Wanakena Presbyterian Church · National Register of Historic Places
Fine’s story
172 years in pictures
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1854Fine is settled
FineNY
6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Mwanner · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,263
2025 Census estimate · −2.8% since 2020
Median home value
$87K
Census ACS
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
56.3
years
Jobs based here
276
A commuter town
Is Fine a good place to live?
The best of Fine’s subject grades are an A− for cost of living and the outdoors; the weakest is a D for incomes. 31% of residents are 65 or older in Fine, above both New York’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (18%). On incomes, just 24 of New York’s 1,216 towns do worse. Fine's public schools trail 93% of New York towns on state tests and graduation. 53% of the land in Fine is conserved, where New York’s towns sit at 5.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. The biggest place to walk is Five Ponds Wilderness, 31,097 acres with 17.1 miles of trail. Fine has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Fine stand out
Where Fine beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
OutdoorsA−
52.5% conserved land
Wanakena Presbyterian ChurchHistoryB+
Settled in 1854
3 places on the National Register
A history going back 172 years.
CLIFTON-FINE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Clifton-Fine Elementary School | PK–6 | 133 |
| Clifton-Fine Junior-Senior High School | 6–12 | 112 |
Worth knowing · SchoolsD
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
A shrinking town
Fine has shrunk 16% since 2010
1,512 counted in 2010 and 1,304 in 2020; an estimated 1,263 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Fine grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Fine is from typical.
Jobs & incomeDOpen →SchoolsDOpen →HealthLess healthy than 80% of U.S. towns; Clifton-Fine Hospital 1.4 miles awayC−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $87K, 1.4 years of the Massena area’s $63K median household incomeA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.3 of 20; 6.8% of households have no car; 6.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Fine: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fine, and how to reach them.
PowerNational Grid19.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHarrisville (Diana WD 1) water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers90% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Fine’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSt. Lawrence County Board of ElectionsSt. Lawrence County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes13690, 13670, 13648, 1369513690 37% · 13670 34% · 13648 13% · 13695 10%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Fine.
52.5%conserved
52.5%
conserved · 56,480 of 107,678 acres
42 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Five Ponds Wilderness | 17.1 mi | 31,097 |
| 2. Aldrich Pond Wild Forest | 7 mi | 21,741 |
| 3. Cranberry Lake Wild Forest | 2.2 mi | 2,049 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsD
Fine’s grade for schools is a D
Its public schools are run by the Clifton-Fine Central School District. Its two schools are below.
7%of NY districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton-Fine Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 133 | C |
| Clifton-Fine Junior-Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 112 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
HealthC−
More of Fine’s adults have obesity than in the typical New York or U.S. town
43% of Fine adults have obesity. Among 756 New York towns, just 1 have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Fine. 14% of Fine adults have diabetes.
21%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Fine | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 33% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 34% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. New York
2 better14 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Fine | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.9% | 14.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.2% | 77.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.7% | 6% |
Clifton-Fine Hospital
1.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
With 0.7 jobs for every working resident, most of Fine’s workers commute out
About one in 4 of Fine’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Fine has added 182 jobs, to 276 in 2023. Fine’s median household income is $60,000.
26%work in town
| Fine | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 26% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Fine26%
Canton6%
Clifton5%
Potsdam4%
Tupper Lake4%
30 mi
median commute distance
276
jobs based in Fine
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 49% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Fine stands out in New York and nationally: a typical July afternoon there is cooler
The July high in Fine is 77°F. Fine has cold winters and pleasant summers.
77°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–29°
Spring29–52°
Summer53–75°
Fall36–56°
Sep 28
typical first frost
May 18
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
77°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Fine faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 2000, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Fine.
53risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
2
paid flood claims since 2000
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A−
The median home in Fine sells for about $39K
88% of households own their home in Fine.
$39Kmedian sale price
| Fine | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 88% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,043 a month | $1,101 a month | $1,185 a month |
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fine
18pages on Fine
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Fine; the nearest are
St Lawrence UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Canton30.4 mi$65,900 tuitionSUNY College of Technology at CantonUniversity or college · Public · Canton31.5 mi$8,742 in-state tuitionJefferson Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Watertown43.8 mi$6,264 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Fine residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York.
Small town
1,263 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
CliftonPitcairnEdwardsWebbDianaRussellFine
About Fine
Town in New York, United States
Fine is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 1,512 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Judge John Fine, a businessman involved in settling the town. The Town of Fine is in the southern part of the county, south of Canton. The SUNY-ESF Ranger School is in the eastern part of the town, and the Griffin Memorial Forest is also located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 169 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,549 ft
- ZIP code
- 13639
- Area code
- 315
Questions about Fine
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Fine, NY expensive?
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $87,000, 84% below the New York typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.