ZIP Code 12973 in Piercefield, NY

A Seasonal Community

Piercefield sits in New York's Adirondack Park, a small rural community where seasonal homes outnumber year-round residences. Of 113 housing units, only 46 are occupied year-round. The other 67 units (59%) sit vacant most of the year, with 46 classified as seasonal or recreational properties. That's a 41% seasonal vacancy rate, typical of Adirondack gateway communities where fishing, hunting, and wilderness access draw weekend and summer visitors.

Why PO Boxes Are Essential

This is a PO Box Only Zone. There's no alternative mail delivery across this 4.5 square mile territory in Saint Lawrence County. The Piercefield post office maintains 108 PO Boxes for 46 occupied homes, an adoption rate of 2.35. That means the post office serves more than twice as many boxes as local households. The difference comes from seasonal homeowners who keep boxes year-round, vacant properties that maintain mail service, and residents from surrounding unincorporated areas.

Wilderness Access Roads

The community has limited rural carrier delivery (2 routes serving 45 addresses), but PO Boxes remain the primary option. Street names tell the story of this wilderness setting: Raquette Flow Drive, Gull Pond Road, Eagle Crag Lake, Mt Arab Lake. These aren't suburban subdivisions. They're access roads to lakefront camps and forest properties scattered across the township.

Demographics

With 131 year-round residents and a median age of 53.8 years, Piercefield isn't a retirement community but skews older than the state average. Median household income of $86,875 sits above the rural New York norm. Most housing was built before 1939 (97 of 113 units), giving the area a historic camp character. Median home values of $98,800 reflect the rural nature and older building stock, not the premium lakefront values found in more developed Adirondack towns.

Location and Character

State Route 3 runs through the area, connecting to Tupper Lake and other Adirondack destinations. The community serves as a quiet base for outdoor recreation rather than a destination itself. Nearly all residents (100%) were born in the United States, and 98% identify as white. Education levels are lower than state averages, with only 9.7% holding bachelor's degrees, consistent with rural working communities in the North Country.

Mailing to Piercefield

All mail must be addressed to a PO Box:

Recipient Name
PO Box [number]
Piercefield, NY 12973

Limited rural delivery exists for some properties, but PO Box addressing is recommended for reliable service.

Street Name Patterns

Street names emphasize wilderness access and Adirondack water features rather than traditional town grid patterns.