Lake Placid, New York Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Lake Placid is a small community located in New York, within Essex County. The total population is 2,306. It ranks as the 585th most populous out of 1,289 Census-designated places in New York.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lake Placid is 42.0 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 39.8 years. Only 13.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lake Placid is $41,612. This is 52% lower than the state median of $85,974. It is also 48% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.0%. This is 36% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The unemployment rate is 1.1%. This is 82% lower than the state rate of 6.4%. The median home value is $400,000. Housing costs are 6% lower than the state median of $423,800. The home-value-to-income ratio of 9.6x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 46.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% lower than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Lake Placid has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.3% of all residents. Asian residents account for 0.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (95.3% vs 52.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 19.8%. The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 9.0%.

Education

42.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 6% higher 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 95.7%. Notably, 16.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Lake Placid, 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.