PlainZIP

Lake Placid, NY · standard

ZIP Code 12946

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

5,492
16/sq mi
$77,548
Median income
$467,000
Median home value
47.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 41%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 15%
home value, US ZIPs
16
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 12946 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 12946 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lake Placid, Essex County, New York, home to 5,492 residents across 334.9 square miles, a density of 16 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 12946 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $77,548 (16% below the New York average), while per-capita income is $57,268. 9.6% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 1.1%. The typical home here is valued at $467,000 (23% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,131 monthly, and 64.4% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 47.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.2, and the average commute is 14 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 2 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 12946, plus 6 more within Essex 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 12946

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lake Placid, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 12946.

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 12946, Lake Placid, 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

5,492

Population

334.9

Area (sq mi)

16

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 12946?

45.2

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

6.9%

Foreign-Born

White 93.6%
African American 1.9%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.8%
Hispanic or Latino 1.1%

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?

$77,548

Median Household Income

-16% vs state

$57,268

Per Capita Income

9.6%

Poverty Rate

1.1%

Unemployment Rate

13.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 12946 ranks nationally

Lake Placid, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$77,548 Top 41% higher than 59% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 73.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 47.6%

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

What does housing look like?

4,049

Total Housing Units

2,589

Occupied Units

1,460

Vacant Units

1.80

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 64.4%
Renter 35.6%

$467,000

Median Home Value

+23% vs state

$1,131

Median Rent

1979

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

+17.8%

YoY Change (2022)

320

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+220%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 12946 have increased 17.8% over the past year (2022). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +220% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2018 +19.4% 242
2019 -6.0% 228
2020 +6.9% 243
2021 +11.5% 271
2022 +17.8% 320

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 2022. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 341 business establishments in ZIP 12946, employing approximately 3,133 people with a combined annual payroll of $143,498,000.

341

Businesses

3,133

Employees

$143.5M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 78 22.9%
Retail trade 66 19.4%
Construction 35 10.3%
Health care and social assistance 30 8.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 29 8.5%
Other services (except public administration) 26 7.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 22 6.5%
Finance and insurance 19 5.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 2.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 8 2.4%
Educational services 7 2.0%
Manufacturing 3 0.9%
Information 3 0.9%

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 12946 vs 12977 →

ZIP 12946 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 12946 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
12977 Ray Brook, NY 1,753 5.9 mi
12997 Wilmington, NY 1,239 12.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Essex County

12883 standard
Ticonderoga, NY
Pop: 5,025
12944 standard
Keeseville, NY
Pop: 4,080
12996 standard
Willsboro, NY
Pop: 2,086
12928 standard
Crown Point, NY
Pop: 2,028
12977 standard
Ray Brook, NY
Pop: 1,753
12993 standard
Westport, NY
Pop: 1,623

Related Areas

Essex County Lake Placid, NY New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 12946 in? ▼
ZIP code 12946 (Lake Placid) is located in Essex County, New York. Essex County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/essex-ny.
What is the population of ZIP code 12946? ▼
ZIP code 12946 in Lake Placid, NY has a population of 5,492 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 12946? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 12946 is $77,548, which is 2% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 12946? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 12946 is $467,000, which is 68% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 12946? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 12946 is White at 93.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 12946? ▼
ZIP code 12946 has 341 business establishments employing approximately 3,133 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 12946? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 12946 are: Accommodation and food services (78), Retail trade (66), Construction (35). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 12946? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 12946 increased by 17.8% in 2022. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 220%. 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 12946? ▼
In ZIP code 12946, 73.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 47.6% 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 12946? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 12946 is 13.9 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 12946? ▼
In ZIP code 12946, approximately 64.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 12946? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 12946 is 9.6% 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.