Zip code 12986: Tupper Lake, New York

Q: What city is zip code 12986?

12986 is assigned to Tupper Lake, New York. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

Q: What county is 12986 in?

12986 is mostly in Franklin County, but it extends into 1 other county.

Q: What is the population of 12986?

About 5,326 people live in 12986, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Q: What is the median household income in 12986?

The median household income in 12986 is $67,883.

Q: What zip codes are near 12986?

The closest zip codes to 12986 are 12973, 12945, 12970, 12983, 12977.

Residential delivery areaFranklin CountyEastern Time

Population

5,326

Median household income

$68K

U.S. $81K

Median home value

$159K

U.S. $333K

Median rent

$790/mo

U.S. $1,413

Median age

48.7

U.S. 38.9

Land area

287 sq mi

19 people/sq mi

Boundary is the Census Bureau's ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which closely tracks the postal delivery area.

About 12986

12986 is a rural zip code in Tupper Lake, New York (Franklin County), covering 287 sq mi of land. About 5,326 people live here, or 19 per square mile. The median resident is 48.7 years old, compared with 38.9 nationally.

The median household earns $67,883 a year, 16% below the national median of $80,734. 16.9% of residents live below the poverty line (U.S.: 12.5%). A typical home is valued at $158,900, or 2.3 years of median household income (U.S.: 4.1 years), which makes homes relatively affordable for local earners. 73% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, and renters pay a median of $790 a month.

23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S.: 36%). Commuters average 14.7 minutes each way, and 8% of workers work from home. The most common jobs among working residents are in healthcare; sales; and office and administrative support.

How 12986 compares

Sorted from highest to lowest national percentile

Housing vacancy36.6%
99th
U.S. 10.1% · NY 10%230th of 1,675 in NY
Healthcare workers21.8%
99th
U.S. 9.7% · NY 11.8%58th of 1,685 in NY
Government workers36.4%
99th
U.S. 14.5% · NY 16.4%64th of 1,685 in NY
Median age48.7
94th
U.S. 38.9 · NY 39.8424th of 1,693 in NY
Residents 65 and older26.7%
94th
U.S. 17.2% · NY 17.9%307th of 1,693 in NY
Poverty rate16.9%
76th
U.S. 12.5% · NY 14%346th of 1,679 in NY
Self-employed workers11.7%
75th
U.S. 10% · NY 9.7%605th of 1,685 in NY
Veterans7.5%
72nd
U.S. 6.2% · NY 3.7%492nd of 1,693 in NY
Homeownership rate72.7%
61st
U.S. 65.2% · NY 54.3%1,107th of 1,673 in NY
Per capita income$35,777
37th
U.S. $44,673 · NY $50,7121,166th of 1,690 in NY
Median earnings per worker$43,672
35th
U.S. $49,666 · NY $55,3211,268th of 1,676 in NY
Median household income$67,883
33rd
U.S. $80,734 · NY $85,9741,142nd of 1,602 in NY
Broadband access89%
28th
U.S. 91% · NY 90.8%1,079th of 1,673 in NY
Bachelor's degree or higher22.5%
27th
U.S. 35.7% · NY 40.2%1,226th of 1,691 in NY
Work from home8%
22nd
U.S. 15.1% · NY 14.9%1,199th of 1,685 in NY
Residents under 1818.4%
21st
U.S. 22% · NY 20.5%1,011th of 1,693 in NY
Median home value$158,900
11th
U.S. $332,700 · NY $423,8001,274th of 1,614 in NY
Foreign-born residents1.9%
11th
U.S. 14.1% · NY 22.8%1,224th of 1,693 in NY
Population5,326
9th
U.S. 334,922,499 · NY 19,852,366707th of 1,693 in NY
Income inequality (Gini)0.378
9th
StrengthU.S. 0.483 · NY 0.5171,308th of 1,669 in NY
Median gross rent$790
6th
U.S. $1,413 · NY $1,6211,214th of 1,367 in NY
Unemployment rate2%
5th
StrengthU.S. 5.2% · NY 6.4%1,334th of 1,685 in NY
Diversity index10.7
4th
U.S. 61.4 · NY 65.51,357th of 1,693 in NY
Rent-burdened renters24.4%
3rd
StrengthU.S. 51.1% · NY 52.1%1,358th of 1,579 in NY
Population density19/sq mi
2nd
U.S. 95/sq mi · NY 421/sq mi1,598th of 1,693 in NY
Average commute14.7 min
1st
StrengthU.S. 26.4 min · NY 32.6 min1,578th of 1,618 in NY
Uninsured rate0.9%
1st
StrengthU.S. 8.4% · NY 5.1%1,451st of 1,689 in NY
Tech workers0%
1st
U.S. 3.8% · NY 3.5%1,441st of 1,685 in NY

