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.
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:
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 | |
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Item | Saranac Lake | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $141.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $152.78 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $130.83 | $113.29 |
| Item | Saranac Lake | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.59 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $68.6 | $59.92 |
| Item | Saranac Lake | New York |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $262.67 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.03 | $192.25 |
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 |