Village · New York
Speculator, New York
Speculator, village, in Hamilton County, New York. Speculator had 398 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 406 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 409 (±63). GEOID 3670123.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
398
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 406 · ACS 2020-2024: 409 ±63
Median household income
$63,864
±$5,568 (90% margin)
New York: $85,974
Median home value
$250,000
±$91,421 (90% margin)
New York: $423,800
Median gross rent
$1,042
±$244 (90% margin)
New York: $1,621
Where is Speculator and what county is it in?
Speculator is a village in Hamilton County, New York. It covers 44.6 square miles of land, 9 residents per square mile in 2020.
Speculator lies entirely within the Town of Lake Pleasant, a town with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Speculator, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 398 people lived in Speculator on July 1, 2025, down 1.5% since 2020, in line with New York (−1.0%). The 2020 Census counted 406 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 409 (±63).
| Measure | Speculator | Hamilton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 409 ±63 | 5,089 | no clear change |
| Households | 178 ±34 | 2,423 | +94 |
| Average household size | 1.79 ±0.21 | 2.00 | −1.77 |
| Housing units | 537 ±73 | 7,911 | no clear change |
Speculator's population since 2000
From 348 in 2000 to 398 in 2025: up 14.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Speculator as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Speculator?
The median resident of Speculator is 55.8 years old; 6.1% are under 18 and 38.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 80.2%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 8.3%.
| Measure | Speculator | Hamilton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.8 ±10.7 | 58.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 6.1% ±3.2 pts | 12.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 38.1% ±14.1 pts | 33.8% | – |
| Male | 40.1% ±5.9 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.9% ±4.7 pts | 2.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 80.2% ±12.3 pts | 91.5% | −15.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.3% ±13.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±2.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±9.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±9.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.7% ±9.2 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.7% ±2.1 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.2% ±7.9 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.4% ±9.8 pts | 8.6% | – |
| With a disability | 25.2% ±9.9 pts | 15.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.2% ±2.1 pts | 3.5% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.6% ±16.2 pts | 90.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 52.6% ±16.8 pts | 33.2% | +40.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 37.5% ±15.9 pts | 15.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.9% ±10.1 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.4% ±3.3 pts | 1.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Speculator earn?
Half of Speculator's 178 households earn less than $63,864 a year (±$5,568), against $68,835 in Hamilton County and $85,974 in New York. In 2015-2019 the median was $89,225 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $25,361 after inflation. 25.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Speculator | Hamilton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,864 ±$5,568 | $68,835 | −$25,361 |
| Mean household income | $89,270 ±$20,414 | $89,855 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,003 ±$9,255 | $43,752 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 25.7% ±16.5 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 24.0% ±29.8 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.4% ±4.6 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.1% ±3.8 pts | 94.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 96.1% ±3.8 pts | 90.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Speculator?
Owners occupy 62.9% of Speculator's occupied homes and renters 37.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $250,000 by its owner (±$91,421). The median renter pays $1,042 a month including utilities, and 41.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Speculator | Hamilton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $250,000 ±$91,421 | $260,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,042 ±$244 | $912 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.2% ±26.8 pts | 46.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,529 ±$1,823 | $1,438 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 62.9% ±11.0 pts | 82.4% | −18.1 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 37.1% ±11.0 pts | 17.6% | – |
| Housing units | 537 ±73 | 7,911 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 4.3% ±5.3 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±41.7 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 87.9% ±4.2 pts | 83.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.7% ±3.0 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.3% ±2.2 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 16.4% ±4.6 pts | 22.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.7% ±1.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Speculator building?
Builders took permits for 6 new housing units in Speculator in 2025 (6 in single-family houses), 15.1 per 1,000 residents against 1.9 across New York.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Speculator work and get to work?
47.8% of Speculator's workers drive alone and 19.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 11.5 minutes.
| Measure | Speculator | Hamilton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 43.0% ±5.9 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% ±5.5 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 47.8% ±13.5 pts | 73.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.5% ±2.4 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 4.5% ±4.9 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Walked | 26.1% ±13.1 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 19.1% ±10.6 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 11.5 min ±5.1 | 22.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Speculator?
No census tract lies mostly in Speculator; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9505Hamilton County | 1,190 | $63,846 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Speculator) · Census block assignment files
How does Speculator compare with other places in New York?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Speculator is the 14,142nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 545th-most populous of 594 in New York.
Speculator is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 545th | 594 |
Speculator's figures with every place in New York (CSV)
Every place in New York, sortable · Compare Speculator with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Speculator?
22 of the 57 figures for Speculator on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Speculator are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Speculator.