PlainZIP

Albany, NY · standard

ZIP Code 12205

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

26,977
658/sq mi
$91,020
Median income
$276,600
Median home value
38.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Albany pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 26%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 37%
home value, US ZIPs
658
people per sq mi
71%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 12205 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 12205 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Albany, Albany County, New York, with 26,977 residents across 41.0 square miles, a density of 658 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 12205 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $91,020 (2% below the New York average), while per-capita income is $46,560. The poverty rate stands at 7.2% and the unemployment rate at 2.4%. Median home value sits at $276,600 (27% below the state average), median rent at $1,446 a month, and owner-occupancy at 71.4%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 38.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.6, and the average commute is 18 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Albany County, letting you compare 12205 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 12205

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Albany, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 12205.

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 12205, Albany, 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

26,977

Population

41.0

Area (sq mi)

658

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 12205?

43.6

Median Age

47.6%

Male

52.4%

Female

13.7%

Foreign-Born

White 75.2%
African American 8.0%
Asian 9.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.3%

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?

$91,020

Median Household Income

-2% vs state

$46,560

Per Capita Income

7.2%

Poverty Rate

2.4%

Unemployment Rate

18.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 12205 ranks nationally

Albany, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$91,020 Top 26% higher than 74% 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 63.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.0%

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

What does housing look like?

12,116

Total Housing Units

11,574

Occupied Units

542

Vacant Units

2.22

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.4%
Renter 28.6%

$276,600

Median Home Value

-27% vs state

$1,446

Median Rent

1966

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

+6.6%

YoY Change (2024)

285

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+185%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 12205 have increased 6.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +185% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.8% 203
2021 +7.3% 217
2022 +12.7% 245
2023 +9.3% 268
2024 +6.6% 285

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 1,735 business establishments in ZIP 12205, employing approximately 34,199 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,840,329,000.

1,735

Businesses

34,199

Employees

$1.8B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 287 16.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 193 11.1%
Other services (except public administration) 177 10.2%
Accommodation and food services 158 9.1%
Wholesale trade 150 8.7%
Health care and social assistance 142 8.2%
Construction 127 7.3%
Finance and insurance 127 7.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 126 7.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 64 3.7%
Transportation and warehousing 47 2.7%
Manufacturing 44 2.5%
Information 31 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 26 1.5%
Educational services 25 1.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 11 0.6%

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 12205 vs 12222 →

ZIP 12205 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 12205 ranks #3 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 12205 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 12205 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
12222 Albany, NY 6,489 2.3 mi
12203 Albany, NY 29,952 2.8 mi
12211 Albany, NY 11,303 3.4 mi
12208 Albany, NY 20,702 4.6 mi
12084 Guilderland, NY 4,271 3.8 mi
12110 Latham, NY 21,908 3.6 mi
12206 Albany, NY 16,395 3.9 mi
12209 Albany, NY 10,121 5.9 mi
12309 Schenectady, NY 29,343 5.9 mi
12304 Schenectady, NY 21,482 5.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Albany County

12203 standard
Albany, NY
Pop: 29,952
12110 standard
Latham, NY
Pop: 21,908
12208 standard
Albany, NY
Pop: 20,702
12047 standard
Cohoes, NY
Pop: 19,664
12189 standard
Watervliet, NY
Pop: 17,568
12054 standard
Delmar, NY
Pop: 16,918

Related Areas

Albany County Albany, NY New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 12205 in? ▼
ZIP code 12205 (Albany) is located in Albany County, New York. Albany County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/albany-ny.
What is the population of ZIP code 12205? ▼
ZIP code 12205 in Albany, NY has a population of 26,977 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 12205? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 12205 is $91,020, which is 19% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 12205? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 12205 is $276,600, which is 1% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 12205? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 12205 is White at 75.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 12205? ▼
ZIP code 12205 has 1,735 business establishments employing approximately 34,199 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 12205? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 12205 are: Retail trade (287), Professional, scientific, and technical services (193), Other services (except public administration) (177). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 12205? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 12205 increased by 6.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 185%. 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 12205? ▼
In ZIP code 12205, 63.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.0% 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 12205? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 12205 is 18.3 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 12205? ▼
In ZIP code 12205, approximately 71.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 12205? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 12205 is 7.2% 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.