Gouverneur, N.Y, 1885
Gouverneur’s story
208 years in pictures
Census counts: 765 in 1820, 6,551 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1885 and 4 maps from 1915 on.
- 1818Gouverneur is settled
Village of GouverneurNY
Trash & recyclingPopulation
3,560
2025 Census estimate · −2% since 2020
Typical home
$140K
+7% in a year
Household income
$36K
median
Median age
39.9
years
Jobs based here
1,405
Balanced
TownGrade
D−
In the bottom 2% of U.S. towns
Is Gouverneur a good place to live?
Gouverneur grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns, mostly because of incomes and safety. The median household income is $36K, and 27% of residents live below the poverty line. Its police reported 20 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 96% of U.S. towns. One bright spot: much of its housing is old. 27% of residents live below the poverty line in Gouverneur, above both the New York town median (9.5%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 4 of New York’s 1,213 towns score lower on health. Gouverneur's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 88% of U.S. towns.
What makes Gouverneur stand out
Where Gouverneur beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
0historic places
HistoryA
Settled in 1818
A long history
A history going back 208 years.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 73% of U.S. towns
8.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Gouverneur5.6
New York3.7
U.S.3.3
Worth knowing · SafetyD−
51% more violent crime than NY
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
How Gouverneur grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Gouverneur is from typical.
Jobs & incomeD−Open →SafetyD−Open →HealthLess healthy than 90% of U.S. towns; Gouverneur Hospital 0.4 miles awayDOpen →SchoolsBehind 82% of New York districts on tests and graduationC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.6 of 20; 18.9% of households have no carB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 37% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →Cost of livingC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 2% conserved landBOpen →History6 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life3.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market89 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.9; 22% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Gouverneur: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Gouverneur, and how to reach them.
PowerNational Grid19.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGouverneur water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site
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 code1364213642 100%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 Gouverneur.
Gouverneur gets more snow than nearly all U.S. towns, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has homes that are cheap against local pay.
HousingCost of living grade C+
The typical home in Gouverneur is valued at about $140K
At 2.2 years of the Massena area’s $63K median household income, the typical home (about $140K) costs less against local pay than in 83% of New York towns; that ratio is one input to its C+ for cost of living. The median property tax bill is $2,711, against $6,582 across New York, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical Gouverneur home is worth about $140,000, up 7% in a year, 73% below the New York typical home. 44% of households own their home in Gouverneur.
$140KZillow home value
| Gouverneur | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 44% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $872 a month | $1,103 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Gouverneur$140K
New York$525K
Market temperature
89
days on market
96.7%
sale-to-list price
+7%
value change, 1 year
5
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SafetyD−
Property crime in Gouverneur is higher than in most of New York or the rest of the country
Property crime runs at 47.5 per 1,000 residents, 3 times the New York rate, most of it theft.
Gouverneur’s property crime rate is 47.5 per 1,000 residents. Gouverneur reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 96% report less. Gouverneur’s violent crime rate is 5.6 per 1,000 residents.
4%of U.S. towns report more crimeD−Safety Grade
| Gouverneur | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 47.5 per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.6 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Gouverneur5.6
New York3.7
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Gouverneur47.5
New York15.7
U.S.15.5
4th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1st
percentile among NY towns
20
violent crimes reported in 2025
170
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthD
More of Gouverneur’s adults have obesity than in the typical New York or U.S. town
Against the 1,387 U.S. towns with household incomes like Gouverneur’s, it is healthier than 62%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
45% of Gouverneur adults have obesity. Only 5 of the 755 New York towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Gouverneur. 13% of Gouverneur adults have diabetes.
10%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Gouverneur | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 33% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. New York
0 better12 too close to call20 worse
| What stands out | Gouverneur | NY |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 10.9% | 6% |
| More smokers | 19.3% | 11.3% |
| More adults with obesity | 45% | 28.8% |
Gouverneur Hospital
0.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Gouverneur, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
The Gouverneur 3 Nw weather station records that 92 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Gouverneur has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Gouverneur is 80°F.
92″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–30°
Spring32–53°
Summer57–78°
Fall39–58°
Sep 26
typical first frost
May 14
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
About one in three of Gouverneur’s working residents commute to Gouverneur
The average commute for its 980 working residents takes 22.3 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
About one in 4 of Gouverneur’s working residents works in town. Among 757 New York towns, just 4 have a lower median household income than Gouverneur. Jobs based in Gouverneur fell to 1,405 in 2023, 130 fewer than in 2013.
24%work in town
| Gouverneur | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $36,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 24% | 10% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Gouverneur24%
Gouverneur32%
Canton7%
Fowler6%
Potsdam4%
23 mi
median commute distance
1,405
jobs based in Gouverneur
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 73% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Gouverneur faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 14 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Gouverneur.
37risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesEarthquakes
14
paid flood claims since 1978
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1.8%conserved
| Gouverneur | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.8% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
1.8%
conserved · 26 of 1,449 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gouveneur Village Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gouverneur
20pages on Gouverneur
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 82% of NY districtsSafetyD−5.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than NY on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC+$140K typical home · up 7% in a yearWork & commuteD−$36K median household income · 1,405 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 37% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Gouverneur; the nearest are
St Lawrence UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Canton23.1 mi$65,900 tuitionSUNY College of Technology at CantonUniversity or college · Public · Canton23.2 mi$8,742 in-state tuitionJefferson Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Watertown33.2 mi$6,264 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Gouverneur residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York.
A shrinking town
Gouverneur has shrunk 12% since 2010
3,949 counted in 2010 and 3,526 in 2020; an estimated 3,560 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Famous people from Gouverneur
6 notable people were born in Gouverneur.
J
James Franklin WileyPolitician · 1832–1902About Gouverneur
Town in New York, United States
Gouverneur ( guh-vər-NOR) is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,551. That was down from 7,085 in 2010. The town is named after statesman and landowner Gouverneur Morris. The Town of Gouverneur contains a village named Gouverneur. The town is near the southwestern border of St. Lawrence County and is southwest of Canton, the county seat.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 72 sq mi
- Elevation
- 440 ft
- Area code
- 315
Questions about Gouverneur
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Gouverneur, NY a good place to live?
Gouverneur grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns. It grades D for health, D− for safety and C− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Gouverneur, NY expensive?
That is 2.2 years of the area's median household income ($62,850 across the Massena-Ogdensburg, NY area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
What is Gouverneur, NY known for?
6 notable people were born here, including Edward John Noble and Brian Leonard.