Rensselaer, New York

For the county of the same name, see Rensselaer County, New York.

Rensselaer
City
City of Rensselaer
Clockwise from top: Looking Southwest on Washington Ave. towards Albany; Riverfront Park boat dock; Fall foliage beneath the Dunn Memorial Bridge in Riverfront Park; CDTA Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station; Albany skyline from the Rensselaer esplanade at DeLaet's Landing; and the sun sets over Albany on a cold winter night.
Clockwise from top: Looking Southwest on Washington Ave. towards Albany; Riverfront Park boat dock; Fall foliage beneath the Dunn Memorial Bridge in Riverfront Park; CDTA Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station; Albany skyline from the Rensselaer esplanade at DeLaet's Landing; and the sun sets over Albany on a cold winter night.
Official seal of Rensselaer
Seal
Etymology: From Kiliaen van Rensselaer, patroon of the region
Motto: 
The home of "Yankee Doodle"
Map shows Albany on the west bank of the Hudson, surrounded by the towns of Colonie, Guilderland, and Bethlehem. Roads are also shown. Interstates 90, 87, and 787 pass through the city boundaries.
Boundaries of and major thoroughfares through Rensselaer
Location in Rensselaer County and the state of New York.
Location in Rensselaer County and the state of New York.
Rensselaer is located in New York
Rensselaer
Rensselaer
Location within New York (state)
Rensselaer is located in the United States
Rensselaer
Rensselaer
Location within the United States
Rensselaer is located in North America
Rensselaer
Rensselaer
Location within North America
Coordinates: 42°38′48″N 73°44′01″W / 42.64667°N 73.73361°W / 42.64667; -73.73361
Country United States
State New York
RegionCapital District
CountyRensselaer
Settled1630
Incorporation1897
Government
 • TypeMayor-council
 • Body
  • President:
  • John DeFrancesco (D)
  • W1: James VanVorst Jr. (D)
  • W2: Ernie Dambrose (R)
  • W3: Bryan Leahey (D)
  • W4: Andrew Kretzschmar (R)
  • W5: Eric Endres (D)
  • W6: Anne Burton (D)
 • MayorMichael Stammel (R)
Area
[1]
 • Total
3.51 sq mi (9.10 km2)
 • Land3.18 sq mi (8.23 km2)
 • Water0.33 sq mi (0.87 km2)
Elevation
16 ft (5 m)
Lowest elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
9,210
 • Density2,897.14/sq mi (1,118.75/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code
12144
Area codes518, 838
FIPS code36-083-61148
FIPS code36-61148
GNIS feature ID0962384
Wikimedia CommonsRensselaer, New York
Websitehttp://www.rensselaerny.gov

Rensselaer /rɛnsəˈlɪər/ is a city in Rensselaer County, New York, United States, and is located on the east side of the Hudson River, opposite Albany and on the western border of Rensselaer County. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 9,210.[2]

The area now known as the City of Rensselaer was settled by the Dutch in the 17th century, who called it t'Greyn Bos, which became Greenbush in English. Rensselaer was an early center of the U.S. dye industry in the United States and home to the country's first aspirin factory. The city became a railroad hub in the 19th century; in 2020, Albany-Rensselaer was the ninth-busiest Amtrak station in the country and the second-busiest in New York State.

  1. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  2. ^ U.S. Census, 2020, 'Rensselaer city, New York'