Saratoga

Formed February 16, 1791 (19^th county)

Saratoga County (235,499), Ballston Spa (5,121), Saratoga Springs (28,488)

The red brick 1966 Modern courthouse complex is located on McMaster Street between Remsen and Church streets.  New York State Highway 67 is Church Street in the town.  Cadman & Droste are the architects.  The county was formed from Albany County on February 16, 1791 as the 19^th county.  There were 1818 and 1889 courthouses earlier in Ballston Spa, the only county seat.  An Administrative Building built in 1956 supports the courthouse.  The county name is Native American for “the hill beside the river.”  Ballston Spa is named for settler Eliphalet Ball. 

Saratoga County government consists of a sheriff and 23 Supervisors.  One County Court Judge, Two Family Court Judges, and One Surrogate Court Judge serve Saratoga County.  The county is in the northeast part of the state.  Albany, New York is directly south of the county.  The Hudson River forms its eastern border.  The county center is 6.3 miles Northwest of Ballston Spa nearer West Milton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Warren, Washington, Rensselaer, Albany, Schenectady, Montgomery, Fulton, and Hamilton counties. 

The area of the county is 844 square miles.  It is 28 out of 62 in the state.  It ranks 16 out of 62 in population in the state.  It has a density of 279.0 persons per square mile making it 18 out of 62 in the state.  Saratoga County has 22.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 87 crosses through the county north to south from Warren County to Albany County.  United States Highway 4 enters from Washington County, east, and exits into Albany County, south.  United States Highway 9 parallels Interstate Highway 87 from Warren to Albany counties.  The county is shaped like the feathers of an arrow.  Ballston Spa is in the south quarter of the county.  Saratoga Springs is in the southern third of the county.  Ballston Spa is the county seat and Saratoga Springs is the largest city.  Ballston Spa is 2.2% of the county population while Saratoga Springs is 12.1% of the county population.  The county and largest city are pronounced SAER-A-TOE-GA.  This county is in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area.