Population & age
- Total population
- 97
- Median age
- 62.4
ZIP 12961, NY (12961)
Essex County · Population 97
Fresh.Data current as of Apr 24, 2026
NY 12961 (ZIP 12961) sits in Essex County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: Health Insurance comes in below the national average at 5.5%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 6 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $7,933. FEMA has issued 25 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1993 — a high-frequency exposure profile. Annual average temperature is just 45.0°F per NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals — a notably cold-weather climate. Only 5.4% of residents under 65 are uninsured (County Health Rankings, 2025) — well below the national county median. USDA's Food Environment Atlas shows a strong food retail environment in this county — only 2.9% of residents are low-access and grocery density is above the national county median. New residents arriving here predominantly come from Clinton County, NY (IRS SOI Migration, 2022-2023). Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: fair market rent of $1,190 for a two-bedroom, a low 0.0% poverty rate, and 78.4% foreign-born residents per Census ACS. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
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Demographics
Race & ethnicity
- White
- 21.6%
- Black
- 0.0%
- Asian
- 0.0%
- Hispanic / Latino
- 0.0%
- Other / multi-racial
- 78.4%
Education
- Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)
- 78.4%
Employment
- Unemployment rate
- 0.0%
Housing
- Owner-occupied
- 86(100.0%)
- Renter-occupied
- 0(0.0%)
- Vacant units
- 51
- Built (median)
- 2005
Commute
- Public transit
- 0(0.0%)
- Work from home
- 0(0.0%)
Economic wellbeing
- Below poverty line
- 0(0.0%)
- Uninsured
- 0(0.0%)
Digital access
- Broadband access
- 76(88.4%)
- No broadband
- 10(11.6%)
Language & nativity
- Foreign-born
- 76(78.4%)
- Non-English at home
- 76(78.4%)
Fair Market Rent
Fresh.HUD SAFMR · May 1, 2026Studio
$900
/month
1 Bed
$910
/month
2 Bed
$1,190
/month
3 Bed
$1,460
/month
4 Bed
$1,650
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
New housing construction
New housing units permitted
153
Across 151 permitted buildings. Total construction value: $54.7M.
Single-family
150
98% of total units
Multifamily (2+ unit)
3
2% of total units
Single-family value
$54.4M
construction value
Multifamily value
$253,800
construction value
Based on county-level data (2024).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (census.gov/construction/bps). Public domain. BPS reports annual residential building permits from local permit-issuing jurisdictions, aggregated to county. A permit reflects intent to build, not a completed unit — actual construction lags by 6-24 months for multifamily projects.
Employment & wages
Average annual pay
$58,601
Average weekly wage
$1,127
Total employment
14,768
Total establishments
1,334
That is roughly 10% below the US national average of $65,470 per worker.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (bls.gov/cew). Public domain. QCEW is derived from state unemployment-insurance filings and covers ~95% of US jobs. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches; small-employer cells are suppressed by BLS to protect employer confidentiality.
Unemployment
Unemployment rate
3.5%
That is 0.5 percentage points below the US national unemployment rate of about 4.0%.
Labor force
17,436
Employed
16,828
Unemployed
608
Based on Essex County, NY data (2024).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (bls.gov/lau). Public domain. LAUS publishes monthly and annual labor-force estimates for every US county. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches.
Federal Disaster Declarations
Federally Declared Disasters
25
Date Range
1993–2024
Most Recent Declaration
REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM DEBBY
Tropical Storm — declared September 24, 2024 (DR-4825)
Incident period: August 8, 2024 – August 10, 2024
Top Incident Types
- Severe Storm7 (28%)
- Flood4 (16%)
- Hurricane4 (16%)
- Snowstorm3 (12%)
- Biological2 (8%)
- Other5 (20%)
Individual Assistance
6
Direct help to disaster survivors
Households Program
2
Housing & temporary lodging support
Public Assistance
23
Repair of public facilities & roads
Hazard Mitigation
12
Funding to reduce future disaster risk
FEMA declares disasters at the county level; counts here include every federally declared disaster touching any county that overlaps this ZIP. Statewide declarations and pre-1964 records without county granularity are excluded. Program flags reflect which FEMA assistance categories were activated (Individual Assistance, Households, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation). Source: fema.gov/openfema. Public domain.
Climate
30-year averages (1991-2020) from the nearest GHCN-D weather station. Temperature and precipitation values reflect typical annual conditions, not any single year.
