PlainZIP

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
$92,279
Median income
$281,400
Median home value
32.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

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 New York average), while per-capita income is $47,551. Poverty here runs at 6.6%, with unemployment measured at 4.4%. Housing costs here run $281,400 for a typical home value (26% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,134 a month; 73.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

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. To put 12188 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Saratoga County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 12188?

46.1

Median Age

51.9%

Male

48.1%

Female

4.1%

Foreign-Born

White 84.3%
African American 3.9%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.5%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%

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

$47,551

Per Capita Income

6.6%

Poverty Rate

4.4%

Unemployment Rate

23.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 12188 ranks nationally

Waterford, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$92,279 Top 25% higher than 75% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 60.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

5,167

Total Housing Units

4,880

Occupied Units

287

Vacant Units

2.25

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 73.8%
Renter 26.2%

$281,400

Median Home Value

-26% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 12188 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 12188 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

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.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
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

More ZIP Codes in Saratoga County

12065 standard
Clifton Park, NY
Pop: 41,776
12866 standard
Saratoga Springs, NY
Pop: 36,915
12020 standard
Ballston Spa, NY
Pop: 31,192
12831 standard
Gansevoort, NY
Pop: 17,416
12019 standard
Ballston Lake, NY
Pop: 14,740
12118 standard
Mechanicville, NY
Pop: 13,897

Related Areas

Saratoga County Waterford, NY New York

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.

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