Overview

Introduction to Watervliet, New York

Watervliet, New York, in Albany county, is 6 miles NE of Albany, New York and 137 miles W of Boston, Massachusetts. The city is included in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy metropolitan area. As of the year 2000 census, 10,207 people lived in Watervliet.

Watervliet History

Famed explorer Henry Hudson came to this region sometime around 1609. However, the first settlement began in 1643 and was a part of Rensselaerwyck Patroonship. Shakers settled in the area occupied by the present day city of Watervliet in 1774. The Town of Watervliet was established in 1788 and became a city in 1896. A number of neighboring towns were created from Watervliet, so it is often referred to as the "mother of towns."

Watervliet and nearby Attractions

  • Watervliet Arsenal Museum
  • Peebles Island State Park
  • Rensselaer County Historical Society
  • Waterford Historical Museum
  • Shaker Heritage Society
  • Normanside Country Club

Things To Do In Watervliet

The Peebles Island State Park is situated in a beautiful location at the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. It has facilities for hiking and fishing and also has a picnic area. The Watervliet Arsenal Museum is an interesting place featuring artillery exhibits like guns, cannons and howitzers.

Watervliet Transportation

Albany International is the nearest major airport.

Watervliet Higher Education

Siena College, Hudson Valley Community College, SUNY at Albany and Excelsior College provide higher education in the area.

Demographics

People

Total Population10,120
Male Share of the Population46.4%
Female Share of the Population53.6%
Senior Citizens12.5%
Employed Population 16+5,310
Age of the Population39

Families

% of people married35.2%
Average household size2

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher33.8%
Median Earnings25+$35,513
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$15,529
Median Earnings With High School Degree$29,485

Wealth

Median Family Income$53,701
% Above Poverty Level82.3%
% Below Poverty Level17.7%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time18 minutes
% Working from Home1%
% Walking and Biking to Work3.5%
% Using Public Transportation5.8%

Housing

People Living Alone42.1%
Median Gross Rent$867
Median House Value$145,300

Ancestry

Irish25.5%
Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)22.3%
Italian15.6%
German12%
French Except Basque5.7%
English5.6%
Polish5%
Dutch3.2%
Canadian2.4%
Scottish1.6%
Afghan)1.6%
US/American1.2%
Ukrainian1.1%
Lebanese1%
Arab1%
African0.8%
Lithuanian0.7%
West Indian0.7%
Russian0.5%
Hungarian0.5%
Albanian0.5%
Haitian0.4%
Welsh0.4%
Austrian0.4%
Czech0.4%
Swedish0.3%
Portuguese0.2%
Danishn0.2%
Barbadian0.2%
Jamaican0.1%
Nigerian0.1%
Greek0.1%
Ghanaian0.1%
Macedonian0.1%
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Watervliet Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyAlbany County
Standard Zip Codes12189
Phone Area Codes518
Time ZoneAmerica/New_York
Approximate Latitude42.72
Approximate Longitude-73.7

Watervliet Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationTROY LOCK AND DAM
Distance1.7 miles
Jan Temp13 to 32 F
Apr Temp37 to 58 F
Jul Temp63 to 84 F
Oct Temp40 to 62 F
Annual Precip37.8 inches
StationALBANY INTL AP
Distance5.2 miles
Jan Temp13 to 31 F
Apr Temp36 to 57 F
Jul Temp60 to 82 F
Oct Temp39 to 60 F
Annual Precip38.6 inches
StationGRAFTON
Distance12.5 miles
Jan Temp13 to 29 F
Apr Temp34 to 54 F
Jul Temp58 to 78 F
Oct Temp39 to 57 F
Annual Precip46.4 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Cohoes16,599$62,596
Menands3,946$82,982
Troy49,610$51,830
Wynantskill3,328$86,250

Watervliet Public Libraries

Watervliet Public Library
1501 BROADWAY
Watervliet, New York
(518) 274-4471

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More Information for Librarians

Watervliet Public Schools

Watervliet Elementary School
2557 10th Ave
ZIP: 12189
(518) 629-3400
Primary
Total Enrollment 706
Watervliet Junior-senior High School
1245 Hillside Dr
ZIP: 12189
(518) 629-3300
High
Total Enrollment 574
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