Avg. temperature
45°F
35.1° – 54.8°
Annual precipitation
38.7"
Annual snowfall
58.6"
Heating · cooling days
7,705.3 · 445.5
Annual base 65°F
Nearest station: CORNWALL, VT US, 20.1 miles from the centroid of ZIP 12961 (ZIP 12961)
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals (ncei.noaa.gov). Public domain.
Air quality
Median daily AQI
41
GoodGood 310dModerate 56d
Peak AQI (2024)
80
Moderate
Primary pollutant
Ozone
334 days as main pollutant
Days measured
366
Based on Essex County data (2024).
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System (epa.gov). Public domain. Only counties with EPA AQS monitoring stations appear here (~30% of US counties); rural ZIPs whose primary county has no monitor will not show this section.
Community health profile
Years of potential life lost (per 100K)
7,206
That is roughly 994 years per 100,000 below the national county median (~8,200).
Premature death is the headline composite outcome CHR reports — age-adjusted, all-cause, before age 75.
Fair or poor health
15%
of adults self-report
Poor physical health days
4.1
avg per adult per month
Poor mental health days
5.6
avg per adult per month
Uninsured
5.4%
of residents under 65
Primary care MDs
51
per 100,000 residents
Preventable hospital stays
2,018
per 100K Medicare enrollees
Food environment (0-10)
8.8
10 = best access & security
Exercise access
100%
residents near a facility
Flu vaccinated
51%
of Medicare enrollees
Low birth weight (under 2,500 g) accounts for 8.0% of live births in this county — an early-life health input that downstream outcomes track against.
Based on Essex data (2025 CHR release).
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (countyhealthrankings.org). Annual release. Underlying source datasets vary by measure (CDC BRFSS, NCHS Vital Statistics, AHA, USDA Food Environment Atlas, and others). Figures are county-level and assigned to every ZIP whose primary county matches.
Food access
Food access status
Good food access — most residents near a store
2.9% of Essex County, NY residents live more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket.
Grocery stores
0.43
per 1,000 residents
Supercenters & clubs
—
per 1,000 residents
SNAP-authorized stores
1.15
accepting food benefits
Fast-food restaurants
0.76
per 1,000 residents
Per-1,000 figures show how many of each store type exist in Essex County, NY for every 1,000 residents. Higher grocery and supercenter density usually means easier access to fresh food; higher convenience-store-only density (with low grocery rate) often signals a food swamp.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Environment Atlas (ers.usda.gov). County-level metrics fanned to ZIP via the primary county in the Census ZCTA-county relationship file. Variable years differ per family (stores ~2020, low-access ~2019).
Safety
FBI publishes crime data at the county level. Numbers below cover the primary county that contains this ZIP. Rates are per 100,000 residents in the area covered by reporting agencies.
Violent crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 0 reports
Property crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 2 reports
Homicide
0
Robbery
0
Burglary
0
Vehicle theft
1
County-level data for Essex (2024)
Source: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (cde.ucr.cjis.gov). Public domain. Coverage varies by reporting agency; areas with partial agency coverage may understate true crime totals.
Who’s moving in and out
Net migration (2022-2023)
▲+107 people
+23 households • +$10.4M net AGI flow
Moved in
1,291households
1,979 people • $98.5M AGI
Moved out
1,268households
1,872 people • $88.1M AGI
Where new residents came from
- Clinton County, NY — 144 households
- Franklin County, NY — 91 households
- Warren County, NY — 43 households
- Saratoga County, NY — 34 households
- Washington County, NY — 22 households
Where departing residents went
- Clinton County, NY — 182 households
- Franklin County, NY — 129 households
- Warren County, NY — 53 households
- Saratoga County, NY — 29 households
- Washington County, NY — 23 households
Incoming households reported an average AGI of $76,290 versus departing households' $69,460.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income, Migration Data (irs.gov). Public domain. Migration is measured by year-over-year changes in the address on individual tax returns; figures are county-level totals attributed to ZIPs whose primary county matches. Foreign migration contributes to inflow/outflow totals but does not appear in the top-county lists. Small flows are suppressed by IRS to protect taxpayer confidentiality.
Taxes & benefits in New York
State-level rules that apply to every resident of ZIP 12961. Numbers reflect the most recent published year per source.
Tax rates
Income tax
10.90%
graduated · 8 brackets
Sales tax (combined)
8.54%
State 4.00% · avg local 4.54%
Property tax (effective)
1.92%
Median $3,417/year
Tax burden rank
50 of 50
14.20% of personal income
Paid family leave
Program
Paid Family Leave
Mandatory (private insurance)
Max weeks/year
26
Parental
12wk
Max weekly benefit
$1,229
Replacement: 67% AWW · job protection
Safety net
SNAP eligibility
200% FPL
Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (raises gross income limit above federal 130% floor). No asset test.