Measure	12986	Franklin	NY	U.S.	National percentile	Rank in NY
Housing vacancy	36.6%	23.5%	10%	10.1%	99th	230th of 1,675
Healthcare workers	21.8%	12.3%	11.8%	9.7%	99th	58th of 1,685
Government workers	36.4%	30.4%	16.4%	14.5%	99th	64th of 1,685
Median age	48.7	42	39.8	38.9	94th	424th of 1,693
Residents 65 and older	26.7%	19.5%	17.9%	17.2%	94th	307th of 1,693
Poverty rate	16.9%	18.2%	14%	12.5%	76th	346th of 1,679
Self-employed workers	11.7%	10.3%	9.7%	10%	75th	605th of 1,685
Veterans	7.5%	7.3%	3.7%	6.2%	72nd	492nd of 1,693
Homeownership rate	72.7%	72.5%	54.3%	65.2%	61st	1,107th of 1,673
Per capita income	$35,777	$32,684	$50,712	$44,673	37th	1,166th of 1,690
Median earnings per worker	$43,672	$44,652	$55,321	$49,666	35th	1,268th of 1,676
Median household income	$67,883	$65,151	$85,974	$80,734	33rd	1,142nd of 1,602
Broadband access	89%	86.4%	90.8%	91%	28th	1,079th of 1,673
Bachelor's degree or higher	22.5%	23.8%	40.2%	35.7%	27th	1,226th of 1,691
Work from home	8%	6.1%	14.9%	15.1%	22nd	1,199th of 1,685
Residents under 18	18.4%	19.9%	20.5%	22%	21st	1,011th of 1,693
Median home value	$158,900	$145,400	$423,800	$332,700	11th	1,274th of 1,614
Foreign-born residents	1.9%	3.5%	22.8%	14.1%	11th	1,224th of 1,693
Population	5,326	46,696	19,852,366	334,922,499	9th	707th of 1,693
Income inequality (Gini)Strength	0.378	0.425	0.517	0.483	9th	1,308th of 1,669
Median gross rent	$790	$843	$1,621	$1,413	6th	1,214th of 1,367
Unemployment rateStrength	2%	3.9%	6.4%	5.2%	5th	1,334th of 1,685
Diversity index	10.7	29.8	65.5	61.4	4th	1,357th of 1,693
Rent-burdened rentersStrength	24.4%	37.5%	52.1%	51.1%	3rd	1,358th of 1,579
Population density	19/sq mi	29/sq mi	421/sq mi	95/sq mi	2nd	1,598th of 1,693
Average commuteStrength	14.7 min	20.7 min	32.6 min	26.4 min	1st	1,578th of 1,618
Uninsured rateStrength	0.9%	5.7%	5.1%	8.4%	1st	1,451st of 1,689
Tech workers	0%	0.8%	3.5%	3.8%	1st	1,441st of 1,685

The percentile is the share of Americans who live in a zip code with a lower value, so the 50th percentile is typical. Rank 1 is the highest value in the state. Both include zip codes with at least 100 residents. Strengths and weaknesses mark measures in the best or worst fifth nationally, where higher or lower is clearly better (income, poverty, education, commute, broadband, insurance and similar). Measures like age or density are left unmarked.

People

Age

Under 5

14%

5–17

18–24

13%

25–34

11%

35–44

10%

45–54

17%

55–64

14%

65–74

12%

75+

Median age

48.7

Under 18

18.4%

65 and over

26.7%

Race and ethnicity

White94%
Black2%
Hispanic1%
Asian0.0%
Native American0.1%
Pacific Islander0.1%
Other0.5%
Multiracial1%

Diversity index

10.7

U.S. 61.4

Foreign-born

1.9%

U.S. 14.1%

Born in state

81.1%

Language spoken at home (households)

English only

96%

Spanish

Other Indo-European

Asian / Pacific

Other

Households

Households: 2,335
Average household size: 2.1
Family households: 58%
Married couples: 47.8%
Living alone: 36.2%
Veterans (of adults): 7.5%
Male / female: 50% / 50%

Income and poverty

Household income distribution

<$25k

12%

$25–50k

24%

$50–75k

20%

$75–100k

13%

$100–150k

20%

$150–200k

$200k+

Median household income

12986

$67,883

Franklin Co.

$65,151

New York

$85,974

United States

$80,734

Per capita income

$35,777

U.S. $44,673

Poverty rate

16.9%

U.S. 12.5%

Households earning $150K+

10.7%

U.S. 23%

Income inequality (Gini)

0.378

U.S. 0.483

Housing

Median home value

12986

$158,900

Franklin Co.

