Ballston Spa, N.Y, 1890
Ballston Spa’s story
255 years in pictures
Census counts: 500 in 1810, 5,111 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1889 and 4 maps from 1902 on.
- 1771Ballston Spa is settled
Ballston SpaNY
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:N-Lange.de · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
4,900
2025 Census estimate · −4.7% since 2020
Typical home
$431K
+4.8% in a year
Household income
$102K
median
Median age
42.7
years
Jobs based here
3,749
A job hub
TownGrade
A
#64 of 745 in NY
Why does Ballston Spa grade so well?
Few places in the country grade higher. Ballston Spa earns an A, 64th among New York's 745 graded towns. Residents are healthier than 84% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, the median household earns $102K, and crime is low: it reports less per resident than 83% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a B−, is in cost of living. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 96% of U.S. towns. Ballston Spa is more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns. 46% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Ballston Spa, against 32% in New York’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Ballston Spa's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 85% of U.S. towns.
What makes Ballston Spa stand out
Where Ballston Spa beats most towns.
0historic places
HistoryA+
Settled in 1771
A long history
A history going back 255 years.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 86% of U.S. towns
2.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Library visits per resident
Ballston Spa7.4
Typical U.S. town3.4
Typical NY town3.6
Civic lifeA
2 times the library visits per person
than the typical New York town
IMLS Public Libraries Survey.
A job hub
Every workday, about 3,507 people come to Ballston Spa for work
Where Ballston Spa’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,749jobs based in Ballston Spa
10%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Ballston Spa grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Ballston Spa is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.9 of 20; 3% of households have no carAOpen →HealthSaratoga Hospital 6.2 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income3,749 jobs based hereA−Open →SafetyA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →SchoolsBeat 56% of New York districts on tests and graduationBOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 2% conserved landB+Open →History14 notable people born hereA+Open →Civic life7.4 library visits per resident; 4.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 81 attractions →National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and 41 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ballston Spa. Close and well known come first.
6 mi MuseumNational Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
30 mi LandmarkFort William Henry
25 mi Theme parkGreat Escape
4 mi TheatreSaratoga Performing Arts Center
15 mi State parkGrant Cottage State Historic Site
38 mi MuseumClark Art InstituteSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame: Peter Flass, CC BY 3.0 · Fort William Henry: IrisKawling at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Great Escape: Jared and Corin, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Saratoga Performing Arts Center: UpstateNYer., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Grant Cottage State Historic Site: Coingeek at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Clark Art Institute: Daderot, Public domain
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ballston Spa: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ballston Spa, and how to reach them.
PowerNational Grid19.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBallston Spa Village water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offMilton Recycling Center, 1 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSaratoga County Board of ElectionsSaratoga County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2022
ZIP code1202012020 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Ballston Spa.
Ballston Spa pairs an A overall with homes cheaper than the New York norm, draws workers from Milton and beyond and is safe by national standards but not by New York’s.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About one in ten working residents works right in Ballston Spa
3,749 jobs are based in Ballston Spa, 1.6 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 24.7 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Most working residents leave Ballston Spa for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Saratoga Springs (15%), Colonie (9%) and Albany (9%). Half commute less than 14 miles.
10%work in town
| Ballston Spa | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $102,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Ballston Spa10%
Saratoga Springs15%
Colonie9%
Albany9%
Ballston9%
14 mi
median commute distance
3,749
jobs based in Ballston Spa
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthA−
Fewer of Ballston Spa’s adults sleep under 7 hours than in the typical New York or U.S. town
Its widest gap with New York is tooth loss: 7.5% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 12.8% statewide.
31% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Ballston Spa. Ballston Spa beats the New York average on 13 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 21% of adults get no exercise outside work in Ballston Spa.
84%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Ballston Spa | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 37% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 25% | 25% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 17% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.4% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. New York
13 better16 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Ballston Spa | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.5% | 12.8% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.2% | 17.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.4% | 7.7% |
Saratoga Hospital
6.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
71st
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyA−
Ballston Spa’s grade for safety is an A−
At 7.4 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 69% of New York’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 residents.
