Caroga Lake, New York Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 448, Caroga Lake's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Caroga Lake is a small community located in New York, within Fulton County. The total population is 448. It ranks as the 1091st most populous out of 1,289 Census-designated places in New York.

Age Demographics

The median age in Caroga Lake is 62.1 years. This is 56% higher than the state median of 39.8 years. Only 6.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 21.9% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Caroga Lake is $55,200. This is 36% lower than the state median of $85,974. It is also 32% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.6%. This is 60% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Caroga Lake, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $124,700. Housing costs are 71% lower than the state median of $423,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Caroga Lake is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 93.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 72% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Caroga Lake has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 97.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (97.5% vs 52.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 19.8%.

Education

9.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 77% lower than the state rate of 40.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Caroga Lake, New York is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against New York state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,289 Census-designated places in New York. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.