Waterford, NY · standard
ZIP Code 12188
Saratoga County, New York - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 10,980
- 327/sq mi High-density area
- $92,279
- Median income Above-median income area
- $281,400
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 32.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Waterford pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 25%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 36%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 327
- people per sq mi
- 74%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 12188 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 12188 (Waterford, NY) rose +6.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 262.3 in 2023 to 278.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 12188 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Waterford, Saratoga County, New York, home to 10,980 residents across 33.6 square miles, a density of 327 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 12188 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $92,279 (0% below the average New York ZIP), while per-capita income is $47,551. The poverty rate is 6.6%, with unemployment at 4.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $281,400 (26% below the average New York ZIP), and median rent is $1,134; owner occupancy is 73.8%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 32.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.1, and the average commute is 23 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Saratoga County, so 12188 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 12188
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waterford, NY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 12188.
- Construction
Construction
32 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
19 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
16 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
14 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 11
Professional, scientific, and technical services
11 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 12188, Waterford, NY · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
10,980
Population
33.6
Area (sq mi)
327
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 12188?
46.1
Median Age
51.9%
Male
48.1%
Female
4.1%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$92,279
Median Household Income
-0% vs state ZIP avg
$47,551
Per Capita Income
6.6%
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Unemployment Rate
23.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 12188 ranks among New York ZIPs
Waterford, NY household income vs. every New York ZIP code
Median household income among 1,626 reporting New York ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$92,279 Top 38% higher than 62% of 1,626 New York ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more New York ZIPs. 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 · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
5,167housing units
5,167
Total Housing Units
4,880
Occupied Units
287
Vacant Units
2.25
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$281,400
Median Home Value
-26% vs state ZIP avg
$1,134
Median Rent
1964
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+6.2%
YoY Change (2024)
279
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+179%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 12188 have increased 6.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +179% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.3% | 195 |
| 2021 | +6.8% | 209 |
| 2022 | +7.7% | 225 |
| 2023 | +16.8% | 262 |
| 2024 | +6.2% | 279 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 148 business establishments in ZIP 12188, employing approximately 2,478 people with a combined annual payroll of $217,936,000.
148
Businesses
2,478
Employees
$217.9M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 32 | 21.6% |
| Retail trade | 19 | 12.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 16 | 10.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 14 | 9.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 11 | 7.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 10 | 6.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 10 | 6.8% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 6.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 9 | 6.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 7 | 4.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 2.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 2.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 12188 vs 12047 →
ZIP 12188 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 12180
Troy (12180)
53,606 residents
- 12065
Clifton Park (12065)
41,776 residents
- 12110
Latham (12110)
21,908 residents
- 12047 19,664
Cohoes (12047)
19,664 residents
- 12189 17,568
Watervliet (12189)
17,568 residents
- 12182 14,733
Troy (12182)
14,733 residents
- 12118 13,897
Mechanicville (12118)
13,897 residents
- 12188 10,980
Waterford (12188)
10,980 residents
- 12204 7,349
Albany (12204)
7,349 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 12188 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 12188 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 12065
Clifton Park (12065)
$113,873 median income
- 12110
Latham (12110)
$105,024 median income
- 12121
Melrose (12121)
$100,461 median income
- 12118
Mechanicville (12118)
$92,710 median income
- 12188
Waterford (12188)
$92,279 median income
- 12180
Troy (12180)
$75,851 median income
- 12204
Albany (12204)
$74,841 median income
- 12047
Cohoes (12047)
$66,071 median income
- 12189
Watervliet (12189)
$65,276 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 12188 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12047 | Cohoes, NY | 19,664 | 2.9 mi |
| 12183 | Troy, NY | 2,620 | 5.0 mi |
| 12182 | Troy, NY | 14,733 | 3.5 mi |
| 12189 | Watervliet, NY | 17,568 | 5.9 mi |
| 12121 | Melrose, NY | 1,916 | 5.1 mi |
| 12118 | Mechanicville, NY | 13,897 | 6.8 mi |
| 12065 | Clifton Park, NY | 41,776 | 5.1 mi |
| 12110 | Latham, NY | 21,908 | 6.2 mi |
| 12180 | Troy, NY | 53,606 | 6.7 mi |
| 12204 | Albany, NY | 7,349 | 9.3 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 12188, both outside NY so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (10,980 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Saratoga County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 12188 in?
ZIP code 12188 (Waterford) is located in Saratoga County, New York. Saratoga County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/saratoga-ny.
What is the population of ZIP code 12188?
ZIP code 12188 in Waterford, NY has a population of 10,980 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 12188?
The median household income in ZIP 12188 is $92,279, which is 21% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 12188?
The median home value in ZIP 12188 is $281,400, which is 1% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 12188?
The largest racial group in ZIP 12188 is White at 84.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 12188?
ZIP code 12188 has 148 business establishments employing approximately 2,478 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 12188?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 12188 are: Construction (32), Retail trade (19), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (16). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 12188?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 12188 increased by 6.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 179%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 12188?
In ZIP code 12188, 60.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 12188?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 12188 is 23.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 12188?
In ZIP code 12188, approximately 73.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 12188?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 12188 is 6.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 12188's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 12188 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Waterford, NY ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.