Sources: Tax Foundation (state tax rates & brackets), Bipartisan Policy Center (paid family leave), USDA FNS (SNAP categorical eligibility).
Other ZIPs near 12961
Nearby ZIPs by distance
12998 (Witherbee, 2.2 mi) · 12960 (3.2 mi) · 12964 (5.4 mi) · 12956 (Mineville, 5.8 mi) · 12974 (Port Henry, 6.1 mi) · 12928 (6.7 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
Data sources used on this page
All data on this page is sourced from federal government datasets · Not AI-generated · Methodology
Health profile
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
Obesity
37.5%
4.5pp above the 33.0% national rate.
High Blood Pressure
39.0%
7.0pp above the 32.0% national rate.
Depression
21.9%
Tracks close to the 22.0% national rate.
Annual Checkup
81.4%
5.4pp above the 76.0% national rate.
Health Insurance
5.5%
7.5pp below the 13.0% national rate.
Diabetes
12.9%
Tracks close to the 11.0% national rate.
Colleges & universities nearby
Colleges in this area
6
Median in-state tuition
$7,933
Median earnings (10 yr)
$42,696
- 4-Year
State University of New York at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY · 12901
- In-state tuition
- $9,035
- Out-of-state tuition
- $18,945
- Acceptance rate
- 78.4%
- Graduation rate
- 58.7%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $56,403
- Median student debt
- $21,196
- 2-Year
North Country Community College
Saranac Lake, NY · 12983
- In-state tuition
- $6,682
- Out-of-state tuition
- $9,370
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 27.1%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $38,276
- Median student debt
- $12,000
- 4-Year
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science
Paul Smiths, NY · 12970
- In-state tuition
- $33,009
- Out-of-state tuition
- $33,009
- Acceptance rate
- 76.5%
- Graduation rate
- 52.0%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $46,145
- Median student debt
- $22,750
- 2-Year
Clinton Community College
Plattsburgh, NY · 12901
- In-state tuition
- $6,831
- Out-of-state tuition
- $6,831
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 28.4%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $39,246
- Median student debt
- $13,250
- Certificate
Clinton Essex Warren Washington BOCES
Plattsburgh, NY · 12901
- In-state tuition
- —
- Out-of-state tuition
- —
- Acceptance rate
- 31.1%
- Graduation rate
- 91.1%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- —
- Median student debt
- —
- 2-Year
CVPH Medical Center School of Radiologic Technology
Plattsburgh, NY · 12901
- In-state tuition
- —
- Out-of-state tuition
- —
- Acceptance rate
- 85.7%
- Graduation rate
- 74.2%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- —
- Median student debt
- —
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov). Public domain data. Earnings figures reflect median earnings 10 years after entry for federally-aided students.
What these numbers say together
NY 12961 (ZIP 12961) sits in Essex County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: Health Insurance comes in below the national average at 5.5%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 6 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $7,933. FEMA has issued 25 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1993 — a high-frequency exposure profile. Annual average temperature is just 45.0°F per NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals — a notably cold-weather climate. Only 5.4% of residents under 65 are uninsured (County Health Rankings, 2025) — well below the national county median. USDA's Food Environment Atlas shows a strong food retail environment in this county — only 2.9% of residents are low-access and grocery density is above the national county median. New residents arriving here predominantly come from Clinton County, NY (IRS SOI Migration, 2022-2023). Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: fair market rent of $1,190 for a two-bedroom, a low 0.0% poverty rate, and 78.4% foreign-born residents per Census ACS. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
The two domains pull in different directions. Healthcare access reads strong, but the on-paper school count is on the lighter side — that’s less a quality signal and more a density one. Households here often look at districts a few ZIPs over for school choice while keeping their providers local.
One concrete reading worth keeping: Depression prevalence sits near the national rate at 21.9%. Each figure on this page links to the original federal dataset with its retrieval date — this synthesis is a reading, not a substitute for the underlying records.
Frequently Asked Questions — ZIP 12961
What is the obesity rate in ZIP 12961?
37.5%, which is 4.5 percentage points above the national average of 33.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the depression rate in ZIP 12961?
21.9%, which is 0.1 percentage points below the national average of 22.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the high blood pressure rate in ZIP 12961?