Ballston Spa’s violent crime rate is 0.4 per 1,000 residents.
83%of U.S. towns report more crimeA−Safety Grade
| Ballston Spa | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.4 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.3 per 1,000 residents | 7.6 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Ballston Spa0.4
New York3.7
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Ballston Spa5.3
New York15.7
U.S.15.5
83rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
69th
percentile among NY towns
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
26
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Ballston Spa has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Ballston Spa has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 13° and about 64 inches of snow falls in a winter.
64″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–34°
Spring35–57°
Summer58–80°
Fall40–60°
Oct 7
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade B−
Ballston Spa’s typical home value is about $431K
Ballston Spa grades A overall with a typical home of about $431K, below the New York typical value; only 33 of the 89 New York towns graded A− or better can say that.
The typical Ballston Spa home is worth about $431,000, up 4.8% in a year, 18% below the New York typical home. 66% of Ballston Spa households own their home.
$431KZillow home value
| Ballston Spa | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 66% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,122 a month | $1,098 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Ballston Spa$431K
New York$525K
+4.8%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than New York overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 45% of residents (39% statewide). Ballston Spa has lost 4.7% of its people since 2020, down to 4,900 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 46% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 40% across New York.
42.7median age · NY 39.8
| Ballston Spa | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 14% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 42.7 years | 43 years | 40.5 years |
Ballston SpaNew YorkUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school24%
Some college9%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s27%
Graduate19%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.7 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.
| Ballston Spa | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.3% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.2% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.3% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.9% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.3% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 16.6% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.4% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.9% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.2% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.2% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.4% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 9.3% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.3% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.6% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 19.2% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,900, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Ballston Spa
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 54% of U.S. communities. Since 2007, 11 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Ballston Spa.
54risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoes
11
paid flood claims since 2007
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsB+
Ballston Spa has set aside 2.4% of its land for conservation
0.8 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
2.4%conserved
| Ballston Spa | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.4% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
2.4%
conserved · 25 of 1,025 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jim Tedisco Fitness Trail | 0.4 mi | 5 |
| 2. Ballston Area Recreation Commission | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ballston Spa
20pages on Ballston Spa
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 56% of NY districtsSafetyA−0.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than NY on 13 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$431K typical home · up 4.8% in a yearWork & commuteA−$102K median household income · 3,749 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 54% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Ballston Spa
Empire State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Saratoga Springs6.1 mi$7,648 in-state tuitionSkidmore CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Saratoga Springs7.2 mi$67,290 tuitionSchenectady County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Schenectady14.1 mi$6,190 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Ballston Spa residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
Famous people from Ballston Spa
14 notable people were born in Ballston Spa.
About Ballston Spa
Village in New York, United States
Ballston Spa is a village in and the county seat of Saratoga County, New York, United States, located southwest of Saratoga Springs. It is part of the Capital Region. The population of the village, named after Rev. Eliphalet Ball, a Congregationalist clergyman and an early settler, was 5,111 at the 2020 census. Ballston Spa lies on the border of two towns, situated partly in the Town of Ballston and partly in the Town of Milton. The Ballston Spa School District encompassing most of the combined towns of Milton, Malta, and Ballston is often referred to locally as ‘Ballston Spa’ with the village proper being referred to as ‘The Village’ or 'Town'.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1771
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 315 ft
- ZIP code
- 12020
Ballston Spa’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Ballston Spa.
North Ballston SpaBallston Spa
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballston Spa | #64 | A | B− | A− | B | A− |
| North Ballston Spa | — | — | — | — | — | — |
North Ballston Spa isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Ballston Spa with a neighbor →
Questions about Ballston Spa
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ballston Spa, NY a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Ballston Spa grades A overall, better than 94% of U.S. towns and #64 of 745 in New York. It grades A− for health, A− for safety and B for schools.
Is Ballston Spa, NY expensive?
That is 4.9 years of the area's median household income ($88,074 across the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
What is Ballston Spa, NY known for?
14 notable people were born here, including Abner Doubleday and George Henry Fox.