The Town Files

Plattsburgh, New York

Town in Clinton County · population 11,886 (2020 Census)

Plattsburgh, New York
Photo: Styles, A. F. (Adin French), 1832-1910 -- Photographer (public domain, Wikimedia Commons)
Median home
$179,900
Household income
$71,546
Jan low / Jul high
10° / 81°
Snow a year
69 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
1
Median age
45.2

Plattsburgh is a town of 11,886 people in Clinton County, New York. The median home is worth $179,900, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for cycling than 75% of New York towns.

Map: where Plattsburgh is in New YorkPlattsburgh

How Plattsburgh 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.

Plattsburgh lifestyle rankings vs other New York townsRetirement40th pctFamilies16th pctQuiet43rd pctWalkability27th pctFirst-time buyers45th pctYoung professionals27th pctVibrancy69th pctHip & trendy47th pctCollege town19th pctUpscale41st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling75th pctTransit40th pctDriving68th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Plattsburgh is worth $179,900, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $71,546, which is more affordable than 63% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,053 a month. 76.1% of households own their home.

Plattsburgh vs Clinton County vs typical New York townPlattsburghClinton CountyTypical New York townHome value$179,900$180,600$217,700Household income$71,546$71,224$80,740Monthly rent$1,053$1,003$1,080
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New York towns with 500+ people.
HousingPlattsburghTypical New York town
Median home value$179,900$217,700
Median rent$1,053$1,080
Median household income$71,546$80,740
Home value ÷ income2.5×2.8×
Homeownership76.1%79.5%
Median year built19801965
Seasonal / vacation homes3.1%—

Who lives in Plattsburgh

PeoplePlattsburghTypical New York town
Median age45.243.5
Age 65 and over23.7%20.4%
Under 1819.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher27.6%30.4%
Below the poverty line10.4%9.3%
Veterans8.6%—
Born outside the U.S.4.4%—
Work from home7.6%11.1%
Average commute18.5 min26.0 min
Homes with broadband91.3%91.1%

Weather in Plattsburgh

July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 10.0°F. About 30.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 69.2 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.

Plattsburgh monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing28°10°Jan31°11°Feb40°21°Mar54°33°Apr68°44°May75°53°Jun81°59°Jul79°57°Aug71°49°Sep58°38°Oct46°29°Nov34°19°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.415.51.215.51.313.72.54.02.90.14.13.63.63.13.00.42.34.71.815.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Plattsburgh Intl Ap station (3.8 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Plattsburgh since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on June 10, 2025 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 10, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Plattsburgh by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s01990s02000s02010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on July 4, 2012.

Severe weather in Clinton County since 1996

Storm events in Clinton County since 1996 by typeHail83Heat10Flood42High Wind41Heavy Snow13Flash Flood37Strong Wind60Winter Storm197
NOAA Storm Events Database, Clinton County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 6 deaths recorded.

Clinton County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
July 22, 2023Severe StormDR-4723: Severe Storms And Flooding
March 20, 2020BiologicalDR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3434: Covid-19
July 12, 2017SnowstormDR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
July 12, 2013FloodDR-4129: Severe Storms And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Clinton County

Clinton County had 32,264 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,550 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Plattsburgh itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.

Largest industries in Clinton CountyHealth care & social assistan…5,613 jobs · $61,557Retail5,018 jobs · $42,315Manufacturing3,022 jobs · $60,316Hotels & restaurants2,609 jobs · $26,656Transportation & warehousing1,625 jobs · $52,472Construction1,060 jobs · $67,390
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Clinton County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Clinton 3.5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Plattsburgh

1 public school with 239 students, about 3.9 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
CLINTON-ESSEX-WARREN-WASHINGTON BOCESK-122393.9

Towns near Plattsburgh

Plattsburgh questions

Is Plattsburgh, New York a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plattsburgh scores better for retirees than 40% of New York towns and quieter than 43%. 23.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.2).

How much does a house cost in Plattsburgh?

The median owner-occupied home in Plattsburgh is valued at $179,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,546, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,053 a month.

What is the weather like in Plattsburgh?

July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 10.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.9 inches of precipitation a year and 69.2 inches of snow.

Does Plattsburgh get tornadoes?

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Plattsburgh since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on June 10, 2025. The typical New York town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Plattsburgh's Census boundary (GEOID 3601958585). Comparisons use the median of New York towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.