39.0%, which is 7.0 percentage points above the national average of 32.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the population of ZIP 12961?
97 people live in ZIP 12961, with a median age of 62.4 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
Is ZIP 12961 mostly renters or homeowners?
In ZIP 12961, 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 0.0% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
How do people commute in ZIP 12961?
In ZIP 12961, 0.0% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 0.0% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the poverty rate in ZIP 12961?
0.0% of the population in ZIP 12961 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What percentage of households in ZIP 12961 have broadband internet?
88.4% of households in ZIP 12961 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
How vulnerable is ZIP 12961 to disasters and public health emergencies?
According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (2022), ZIP 12961 ranks in the 28th percentile nationally for social vulnerability — a moderate vulnerability profile (retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the biggest vulnerability factor in ZIP 12961?
Household Characteristics is the highest-scoring CDC SVI theme for ZIP 12961, ranking in the 40th percentile nationally (CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022, retrieved May 3, 2026).
How many federally declared disasters has ZIP 12961 experienced?
FEMA has recorded 25 federal disaster declarations affecting ZIP 12961 between 1993–2024 (FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What kinds of disasters most often hit ZIP 12961?
Severe Storm is the most common federally declared disaster type affecting ZIP 12961, accounting for 7 of 25 declarations (28%, FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What was the most recent disaster declared for ZIP 12961?
The most recent FEMA disaster declaration affecting ZIP 12961 was "REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM DEBBY" — a tropical storm declared in 2024 (DR-4825) (FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What colleges are near ZIP 12961?
6 colleges and universities are listed near ZIP 12961 by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, including State University Of New York At Plattsburgh, North Country Community College, and Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science (retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the average tuition at colleges near ZIP 12961?
Median in-state tuition across 6 nearby institutions is $7,933 (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What do graduates earn from colleges near ZIP 12961?
Graduates of nearby colleges earn a median of $42,696 ten years after entry (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the climate like in ZIP 12961?
ZIP 12961 has an average annual temperature of 45.0°F and 38.7" of annual precipitation based on the CORNWALL, VT US weather station 20.1 miles from the ZIP centroid (NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, retrieved May 8, 2026).
What taxes apply in ZIP 12961?
New York has a graduated income tax with a top rate of 10.90%. Combined sales tax: 8.54% (Tax Foundation 2025).
Does New York have paid family leave?
New York runs an active paid family leave program (Paid Family Leave) offering up to 26 weeks of paid leave per year, with a maximum weekly benefit of $1,229 (Bipartisan Policy Center 2026).
What data is available for ZIP 12961?
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (40 metrics), demographics from the Census ACS 5-Year (2022), colleges from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (6 institutions), social vulnerability scores from the CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022), federal disaster declarations from FEMA OpenFEMA (25 on record), climate normals from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020), county-level crime data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024), and state-level tax rates from the Tax Foundation. Data is refreshed on Mubboo's standard schedule.
How current is this data?
Health data retrieved Apr 24, 2026 from CDC PLACES. Demographics retrieved Apr 30, 2026 from Census ACS 5-Year (2022). College data retrieved May 2, 2026 from U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard. Social vulnerability scores retrieved May 3, 2026 from CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022). Federal disaster declarations retrieved May 3, 2026 from FEMA OpenFEMA (25 on record). Climate normals retrieved May 8, 2026 from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020). County-level crime data retrieved May 4, 2026 from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024). State-level tax rates retrieved 2026-05-05 15:58:22.284+00 from the Tax Foundation.
Other ZIPs near 12961
Nearby ZIPs by distance
12998 (Witherbee, 2.2 mi) · 12960 (3.2 mi) · 12964 (5.4 mi) · 12956 (Mineville, 5.8 mi) · 12974 (Port Henry, 6.1 mi) · 12928 (6.7 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
More Info topics
Have a specific question about ZIP 12961?
Ask Mubboo — launching Q4 2026.
Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall SVI
28th percentile
Moderate Vulnerability
Based on 1 census tract, population 492
Vulnerability Themes
Households Without Vehicle
11
Persons with Disability
92
Without HS Diploma
34
Without Health Insurance
12
Adults Age 65+
203
The Social Vulnerability Index uses U.S. Census data to identify communities most at risk during public health emergencies and natural disasters. Higher percentiles indicate greater vulnerability. Tract-level scores are aggregated to this ZCTA via Census 2020 ZCTA→Tract crosswalk, weighted by land-area share. Source: atsdr.cdc.gov. Public domain.