Small-town charm and rural landscapes in Sangerfield
Sangerfield offers rural living in upstate New York, roughly 15 miles south of Utica . Several smaller hamlets are scattered throughout, but more than half of the town’s 2,500 residents collect in Waterville, the community hub. “Even though we’re the Town of Sangerfield, we’re also the Village of Waterville,” says Joanne Miller, Sangerfield’s town clerk. Small-town vibes and bucolic landscapes appeal to buyers who want a quiet lifestyle within easy reach of Utica amenities. “There’s a lot of younger generation coming into this area,” Miller says. “My son and daughter-in-law purchased their home in this area five years ago. They looked all over different areas for a home, and they decided it’d be nice to be right here.”
Fields and farmland surround National and ranch-style homes
Cornfields, dairy farms, rolling hills and forests cover the landscape. Housing options include early-1900s Nationals and ranch-style homes built within the last 25 years. Most lots in Waterville measure up to a third of an acre, with multiacre parcels on the rural outskirts. Narrow sidewalks border Waterville’s residential streets, making it the town’s only walkable area. Many properties feature paved driveways, and garages are common, especially for newer houses. National and ranch-style homes typically sell for $140,000 to $340,000.
Residents contend with cold, snowy winter weather. “Winters can be a little bit much,” says Miller, who’s lived in the area her whole life, “but everybody helps out.” Sangerfield has a CAP Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, below the national average of 4.
Students move from Memorial Park to Waterville Junior/Senior High
Memorial Park Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through sixth grade and receives a B-minus from Niche. Waterville Junior/Senior High School is rated C-plus and offers a wide range of sports programs, including bowling and winter track. The district doesn’t operate magnet schools and primarily assigns students based on their residence. Open enrollment and out-of-district transfers are permitted based on availability, rather than a lottery system, and require district approval.
State forests and parks offer trails, camping and summer concerts
Large swaths of the rural landscape are state-owned and open to the public. Mount Hunger and Gorton Lake State Forests span over 1,000 acres of hiking and snowmobile trails, hunting ground and primitive campsites. The Reservoir Trails are great for hiking, mountain biking, running and cross-country skiing. In Waterville, Babbott Park has sports courts, a baseball field, picnic spots and a large playground within walking distance of the elementary school. The Village Green bandstand hosts concerts on Wednesday nights in July and August.
Pharmacy, pubs and pizza in downtown Waterville
Most commerce centers on Main Street in Waterville. “We have a local CVS, which is nice because everybody uses the pharmacy. Busy, busy place,” Miller says. The volunteer-run Huddle Farms Village Market offers basic groceries, including staples like produce, meat and dairy products. “They have pretty much everything you could want — it’s just that they don’t have tons of it,” Miller says. “They’re in the running to expand their business . . . make it larger and actually have a sit-down area.” Household goods are available at Morgan’s Hardware and Dollar General. Mulligan’s is a cozy Irish pub that offers a “Cans and Clams” special on Thursdays and a fish fry on Fridays, and New York Pizzeria slings specialty pies. For big grocery hauls, most residents head to Hannaford supermarket in Clinton, about 10 miles away, or Walmart in New Hartford , about 16.
Highways lead to transit and health care in Utica and Syracuse
New York State Route 12 and U.S. Route 20 intersect in the heart of Sangerfield. Route 12 leads 17 miles north to Utica, where Amtrak trains shuttle passengers to cities like Syracuse and Albany . Medical services are available at Utica’s Wynn Hospital, but Community Memorial Hospital in Hamilton is a bit closer, about 14 miles. For air travel, Syracuse Hancock International Airport is about 45 miles away.
Cars and crafts during September’s Cruisin’ into Waterville
Cruisin’ into Waterville first rode onto the scene in 2005 after the village completed a two-year road renovation project. The car show is the highlight of the September event, which also features live music, crafts, fireworks and a parade.