$145,400

New York

$423,800

United States

$332,700

Median gross rent

12986

$790

Franklin Co.

$843

New York

$1,621

United States

$1,413

Types of housing

Single-family

79%

2–4 units

5–19 units

20+ units

Mobile home

Boat, RV, van

Housing units: 3,681
Owner-occupied: 72.7%
Vacant: 36.6%
Median year built: 1956
Median rooms: 5.3
Renters paying 30%+ of income: 24.4%
Renters paying 50%+ of income: 3.3%
Home value to income: 2.3× (U.S. 4.1×)

Work and commute

How people get to work

Drove alone

68%

Carpooled

16%

Transit

Walked

Bicycle

0.6%

Worked from home

Other

0.1%

Commute time (one way)

<10 min

41%

10–19

39%

20–29

30–44

45–59

60+

Average commute

14.7 min

U.S. 26.4 min

Unemployment

U.S. 5.2%

In labor force

46.3%

U.S. 63.5%

Jobs and careers

What employed residents do, wherever they work

Occupations

Healthcare

22%

Sales

16%

Office and admin

11%

Construction and repair

Cleaning and personal care

Management

Education

Transportation and moving

Legal and social services

Business and finance

Food service

Production

Engineering and science

Police and fire

Arts, media and sports

0.9%

Farming, fishing and forestry

0.9%

Computer and math

Industries

Health care and social assistance

23%

Public administration

17%

Retail

17%

Education

Construction

Transportation, warehousing and utilities

Other services

Agriculture and mining

Professional and technical services

Arts and recreation

Manufacturing

Restaurants and hotels

Admin, support and management

Finance, insurance and real estate

Wholesale

Information

0.6%

Median earnings per worker

$43,672

U.S. $49,666

Self-employed

11.7%

U.S. 10%

Government workers

36.4%

U.S. 14.5%

Nonprofit workers

10.1%

U.S. 8.8%

Median earnings by type of work

Type of work	12986	U.S.
Management, business, science and arts	$60,306	$74,888
Service	$47,348	$26,804
Sales and office	$34,349	$40,476
Construction and maintenance	$57,974	$49,199
Production and transportation	$11,477	$39,989

Education, internet and health coverage

Highest education (adults 25+)

No diploma

High school

33%

Some college

21%

Associate's

15%

Bachelor's

11%

Graduate

11%

High school graduate or higher: 91.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 22.5%
Graduate or professional degree: 11.1%
Households with broadband: 89%
Cable, fiber or DSL: 82.6%
No internet access: 8.8%
Without health insurance: 0.9%
Limited-English households: 0.3%

Geography

City (USPS): Tupper Lake
State: New York
County: Franklin County
Center point: 44.2240° N, 74.4335° W
Land area: 287 sq mi
Water area: 28 sq mi
Time zone: Eastern Time (UTC-5, UTC-4 in summer)
Zip type: Residential delivery area

12986 spans 2 counties

Franklin County75% of land
St. Lawrence County25% of land

Zip codes near 12986

Search by radius

Zip	City	Distance	Population	IncomeMedian income	Home value
12973	Piercefield, NY	7.9 mi	154	$104,091	$106,300
12945	Lake Clear, NY	11 mi	391	$80,227	$278,100
12970	Paul Smiths, NY	16 mi	1,084	$84,250	$242,100
12983	Saranac Lake, NY	17 mi	7,296	$65,985	$225,200
12977	Ray Brook, NY	17 mi	1,213	—	—
12927	Cranberry Lake, NY	19 mi	318	$68,125	$120,900
12946	Lake Placid, NY	19 mi	4,872	$77,548	$467,000
12939	Gabriels, NY	20 mi	173	$51,635	$275,000
13672	Parishville, NY	20 mi	449	$76,216	$97,500
12847	Long Lake, NY	21 mi	740	$70,962	$276,000
12922	Childwold, NY	21 mi	44	$88,333	$222,700
12976	Rainbow Lake, NY	22 mi	137	$61,406	$231,300

Zip codes like 12986 elsewhere

Matched on income, home values, age, density, education, housing and commuting

Questions about 12986

What city is zip code 12986?

12986 is assigned to Tupper Lake, New York. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

What county is 12986 in?

12986 is mostly in Franklin County, but it extends into 1 other county.

What is the population of 12986?

About 5,326 people live in 12986, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

What time zone is 12986 in?

12986 is in Eastern Time.

What is the median household income in 12986?

The median household income in 12986 is $67,883.

What zip codes are near 12986?

The closest zip codes to 12986 are 12973, 12945, 12970, 12983, 12977.

Demographic figures are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 12986, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Small areas have wide margins of error. How we build these numbers.