Swan Lake, New York Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 161, Swan 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

Swan Lake is a small community located in New York, within Sullivan County. The total population is 161. It ranks as the 1230th most populous out of 1,289 Census-designated places in New York.

Age Demographics

The median age in Swan Lake is 62.6 years. This is 57% higher than the state median of 39.8 years. Only 1.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Swan Lake is $68,056. This is 21% lower than the state median of $85,974. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.1%. This is 51% higher than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Swan Lake, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $556,000. Housing costs are 31% higher than the state median of $423,800. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.2x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 51.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% lower than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Swan Lake has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 10.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (89.4% vs 52.8%).

Education

29.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 27% 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 78.6%. Notably, 18.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Swan 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.