12970 ZIP Code — Paul Smiths, NY

Franklin County, New York

ZIP code 12970 is located in Paul Smiths, New York, within Franklin County. It covers approximately 109.02 square miles and serves a population of 937 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 518.

About ZIP code 12970

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $240,300. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 66%.

The gap between median ($81,875) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. The poverty rate of 5% is below the national average. 48% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 18 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is high — 55% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national average of 33%.

Overall, ZIP code 12970 reflects a community defined by a highly educated population and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

937

population

109.02

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

12970 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 12970

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 12970. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Paul Smiths	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

12945 Lake Clear (7.7 mi) 12989 Vermontville (8.1 mi) 12983 Saranac Lake (8.9 mi) 12980 Saint Regis Falls (13.1 mi) 12913 Bloomingdale (13.4 mi) 12986 Tupper Lake (17.4 mi) 12953 Malone (18 mi) 12969 Owls Head (18.8 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	937
Population density	9 / sq mi
State FIPS	36
County FIPS	033

Geography
Land area	109.02 sq mi
Water area	7.58 sq mi
Latitude	44.4787
Longitude	-74.2573
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	518

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	40.7%	46.8%	37.0%
$50k – $100k	21.2%	32.0%	27.0%
$100k – $200k	24.8%	17.5%	24.4%
Over $200k	13.3%	3.8%	11.5%

Demographics & statistics

937

Population

People per sq mi

21.3

Median age

$81,875

Median household income

$25,460

Per capita income

$240,300

Median home value

$1,300

Median monthly rent

65.6%

Home ownership

4.7%

Poverty rate

16.8%

Unemployment

295

Housing units

55.2%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

153

15–19

266

20–24

134

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	36	3.8%
18 and over	901	96.2%
65 and over	123	13.1%
Median age	21.3 years

Race & ethnicity

White 90.2%

Asian 5.5%

Black or African American 2%

Two or more races 1.4%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%

Group	Count	%
White	845	90.2%
Asian	52	5.5%
Black or African American	19	2%
Two or more races	13	1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	8	0.9%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	40.7%	46.8%	37.0%
$50k – $100k	21.2%	32.0%	27.0%
$100k – $200k	24.8%	17.5%	24.4%
Over $200k	13.3%	3.8%	11.5%

$15k–$25k 6.6%

$25k–$35k 12.6%

$35k–$50k 5.3%

$50k–$75k 16.6%

$75k–$100k 17.9%

$100k–$150k 27.2%

$150k–$200k 1.3%

$200k+ 12.6%

Range	% of households
$15k–$25k	6.6%
$25k–$35k	12.6%
$35k–$50k	5.3%
$50k–$75k	16.6%
$75k–$100k	17.9%
$100k–$150k	27.2%
$150k–$200k	1.3%
$200k+	12.6%
Median income	$81,875

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 2.0%

$100k–$150k 18.2%

$150k–$200k 15.2%

$200k–$300k 22.2%

$300k–$500k 20.2%

$1M+ 22.2%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$240,300
Median rent / month	$1,300
Owner occupied	65.6%
Renter occupied	34.4%
Vacant	56.5%
Single-family detached	89.9%
Large apartment buildings	1.2%
Mobile homes	2.6%
Median rooms	6.2
Avg household size (owned)	2.07

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.0%
2000–2009	4.9%
1990–1999	7.5%
1980–1989	15.6%
1970–1979	0.6%
1960–1969	5.5%
1950–1959	2.6%
1940–1949	2.6%
1939 or earlier	60.8%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	4.3%
1 bedroom	5.5%
2 bedrooms	20.5%
3 bedrooms	38.9%
4 bedrooms	18.7%
5+ bedrooms	12.1%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.0%
1 vehicle	23.8%
2 vehicles	46.4%
3 or more	25.8%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	2.6%
Propane / LP gas	13.2%
Fuel oil	59.6%
Wood	23.2%
No fuel used	1.3%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	100	66.2%
Cohabiting couple	10	6.6%
Male householder, no spouse	19	12.6%
Female householder, no spouse	22	14.6%
Households with children under 18	20	13.2%
Households with seniors (65+)	68	45.0%
Average household size	2.13

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	79.3%	61.4%
Married	17.9%	34.7%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	0.3%	2.6%
Divorced	2.5%	1.3%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.0%

Some HS, no diploma 0.0%

HS graduate 15.8%

Some college, no degree 15.4%

Associate's degree 13.6%

Bachelor's degree 36.6%

Graduate / professional 18.6%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	100.0%
Bachelor's or higher	55.2%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	14	2.1%
High school	12	1.8%
College / grad school	630	96.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 38.7%

Retail trade 15.2%

Professional & management 14.0%

Construction 10.4%

Arts, food & hospitality 8.0%

Finance & real estate 7.1%

Other services 3.6%

Transportation & utilities 0.9%

Information 0.9%

Agriculture & mining 0.6%

Public administration 0.6%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	20.5%
Service	17.0%
Sales & office	44.0%
Natural resources & construction	12.8%
Production & transportation	5.7%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	81.3%
Government	8.9%
Self-employed	9.8%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	51.6%
Carpool	7.1%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	26.6%
Work from home	14.4%
Other means	0.3%
Avg commute (minutes)	18.1

Poverty

All people 4.7%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 5.3%

Married-couple families 8.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	48.3%
Retirement income	53.6%
Supplemental Security	0.0%
Cash public assistance	1.3%
Food stamps / SNAP	0.7%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	23.7%
High blood pressure	14.4%
High cholesterol	15.7%
Diabetes	3.2%
Heart disease	2.2%
Stroke	1.0%
Asthma	9.8%
Arthritis	8.6%
Kidney disease	1.2%
Pulmonary disease	2.9%
Cancer	2.4%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	10.6%
Binge drinking	27.1%
No physical activity	16.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	28.5%
Depression	21.3%
Fair or poor health	6.4%
Poor mental health	16.9%
Poor physical health	5.1%
No health insurance	10.6%
Visited doctor (checkup)	72.4%
Visited dentist	69.8%
Cholesterol screening	78.3%
Teeth loss	11.5%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	42	4.7%

Disability	%
Any disability	5.5%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	4.1%
65 and over	16.3%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	79.1%
Public insurance	25.7%
No insurance	2.8%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	932	99.5%
Spanish	23	2.5%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	10	1.1%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	900	96.1%
Born in same state	894	95.4%
Born in different state	591	63.1%
Foreign born	6	0.6%
Naturalized citizen	37	3.9%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	228	24.3%
French	118	12.6%
Arab	49	5.2%

Ancestry	Count	%
German	32	3.4%
English	5	0.5%
Irish	4	0.4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	16.1%
Internet access	100.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 12970

What city is ZIP code 12970 in?

ZIP code 12970 is primarily assigned to Paul Smiths, New York.

What county is ZIP code 12970 in?

ZIP code 12970 falls within Franklin County, New York.

Does ZIP code 12970 have a large retiree population?

48% of households in ZIP code 12970 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 12970?

55% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — well above the national average of ~33%, reflecting a highly educated population.

What is the population of ZIP code 12970?

ZIP code 12970 has an estimated population of 937 residents, with a density of 9 people per square mile.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 12970?

The median household income in ZIP code 12970 is $81,875, above the national median of ~$75,000.

What timezone is ZIP code 12970 in?

ZIP code 12970 observes the EST timezone.