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New York ZIP Codes
Clinton County
Saranac, NY
12981
12981 ZIP Code — Saranac, NY
Clinton County, New York
ZIP code 12981 is located in
Saranac ,
New York ,
within Clinton County .
It covers approximately 116.84 square miles and serves a population of
2,397 residents.
This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone,
served by area code 518/838 .
About ZIP code 12981
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 $125,200. Owner-occupancy is high at 89%, well above the national average.
Median household income is $74,830. Poverty affects 21% of residents, above the national average. 34% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is service, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 26 minutes is near the national average.
College attainment at 20% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.
Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks.
Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 12% of civilians, above the national average of 7%.
Overall, ZIP code 12981 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average, a strong veteran community, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.
12981 ZIP code map
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Cities in ZIP code 12981
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 12981. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
Nearby ZIP codes
Demographics
updated 06/2026
Population
Total population
2,397
Population density
21 / sq mi
State FIPS
36
County FIPS
019
Geography
Land area
116.84 sq mi
Water area
0.80 sq mi
Latitude
44.6450
Longitude
-73.8152
Timezone
Eastern (ET)
Area code
518/838
Economics
updated 06/2026
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
29.2%
40.8%
37.0%
$50k – $100k
34.7%
34.8%
27.0%
$100k – $200k
36.0%
20.8%
24.4%
Over $200k
0.0%
3.6%
11.5%
Demographics & statistics
$74,830
Median household income
$125,200
Median home value
20.3%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Age summary
Group Count % Under 18 614 25.6% 18 and over 1,783 74.4% 65 and over 330 13.8% Median age 42.2 years
Race & ethnicity
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.6%
Group Count % White 2,360 98.5% Two or more races 23 1% American Indian / Alaska Native 14 0.6%
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
29.2%
40.8%
37.0%
$50k – $100k
34.7%
34.8%
27.0%
$100k – $200k
36.0%
20.8%
24.4%
Over $200k
0.0%
3.6%
11.5%
Range % of households Under $10k 9.9% $10k–$15k 3.8% $15k–$25k 2.5% $25k–$35k 9.6% $35k–$50k 13.6% $50k–$75k 10.8% $75k–$100k 17.3% $100k–$150k 23.4% $150k–$200k 4.8% $200k+ 4.3% Median income $74,830
Housing
Housing overview
Metric Value Median home value $125,200 Median rent / month $905 Owner occupied 89.2% Renter occupied 10.8% Vacant 15.2% Single-family detached 78.3% Large apartment buildings 2.0% Mobile homes 13.3% Median rooms 6.6 Avg household size (owned) 2.80
Year built
Era % 2020 or later 0.0% 2010–2019 4.3% 2000–2009 8.0% 1990–1999 14.7% 1980–1989 8.0% 1970–1979 8.5% 1960–1969 11.7% 1950–1959 5.8% 1940–1949 0.6% 1939 or earlier 38.5%
Bedrooms
Size % of units No bedroom (studio) 0.0% 1 bedroom 7.1% 2 bedrooms 15.0% 3 bedrooms 55.6% 4 bedrooms 20.6% 5+ bedrooms 1.7%
Vehicles per household
Vehicles % of households No vehicle 1.6% 1 vehicle 25.1% 2 vehicles 38.2% 3 or more 35.1%
Heating fuel
Fuel type % Electricity 6.2% Propane / LP gas 12.0% Fuel oil 54.5% Wood 26.9%
Households & families
Household type Count % Married-couple family 461 51.4% Cohabiting couple 156 17.4% Male householder, no spouse 132 14.7% Female householder, no spouse 148 16.5% Households with children under 18 240 26.8% Households with seniors (65+) 248 27.6% Average household size 2.67
Marital status
Status Male Female Never married 24.8% 33.8% Married 51.2% 46.2% Separated 4.0% 0.2% Widowed 5.4% 7.9% Divorced 14.7% 11.9%
Education
Some college, no degree
14.6%
Graduate / professional
10.9%
Metric % HS diploma or higher 89.6% Bachelor's or higher 20.3%
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
Type Count % Nursery / preschool 31 4.9% Kindergarten 34 5.4% Elementary school 267 42.2% High school 253 40.0% College / grad school 47 7.4%
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
33.1%
Public administration
16.8%
Arts, food & hospitality
10.6%
Professional & management
6.3%
Transportation & utilities
3.3%
Finance & real estate
1.3%
Occupation
Category % Management, business & arts 22.1% Service 33.3% Sales & office 30.1% Natural resources & construction 8.1% Production & transportation 6.4%
Employment type
Type % Private sector 59.2% Government 33.8% Self-employed 6.9% Unpaid family workers 0.0%
Commute
Method % Drive alone 89.4% Carpool 8.1% Public transit 0.0% Walk 0.0% Work from home 2.5% Other means 0.0% Avg commute (minutes) 25.9
Poverty
Married-couple families
0.0%
Female-led households
4.8%
Income support
Source % of households Social Security 33.9% Retirement income 35.2% Supplemental Security 6.4% Cash public assistance 2.0% Food stamps / SNAP 15.3%
Health indicators
Condition % Obesity 32.5% High blood pressure 32.2% High cholesterol 31.8% Diabetes 9.8% Heart disease 6.3% Stroke 2.9% Asthma 11.0% Arthritis 24.1% Kidney disease 2.8% Pulmonary disease 7.7% Cancer 6.5%
Behavior / access % Smoking 21.5% Binge drinking 18.1% No physical activity 23.2% Less than 7 hrs sleep 34.0% Depression 23.1% Fair or poor health 13.2% Poor mental health 15.2% Poor physical health 10.7% No health insurance 10.7% Visited doctor (checkup) 76.5% Visited dentist 62.1% Cholesterol screening 90.1% Teeth loss 16.6%
Veterans & disability
Veterans Count % Civilian veterans 217 12.2%
Disability % Any disability 14.6% Under 18 7.0% 18–64 years 12.5% 65 and over 37.9%
Health insurance coverage
Type % Private insurance 70.1% Public insurance 38.8% No insurance 3.4% Uninsured under 19 2.1%
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
Language Count % English only 2,314 96.5% Spanish 0 0.0% Other Indo-European 0 0.0% Asian & Pacific Islander 0 0.0% Other languages 0 0.0%
Place of birth & citizenship
Origin Count % Native born (US) 2,360 98.5% Born in same state 2,345 97.8% Born in different state 1,988 82.9% Foreign born 15 0.6% Naturalized citizen 37 1.5% Not a US citizen 37 100.0%
Ancestry
Ancestry Count % Italian 333 13.9% German 147 6.1% Arab 102 4.3% French 75 3.1%
Ancestry Count % English 47 2% Polish 5 0.2% Norwegian 3 0.1%
Technology access
Metric % of households Computer access 37.4% Internet access 91.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 12981
What city is ZIP code 12981 in?
ZIP code 12981 is primarily assigned to Saranac, New York.
What county is ZIP code 12981 in?
ZIP code 12981 falls within Clinton County, New York.
Is ZIP code 12981 mostly owner-occupied?
89% of occupied units in ZIP code 12981 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 12981?
21% of residents in ZIP code 12981 live below the poverty line, above the national average.
Does ZIP code 12981 have a large veteran population?
12% of civilians in ZIP code 12981 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 12981?
The median home value in ZIP code 12981 is $125,200.
What timezone is ZIP code 12981 in?
ZIP code 12981 observes the EST timezone.
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