The Town FilesSand Lake, New York
Town in Rensselaer County · population 8,348 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $336,200
- Household income
- $120,089
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 53 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 47.9
Sand Lake is a town of 8,348 people in Rensselaer County, New York. The median home is worth $336,200, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more of a college town than 89% of New York towns, better for families than 85% of New York towns, more upscale than 81% of New York towns.
How Sand Lake ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sand Lake is worth $336,200, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $120,089, which is more affordable than 52% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,033 a month. 85.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sand Lake | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $336,200 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,033 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $120,089 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 85.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.3% | — |
Who lives in Sand Lake
| People | Sand Lake | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.9 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.4% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 18.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.2% | 91.1% |
Weather in Sand Lake
July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 16.9°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 52.7 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sand Lake since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 31, 1998 about 2.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 1, 2001.
Severe weather in Rensselaer County since 1996
Rensselaer County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County had 56,791 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $78,789 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Sand Lake itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Towns near Sand Lake
- West Sand Lake, NY2.7 mi · 2,616 people · home $315,800
- Poestenkill, NY4.9 mi · 4,322 people · home $303,700
- Nassau, NY5.7 mi · 4,545 people · home $263,300
- Wynantskill, NY6.6 mi · 4,050 people · home $293,400
- North Greenbush, NY7.1 mi · 13,292 people · home $339,800
- East Greenbush, NY8.2 mi · 16,748 people · home $291,500
- Brunswick, NY8.3 mi · 12,581 people · home $285,600
- Stephentown, NY8.5 mi · 2,791 people · home $208,800
Sand Lake questions
Is Sand Lake, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sand Lake scores better for retirees than 79% of New York towns and quieter than 38%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.9).
How much does a house cost in Sand Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Sand Lake is valued at $336,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,089, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,033 a month.
What is the weather like in Sand Lake?
July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 16.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 52.7 inches of snow.
Does Sand Lake get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sand Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 31, 1998. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)