City profile · New York · Census ACS 2023

Saranac Lake, NY

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Saranac Lake - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

5,099
Residents
$60,494
Median income
$188,900
Median home
$1,044
Median rent (state)

Saranac Lake - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Saranac Lake lands in the 36th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

36th
percentile, household income
39th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Saranac Lake, NY

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 5,099 residents in Saranac Lake, a small town within New York. Median household income here is $60,494 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.4%. Typical homes in Saranac Lake are valued around $188,900, and the median resident age is 42.0 years. About 42.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 4 residential building permits were authorized in Saranac Lake (Building Boom), up 300% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

New York carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts New York at 107.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,044 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $285 across New York, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 48.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

5,099 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New York

Median Household Income

$60,494 /yr

Poverty 12.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.9 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New York average

How does Saranac Lake compare to other US cities?

Saranac Lake measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 36% higher than other cities
Home value 39% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Saranac Lake against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to New York only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

New York-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Saranac Lake near the bottom of New York's cities

Among the 1,256 New York cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Saranac Lake ranks #1,143 - the 8th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Saranac Lake only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#923 of 1,205
23rd percentile in New York
Median Gross Rent
#1,143 of 1,256
8th percentile in New York
Median Home Value
#707 of 1,202
41st percentile in New York
Poverty Rate
#242 of 1,246
80th percentile in New York
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#433 of 1,254
65th percentile in New York

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within New York only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

36thIncome percentile

36th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Saranac Lake's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$188,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 61% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Saranac Lake $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. 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 · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Saranac Lake, NY Saranac Lake, NY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Saranac Lake, NY-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Saranac Lake, NY median $60,494/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Saranac Lake, NY's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Saranac Lake, NY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 42.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
5,099
Median Income
$60,494
Median Home Value
$188,900
Median Age
42.0
Poverty Rate
12.4%
Labor force participation
59.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
42.8%

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,750 residents4,800 residents4,850 residents4,900 residents4,950 residents5,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,948 residents 4,793 residents ▼ -3.1%
Saranac Lake's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
4
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 1
2021 1
2022 1
2023 5
2024 4

Permit volume increased 300% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
67.9%
Carpool
12.3%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
11.0%
Work from Home
7.9%

Based on 2,536 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New York - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$65
avg/month
Total Utilities
$285
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New York state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New York state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Saranac Lake sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.9
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,044/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
48.9 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New York

Carle Place
5,094 people
Liberty
5,083 people
Ballston Spa
5,080 people
West Hills
5,138 people
Mechanicville
5,143 people
Hamlin
5,041 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Saranac Lake's 5,099 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Heeia, HI
5,099 people
Port Isabel, TX
5,098 people
Midfield, AL
5,101 people
El Cerro Mission, NM
5,101 people
Yosemite Lakes, CA
5,095 people
Eureka, IL
5,095 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Saranac Lake's $60,494 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Granite City, IL
$60,490 median income
Little River, KS
$60,500 median income
Lake Leelanau, MI
$60,500 median income
Otisville, MI
$60,500 median income
Three Oaks, MI
$60,500 median income
Gaylord, MN
$60,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Saranac Lake, NY Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Saranac Lake, NY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.4% White 93.3% Black or African American 2.6% Asian 0.6% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 2.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Saranac Lake compares to nearby New York cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Saranac Lake (this city) 5,099 $60,494
Carle Place 5,094 $130,063
Liberty 5,083 $49,125
Ballston Spa 5,080 $82,341
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NY NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Saranac Lake, NY?

What is the population of Saranac Lake, NY? +

5,099 people live in Saranac Lake, NY according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Saranac Lake, NY? +

The median household income in Saranac Lake is $60,494 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Saranac Lake? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Saranac Lake; the closest available measure is the New York state average, a cost of living index of 107.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New York vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Saranac Lake, NY? +

Saranac Lake's median home value sits at $188,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.