Union Hotel
Sackets Harbor’s story
225 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper.
- 1801Sackets Harbor is settled
Sackets HarborNY
Population
1,337
2025 Census estimate · −3% since 2020
Typical home
$299K
+6% in a year
Household income
$77K
median
Median age
37.8
years
Jobs based here
351
A commuter town
Is Sackets Harbor a good place to live?
The best of Sackets Harbor’s subject grades are an A for health and the outdoors and an A+ for history; the weakest is a D for cost of living. Only 111 of New York’s 1,216 towns score higher on hazard risk. Sackets Harbor’s trail density is 1.5 miles per square mile, where New York’s towns sit at 0.4 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Only 95 of New York’s 1,216 towns score higher on history. The biggest place to walk is Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site, 93 acres with 1.4 miles of trail. Sackets Harbor has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Sackets Harbor stand out
Where Sackets Harbor beats most towns.
Small town
1,337 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Sackets Harbor grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Sackets Harbor is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 8% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →Cost of livingDOpen →HealthSamaritan Medical Center 10.1 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & income$77K median household incomeCOpen →SchoolsBeat 59% of New York districts on tests and graduationBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.6 of 20; 3.9% of households have no car; 3.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors4 miles of trails; 7% conserved landAOpen →History9 notable people born hereA+Open →Civic life8.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Sackets Harbor: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sackets Harbor, and how to reach them.
PowerNational Grid19.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSackets Harbor Village water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sackets Harbor’s trash rules yet
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 hereJefferson County Board of ElectionsJefferson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP code1368513685 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 Sackets Harbor.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Sackets Harbor
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 92% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Sackets Harbor.
8risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windCold waves
3
paid flood claims since 1982
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA
Sackets Harbor ranks healthier than 86% of the country’s towns
Sackets Harbor beats the New York average on 14 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 20% of Sackets Harbor adults binge drink, above both the New York town median (17%) and the median of U.S. towns (16%). 11% of Sackets Harbor adults report frequent physical distress.
86%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Sackets Harbor | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 34% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 19% |
32 measures vs. New York
14 better15 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Sackets Harbor | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.3% | 17.2% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4.8% | 7.9% |
| More binge drinkers | 20.3% | 16.3% |
Samaritan Medical Center
10.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade D
Sackets Harbor’s typical home value is about $299K
The typical Sackets Harbor home is worth about $299,000, up 6% in a year, 43% below the New York typical home. 41% of households own their home in Sackets Harbor.
$299KZillow home value
| Sackets Harbor | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 41% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,343 a month | $1,101 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Sackets Harbor$299K
New York$525K
+6%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
About one in three of Sackets Harbor’s working residents commute to Watertown
Most working residents leave Sackets Harbor for work: only 9% work in town. Since 2013, Sackets Harbor has lost 94 jobs, to 351 in 2023. The average trip to work in Sackets Harbor is 29 minutes.
9%work in town
| Sackets Harbor | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 12% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Sackets Harbor9%
Watertown33%
Hounsfield14%
Watertown8%
Philadelphia3%
11 mi
median commute distance
351
jobs based in Sackets Harbor
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 45% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Sackets Harbor
Sackets Harbor has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Sackets Harbor’s July high is 80°F.
116″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–32°
Spring34–53°
Summer59–78°
Fall42–59°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 11
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer middle-aged adults than New York overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 30% of residents (39% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 31% of residents (23% statewide). Sackets Harbor has lost 3% of its people since 2020, down to 1,337 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 44% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 40% across New York.
37.8median age · NY 39.8
| Sackets Harbor | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 44% | 32% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 17% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 37.8 years | 43 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 20% | 18% |
Sackets HarborNew YorkUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school20%
Some college18%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate24%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.4 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 73% are men (NY 50%).
| Sackets Harbor | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.2% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.8% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 12.5% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.4% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.5% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.2% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.7% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.6% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.2% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 20.1% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.7% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.9% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.6% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 23.5% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,300, single groups can be off by several points
Safety
Sackets Harbor stands out in New York and nationally, with property crime lower than most
Only 6 of the 266 New York towns we compare have a lower property crime rate than Sackets Harbor. Sackets Harbor's reported crime rate is well below New York's. No violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Sackets Harbor | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Sackets Harbor0
New York3.7
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Sackets Harbor0
New York15.7
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
0
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
6.7%conserved
6.7%
conserved · 98 of 1,469 acres
3.5 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site | 1.4 mi | 93 |
| 2. Sackets Harbor Central School Athletics Field | 0.2 mi | 17 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sackets Harbor
20pages on Sackets Harbor
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 59% of NY districtsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than NY on 14 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$299K typical home · up 6% in a yearWork & commuteC$77K median household income · 351 jobs hereNatural hazardsA+FEMA risk higher than 8% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Sackets Harbor
About 4 of every 100 Sackets Harbor residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
A commuter town
91% of working residents leave Sackets Harbor for work
Where Sackets Harbor’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
351jobs based in Sackets Harbor
9%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Sackets Harbor
9 notable people were born in Sackets Harbor.
About Sackets Harbor
Village in New York, United States
Sackets Harbor (earlier spelled Sacketts Harbor) is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States, on Lake Ontario. As of the 2020 census, Sackets Harbor had a population of 1,351. The village was named after land developer and owner Augustus Sackett, who founded it in the early 1800s. Sackets Harbor is in the western part of the town of Hounsfield and is west of Watertown. The heart of the village, with a Main Street and well-preserved 19th century buildings, has been recognized as the Sackets Harbor Village Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. To support the War of 1812, the US Navy built a major shipyard and its headquarters for the G…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1801
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 282 ft
- ZIP code
- 13685
Questions about Sackets Harbor
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sackets Harbor, NY expensive?
Yes. That is 4.5 years of the area's median household income ($66,301 across the Watertown-Fort Drum, 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 D.
What is Sackets Harbor, NY known for?
9 notable people were born here, including Mark W. Clark and Jerry Thomas.