Albert R. Fox House · National Register of Historic Places
Sand Lake’s story
211 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 maps from 1893 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1815Sand Lake is settled
Sand LakeNY
7 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Nfgusedautoparts · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
8,349
2025 Census estimate · +0.1% since 2020
Median home value
$336K
Census ACS
Household income
$120K
median
Median age
47.9
years
Jobs based here
1,464
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#80 of 745 in NY
Is Sand Lake a good place to live?
Sand Lake is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades A overall, 80th of 745 graded towns in New York, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is health: it is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns. It also does better than most on incomes: the median household earns $120K. A typical home there costs about $336K, 3.8 years of the Albany metro’s $88K median household income. Only 94 of New York’s 1,216 towns score lower on the outdoors. Sand Lake’s median household income is $120,000, above both the New York town median ($82,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 81% of U.S. towns.
What makes Sand Lake stand out
Where Sand Lake beats most towns.
Albert R. Fox HouseHistoryA−
Settled in 1815
2 places on the National Register
A history going back 211 years.
AVERILL PARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Miller Hill School | K–5 | 377 |
| West Sand Lake Elementary School | K–5 | 354 |
| Averill Park High School | 9–12 | 870 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Sand Lake for work
Where Sand Lake’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,464jobs based in Sand Lake
8%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Sand Lake grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Sand Lake is from typical.
HealthSamaritan Hospital of Troy, New York 9.7 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & incomeAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.9 of 20; 2.1% of households have no car; 0.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →SchoolsA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 32% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1% conserved landC−Open →History2 places on the National RegisterA−Open →Civic life1.5 library visits per resident; 4.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 108 attractions →Mount Greylock and 56 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Sand Lake. Close and well known come first.
19 mi MountainMount Greylock
18 mi MuseumClark Art Institute
11 mi Stadium & arenaMVP Arena
23 mi TheatreTanglewood
11 mi MuseumUSS Slater
11 mi Ancient siteFort OrangeSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Mount Greylock: Jstergis, CC BY 3.0 · Clark Art Institute: Daderot, Public domain · MVP Arena: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tanglewood: Daderot., CC BY-SA 3.0 · USS Slater: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Orange: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Sand Lake: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sand Lake, and how to reach them.
PowerNew York State Elec & Gas22.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBrookside Senior Housing water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTown of Sand Lake Convenience Facility215 Chamberlin Hill RoadOpenStreetMap
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 hereRensselaer County Board of ElectionsRensselaer County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes12018, 12196, 12153, 1206112018 57% · 12196 31% · 12153 8% · 12061 4%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 Sand Lake.
Sand Lake has less food insecurity than most of New York and has commutes shorter than most of New York.
HealthA
Sand Lake earns an A for health
Its widest gap with New York is food insecurity: 8% of its 3,917 adults worry about having enough food, against 17.2% statewide.
29% of adults feel lonely in Sand Lake. Sand Lake beats the New York average on 15 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 13% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Sand Lake.
91%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Sand Lake | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 19% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 25% | 25% |
32 measures vs. New York
15 better15 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Sand Lake | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8% | 17.2% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4% | 7.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.2% | 7.7% |
Samaritan Hospital of Troy, New York
9.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
83rd
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsA−
Sand Lake’s public schools outperform 80% of New York districts
Its public schools are run by the Averill Park Central School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Averill Park High School, with 870 students.
80%of NY districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miller Hill SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 377 | B |
| Averill Park High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 870 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Most of Sand Lake’s workers commute out: the town has 0.4 jobs for each of them
The average commute for its 3,524 working residents takes 24.8 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Most working residents leave Sand Lake for work: only 8% work in town. 18% of Sand Lake workers work from home. Jobs based in Sand Lake grew to 1,464 in 2023, 116 more than in 2013.
8%work in town
| Sand Lake | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 18% | 12% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Sand Lake8%
Albany25%
Colonie12%
East Greenbush7%
Troy6%
12 mi
median commute distance
1,464
jobs based in Sand Lake
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 19% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC−
Sand Lake has set aside 1.3% of its land for conservation
11 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Cowee State Forest, at 189 acres.
#379for trails in NY
| Sand Lake | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
1.3%
conserved · 299 of 23,004 acres
11 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bessie's Woods | 2.3 mi | 117 |
| 2. Sand Lake Walking Trail | 1.1 mi | 34 |
| 3. Cowee State Forest | 0.8 mi | 189 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than New York overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 14% of residents (23% statewide); people 65 and older are 22% of residents (18% statewide). Sand Lake’s median age is 47.9 years. 41% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 40% across New York.
47.9median age · NY 39.8
| Sand Lake | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.9 years | 42.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 41% | 32% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 20% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 22% | 20% | 22% |
Sand LakeNew YorkUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school19%
Some college16%
Associate’s19%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate20%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.6 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.
| Sand Lake | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.3% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.8% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.8% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.2% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.4% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.8% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.3% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 16.3% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.1% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.7% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 19.2% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 15.9% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 18.7% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.5% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 20% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Low risk in Sand Lake, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 68% of U.S. communities. Since 2009, 15 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Sand Lake.
32risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHail
15
paid flood claims since 2009
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Sand Lake, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Sand Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 15° and about 53 inches of snow falls in a winter.
53″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–35°
Spring35–57°
Summer58–80°
Fall41–60°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade B−
Sand Lake earns a B− for cost of living
$325Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sand Lake
18pages on Sand Lake
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
13 within 15 miles of the center of Sand Lake
Hudson Valley Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Troy8.5 mi$6,796 in-state tuitionRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Troy9.7 mi$64,081 tuitionUniversity at AlbanyUniversity or college · Public · Albany14.8 mi$10,866 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Sand Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
Landmarks
2 places in Sand Lake on the National Register of Historic Places.
,_Tanglewood,_Lenox,_Massachusetts.JPG){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}
About Sand Lake
Hamlet in Sand Lake, New York
Sand Lake is a hamlet located within the town of Sand Lake in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The hamlet is located at the northern junction of New York State Route 66 and New York State Route 43. It is served by the Averill Park & Sand Lake Fire Department., Town Offices, the Town Library, a New York State Police office, the Sand Lake Post Office, the Sand Lake Center For The Arts and the Miller Hill Elementary School are all located in the hamlet. Horse Heaven Brook passes to the south of the hamlet.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Sand Lake’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Sand Lake.
BerlinPoestenkillNassauWest Sand LakeEast GreenbushSchodackNorth GreenbushSand Lake
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Lake | #80 | A | B− | — | A− | A |
| Berlin | — | — | B+ | — | C− | B+ |
| Poestenkill | #197 | A− | C+ | — | B+ | A |
| Nassau | #226 | B+ | C+ | — | A− | A |
| West Sand Lake | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| East Greenbush | #132 | A | C− | B− | A− | A |
| Schodack | #78 | A | C+ | A | A− | A |
| North Greenbush | #151 | A− | C− | B− | A− | A |
Berlin has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Sand Lake, Berlin, Poestenkill and Nassau report no FBI crime data of their own. West Sand Lake isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Sand Lake with a neighbor →
Questions about Sand Lake
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sand Lake, NY a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Sand Lake grades A overall, better than 91% of U.S. towns and #80 of 745 in New York. It grades A for health and A− for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Sand Lake, NY expensive?
The typical home is worth about $336,000, 36% below the New York typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.