Tupper Lake, NY · standard
ZIP Code 12986
Franklin County, New York - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,120
- 10/sq mi Low-density area
- $67,883
- Median income Near-median income area
- $158,900
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 22.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Tupper Lake pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 43rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 29th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 10
- people per sq mi
- 73%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 12986 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 12986 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Tupper Lake, Franklin County, New York, home to 6,120 residents across 588.5 square miles, a density of 10 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 12986 reports a modest median household income of $67,883 (27% below the average New York ZIP), while per-capita income is $35,777. The poverty rate is 16.9%, with unemployment at 2.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $158,900 (58% below the average New York ZIP), and median rent is $790; owner occupancy is 72.7%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.7, and the average commute is 15 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Franklin County, so 12986 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 12986
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Tupper Lake, NY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 12986.
- Construction
Construction
25 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
22 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
21 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
17 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
10 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 12986, Tupper 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
6,120
Population
588.5
Area (sq mi)
10
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 12986?
48.7
Median Age
50.0%
Male
50.0%
Female
1.9%
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?
$67,883
Median Household Income
-27% vs state ZIP avg
$35,777
Per Capita Income
16.9%
Poverty Rate
2.0%
Unemployment Rate
14.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 12986 ranks among New York ZIPs
Tupper Lake, 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)
$67,883 29th percentile higher than 29% 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
3,681housing units
3,681
Total Housing Units
2,335
Occupied Units
1,346
Vacant Units
2.10
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$158,900
Median Home Value
-58% vs state ZIP avg
$790
Median Rent
1956
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 136 business establishments in ZIP 12986, employing approximately 885 people with a combined annual payroll of $40,765,000.
136
Businesses
885
Employees
$40.8M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 25 | 18.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 22 | 16.2% |
| Retail trade | 21 | 15.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 17 | 12.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 10 | 7.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 6 | 4.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 6 | 4.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 6 | 4.4% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 3.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 5 | 3.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 2.2% |
| Information | 3 | 2.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 2.2% |
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 12986 vs 12973 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12973 | Piercefield, NY | 187 | 6.9 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 12986, 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 (6,120 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Franklin County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 12986 in?
ZIP code 12986 (Tupper Lake) is located in Franklin County, New York. Franklin County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/franklin-ny.
What is the population of ZIP code 12986?
ZIP code 12986 in Tupper Lake, NY has a population of 6,120 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 12986?
The median household income in ZIP 12986 is $67,883, which is 11% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 12986?
The median home value in ZIP 12986 is $158,900, which is 43% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 12986?
The largest racial group in ZIP 12986 is White at 94.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 12986?
ZIP code 12986 has 136 business establishments employing approximately 885 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 12986?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 12986 are: Construction (25), Accommodation and food services (22), Retail trade (21). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 12986?
In ZIP code 12986, 55.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.5% 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 12986?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 12986 is 14.7 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 12986?
In ZIP code 12986, approximately 72.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 12986?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 12986 is 16.9% 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 12986's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 12986 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Tupper Lake, NY ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.