The Town FilesPotsdam, New York
Village in St. Lawrence County · population 8,312 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $146,400
- Household income
- $34,546
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 77 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 21.7
Potsdam is a village of 8,312 people in St. Lawrence County, New York. The median home is worth $146,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more of a college town than 79% of New York towns, better for cycling than 74% of New York towns, more vibrant than 73% of New York towns.
How Potsdam 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Potsdam is worth $146,400, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $34,546, which is more affordable than 21% of New York towns. Median rent is $898 a month. 34.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Potsdam | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $146,400 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $898 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $34,546 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 34.4% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Potsdam
| People | Potsdam | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.7 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.0% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 7.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.8% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 0.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.3% | — |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 15.8 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.5% | 91.1% |
Weather in Potsdam
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 6.1°F. About 42.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 77.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Potsdam since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 31, 1985 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 1988.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 21, 2010.
Severe weather in St. Lawrence County since 1996
St. Lawrence County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 29, 2024 | Flood | DR-4814: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 15, 2023 | Snowstorm | DR-4694: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| November 20, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County had 34,764 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,502 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Potsdam itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Potsdam
3 public schools with 1,303 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAWRENCE AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 546 | 13.0 |
| POTSDAM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 411 | 12.5 |
| A A KINGSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-8 | 346 | 11.5 |
Towns near Potsdam
- Potsdam, NY2.7 mi · 14,901 people · home $143,400
- Stockholm, NY8.1 mi · 3,816 people · home $164,400
- Pierrepont, NY10.0 mi · 2,523 people · home $131,300
- Canton, NY10.2 mi · 7,155 people · home $183,800
- Norfolk, NY11.8 mi · 4,453 people · home $105,800
- Canton, NY13.0 mi · 11,638 people · home $163,200
- Lisbon, NY15.9 mi · 4,221 people · home $131,200
- Louisville, NY16.4 mi · 3,050 people · home $197,800
Potsdam questions
Is Potsdam, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Potsdam scores better for retirees than 14% of New York towns and quieter than 25%. 10.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 21.7).
How much does a house cost in Potsdam?
The median owner-occupied home in Potsdam is valued at $146,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $34,546, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $898 a month.
What is the weather like in Potsdam?
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 6.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.0 inches of precipitation a year and 77.3 inches of snow.
Does Potsdam get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Potsdam since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 31, 1985. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)