Saratoga Springs, NY — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·New York·Saratoga Springs

Saratoga County · Albany-Schenectady-Troy · population 28,741

Image: Wikipedia · Saratoga Springs, New York

Overview Cost of living Moving guide

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Rising

Momentum score · 0–100

Where Saratoga Springs stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 4.3% in the last year. rents up 5.8% in the last year.

Median home $636,348

1-year +4.3%

5-yr CAGR +6.8%

vs 5-yr peak +0.0%

Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly

Lifestyle scores

🚶

Walkability

32/100

Very car-dependent

Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.

🚉

Public transit

15/100

Transit limited

Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.

💻

Remote work fit

63/100

Workable for remote workers

Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 26.6

Rent

At a 26.6 price-to-rent ratio, renting beats buying in Saratoga Springs for most shorter holds. The premium you pay to own would take many years of rent savings to recoup, and that's before maintenance, taxes, and opportunity cost on the down payment.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →

Home YoY

71 · w22%

Home 5-yr CAGR

73 · w22%

Distance from peak

90 · w18%

Population growth

49 · w16%

Rent YoY

84 · w12%

Home 10-yr CAGR

64 · w10%

Long thesis

Saratoga Springs has held up across the cycle: home values at $636,348 with +6.8% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Saratoga Springs's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, with an estimated population of 28,741. It anchors the Albany-Schenectady-Troy metro area. The median home value in Saratoga Springs is $636,348 as of 2026-04, up 4.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Saratoga Springs average $1,997 per month, up 5.8% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 72 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +6.8% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.

●Quiet strength: +4.3% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.

●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

●Hot rental market: rents up 5.8% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Saratoga Springs (Wikipedia)

Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 200 years. It is home to the Saratoga Race Course, a thoroughbred horse racing track operated by the New York Racing Association, and Saratoga Performing Arts Center, a music and dance venue. The city's official slogan is "Health, History, and Horses".

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Saratoga County right now.

NWS active alerts (NY)New York Emergency Management How to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Saratoga County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.