade D · Updated 2026-06-04
State safety rankings put Rensselaer County near the bottom — 36 ZIP codes, below-average compliance.
How Rensselaer County Compares
How Rensselaer County Compares
Rensselaer County scores 7 points below the New York state average (61/100) and 14 points below the national average (68/100).
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-04
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Rensselaer County, New York
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 11.8 (asthma 10.7%, diabetes 10%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $2,104, driven primarily by sea_level
Infrastructure: 0.463% avg pipe failure probability, 78% of ZIPs at high risk
71% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2021–2024)
↓ Improving trendEPA violation counts by year across Rensselaer County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2022 with 18 violations. Past 5 years: 37 total (37 health-based). Health-based violations are declining versus the prior 2-year window.
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $2,104
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
114,595 housing units in Rensselaer County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Rensselaer County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Rensselaer County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for Rensselaer County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water Systems with Most Violations
Top 5 systems in Rensselaer County ranked by EPA violation count.
| # | Water System | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Troy City Public Water System | 51,401 | 54 |
| 2 | Brunswick Consolidated Water District | 7,050 | 54 |
| 3 | Brookside Senior Housing | 40 | 51 |
| 4 | Brunswick Water District #11 | 249 | 48 |
| 5 | Brunswick Water District# 16 | 200 | 48 |
33 total water systems serve Rensselaer County.
All ZIP Codes in Rensselaer County
36 ZIP codes tracked in Rensselaer County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12138 | Petersburg | 69 | C | 2 | $182K |
| 2 | 12153 | Sand Lake | 69 | C | 3 | $304K |
| 3 | 12022 | Berlin | 68 | C | 4 | $180K |
| 4 | 12061 | East Greenbush | 68 | C | 2 (2 health) | $311K |
| 5 | 12018 | Averill Park | 65 | C | 0 | $319K |
| 6 | 12123 | Nassau | 65 | C | 4 | $275K |
| 7 | 12168 | Stephentown | 65 | C | 10 (2 health) | $216K |
| 8 | 12090 | Hoosick Falls | 64 | C | 4 (1 health) | $188K |
| 9 | 12181 | Troy | 64 | C | 16 (3 health) | — |
| 10 | 12033 | Castleton On Hudson | 63 | C | 4 | $268K |
| 11 | 12140 | Poestenkill | 63 | C | 6 (4 health) | $305K |
| 12 | 12121 | Melrose | 62 | C | 11 (3 health) | $260K |
| 13 | 12198 | Wynantskill | 62 | C | 6 (3 health) | $282K |
| 14 | 12169 | Stephentown | 60 | C | 10 (2 health) | $184K |
| 15 | 12144 | Rensselaer | 55 | C | 6 (5 health) | $235K |
| 16 | 12180 | Troy | 54 | D | 16 (3 health) | $233K |
| 17 | 12182 | Troy | 54 | D | 16 (3 health) | $195K |
| 18 | 11789 | Sound Beach | 53 | D | 0 | $384K |
| 19 | 12028 | Buskirk | 53 | D | 0 | $218K |
| 20 | 12052 | Cropseyville | 53 | D | 0 | $229K |
| 21 | 12089 | Hoosick | 53 | D | 0 | — |
| 22 | 12094 | Johnsonville | 53 | D | 0 | $240K |
| 23 | 12196 | West Sand Lake | 53 | D | 0 | $338K |
| 24 | 11720 | Centereach | 45 | D | 0 | $472K |
| 25 | 11764 | Miller Place | 45 | D | 0 | $589K |
| 26 | 11766 | Mount Sinai | 45 | D | 0 | $633K |
| 27 | 11776 | Port Jefferson Station | 45 | D | 0 | $463K |
| 28 | 11790 | Stony Brook | 45 | D | 0 | $590K |
| 29 | 13417 | New York Mills | 45 | D | 0 | $160K |
| 30 | 11733 | East Setauket | 40 | D | 0 | $653K |
| 31 | 11794 | Stony Brook | 40 | D | 0 | — |
| 32 | 12040 | Cherry Plain | 40 | D | 0 | $309K |
| 33 | 12082 | Grafton | 40 | D | 0 | — |
| 34 | 12133 | North Hoosick | 40 | D | 0 | — |
| 35 | 12185 | Valley Falls | 40 | D | 0 | $209K |
| 36 | 13479 | Washington Mills | 40 | D | 0 | — |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Rensselaer County
Designed to find the guide that fits the county, not the other way around — the system reads EPA detections, FEMA hazard layers, and CDC lead-exposure markers, then outputs the categories that resolve those specific risks for households here, with NSF-certified products surfaced when the matching contaminant appears in the local monitoring data.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 71% of homes built before 1978
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
- Best Radon Test Kits — EPA Radon Zone 1 (highest risk) dominant in county
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Rensselaer County, New York
Overview
Rensselaer County in New York covers 36 ZIP codes with an average Home Safety Score of D (54/100).
16 of 36 ZIP codes have recorded EPA violations. 31 health-based violations have been documented.
← Back to New York water quality report
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Updated daily.
What You Can Do
Rensselaer County has a grade of D. Here are steps to protect your household.
Test your tap water
Order a certified lab test kit ($20-$50) to check for lead, bacteria, and other contaminants specific to your ZIP code.
Consider a certified water filter
NSF-certified filters can remove most common contaminants. Match the filter to your test results for best protection. Try our filter matcher
Contact your water utility
Request the latest Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from your water provider. It details exactly what was found in your water supply.
Check for lead in your home
71% of homes in this county were built before 1978. Older plumbing and solder can leach lead into drinking water, especially in the morning.