PlainZIP

West Sand Lake, NY · standard

ZIP Code 12196

Rensselaer County, New York - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

3,031
132/sq mi
$110,889
Median income
$317,300
Median home value
32.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

West Sand Lake pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 13%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 31%
home value, US ZIPs
132
people per sq mi
85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 12196 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 12196 covers 22.9 square miles in West Sand Lake, Rensselaer County, New York (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,031 residents on file, a density of 132 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 12196 skews affluent, with a median household income of $110,889 (20% above the New York average), while per-capita income is $51,864. Local economic indicators show a 5.2% poverty rate alongside 4.1% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $317,300 (16% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,000 monthly, and 84.6% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 32.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.6, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 12196, plus 6 more within Rensselaer County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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 12196

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in West Sand Lake, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 12196.

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 12196, West Sand Lake, 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

3,031

Population

22.9

Area (sq mi)

132

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 12196?

46.6

Median Age

46.8%

Male

53.2%

Female

1.8%

Foreign-Born

White 95.5%
African American 0.1%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.4%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%

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?

$110,889

Median Household Income

+20% vs state

$51,864

Per Capita Income

5.2%

Poverty Rate

4.1%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 12196 ranks nationally

West Sand Lake, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$110,889 Top 13% higher than 87% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $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 55.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.8%

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

What does housing look like?

1,452

Total Housing Units

1,452

Occupied Units

0

Vacant Units

2.65

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 84.6%
Renter 15.4%

$317,300

Median Home Value

-16% vs state

$1,000

Median Rent

1977

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

+12.6%

YoY Change (2024)

275

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+175%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 12196 have increased 12.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +175% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 -4.2% 166
2020 +7.8% 179
2021 +9.0% 195
2022 +12.6% 219
2024 – 275

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 53 business establishments in ZIP 12196, employing approximately 716 people with a combined annual payroll of $36,717,000.

53

Businesses

716

Employees

$36.7M

Annual Payroll

8

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 10 18.9%
Accommodation and food services 9 17.0%
Construction 7 13.2%
Health care and social assistance 5 9.4%
Other services (except public administration) 5 9.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 4 7.5%
Transportation and warehousing 3 5.7%
Finance and insurance 3 5.7%

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 12196 vs 12198 →

ZIP 12196 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 12196 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 12196 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 12196 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
12198 Wynantskill, NY 7,903 3.2 mi
12061 East Greenbush, NY 9,050 3.0 mi
12063 East Schodack, NY 444 4.7 mi
12018 Averill Park, NY 7,930 4.6 mi
12144 Rensselaer, NY 20,555 5.1 mi
12140 Poestenkill, NY 1,702 5.0 mi
12123 Nassau, NY 5,124 7.5 mi
12180 Troy, NY 53,606 8.3 mi
12202 Albany, NY 9,628 7.4 mi
12207 Albany, NY 1,948 6.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Rensselaer County

12180 standard
Troy, NY
Pop: 53,606
12144 standard
Rensselaer, NY
Pop: 20,555
12182 standard
Troy, NY
Pop: 14,733
12061 standard
East Greenbush, NY
Pop: 9,050
12018 standard
Averill Park, NY
Pop: 7,930
12198 standard
Wynantskill, NY
Pop: 7,903

Related Areas

Rensselaer County West Sand Lake, NY New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 12196 in? ▼
ZIP code 12196 (West Sand Lake) is located in Rensselaer County, New York. Rensselaer County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/rensselaer-ny.
What is the population of ZIP code 12196? ▼
ZIP code 12196 in West Sand Lake, NY has a population of 3,031 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 12196? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 12196 is $110,889, which is 45% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 12196? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 12196 is $317,300, which is 14% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 12196? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 12196 is White at 95.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 12196? ▼
ZIP code 12196 has 53 business establishments employing approximately 716 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 12196? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 12196 are: Retail trade (10), Accommodation and food services (9), Construction (7). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 12196? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 12196 increased by 12.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 175%. 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 12196? ▼
In ZIP code 12196, 55.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 12196? ▼
In ZIP code 12196, approximately 84.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 12196? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 12196 is 5.2% 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.