Saranac Lake, NY Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Saranac Lake, NY Summary

Cost of living in Saranac Lake research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Saranac Lake is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New York, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Saranac Lake is 101, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Saranac Lake is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Saranac Lake ranks as the #89 cheapest in New York out of 341.

  • Saranac Lake ranks as the #2,735 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Saranac Lake is $325,469.

  • The median income in Saranac Lake is $60,494.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
101
Saranac Lake's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Saranac Lake, NY?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Saranac Lake has an overall cost of living index of 101, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New York, Saranac Lake has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than New York's index of 119.

The standard of living in Saranac Lake ranks as #89 most affordable out of the 341 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Saranac Lake ranks as the #252 most expensive place in the Empire State.

For more reading on life in Saranac Lake, check out:

89 out of 341
In New York
2,735 out of 6,489
In America

Saranac Lake Cost Of Living Vs. New York

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Saranac Lake. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Saranac Lake is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Saranac Lake is 103.

  • The Health index in Saranac Lake is 105.

  • The Housing index in Saranac Lake is 86.

  • The Transportation index in Saranac Lake is 109.

  • The Utilities index in Saranac Lake is 122.

Living Expense Saranac Lake New York National Average
Overall 101 119 100
Services 108 110 100
Groceries 103 103 100
Health 105 101 100
Housing 86 145 100
Transportation 109 105 100
Utilities 122 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around New York, check out:
Saranac Lake Cost of Living Vs. NY

Saranac Lake, NY Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New York, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Saranac Lake is $325,469.

  • The Median Rent in Saranac Lake is $826.

  • The Median Income in Saranac Lake is $60,494.

  • The Home Value To Income in Saranac Lake is 5.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Saranac Lake is 0.16x.

Statistic Saranac Lake New York United States
Median Home Value $325,469 $508,764 $303,400
Median Rent $826 $1,576 $1,348
Median Income $60,494 $84,578 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.4x 6.0x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.22x 0.21x
$325,469
Median Home Value
$826
Median Rent
$60,494
Median Income

Saranac Lake, NY Costs By Category

Detailed Saranac Lake Services Costs Vs. New York

Item Saranac Lake New York
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $11.94 $12.13
Bowling $15.67 $18
Haircut $26.98 $24.26
Beauty Salon $46.44 $45.56

Detailed Saranac Lake Groceries Costs Vs. New York

Item Saranac Lake New York
Ground Beef $5.76 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.57
Milk $4.82 $4.67
Potatoes $4.97 $4.93
Pizza $12.05 $12.09
Beer $10.01 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.73 $3.7

Detailed Saranac Lake Health Costs Vs. New York

Item Saranac Lake New York
Optometrist $141.67 $125.68
Doctor $152.78 $135.78
Dentist $130.83 $113.29

Detailed Saranac Lake Transportation Costs Vs. New York

Item Saranac Lake New York
Gasoline $3.59 $3.46
Tire Balancing $68.6 $59.92

Detailed Saranac Lake Utilities Costs Vs. New York

Item Saranac Lake New York
All Electricity $262.67 $193.99
Phone $186.03 $192.25

Saranac Lake SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
6
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
8
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Saranac Lake

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Saranac Lake. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Burlington, VT has a cost of living index of 122, 1.2x Saranac Lake.

  • South Burlington, VT has a cost of living index of 125, 1.2x Saranac Lake.

  • Plattsburgh, NY has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Saranac Lake.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Saranac Lake
Burlington, VT 44,649 122 1.2x
South Burlington, VT 20,488 125 1.2x
Plattsburgh, NY 19,878 101 1.0x
Winooski, VT 8,198 112 1.1x
Shelburne, VT 6,292 133 1.3x
Malone, NY 5,466 95 0.9x

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