Potsdam, N.Y. 1885, 1885
Potsdam’s story
220 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,911 in 1820, 14,901 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1853 and 3 maps from 1908 on.
- 1806Potsdam is established
Population
8,019
2025 Census estimate · −5.7% since 2020
Typical home
$192K
+9.1% in a year
Household income
$35K
median
Median age
21.7
years
Jobs based here
5,263
A job hub
TownGrade
B+
Better than 67% of U.S. towns
Is Potsdam a good place to live?
Potsdam grades B+ overall, better than 67% of U.S. towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 85% of U.S. towns and natural-hazard risk is low. On the other side, the median household income is $35K, and 29% of residents live below the poverty line. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 90% of U.S. towns. Potsdam is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among New York’s towns. 29% of residents live below the poverty line in Potsdam, against 9.5% in New York’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Potsdam is home to Clarkson University. Only 2 of the 757 New York towns we compare have a lower median household income than Potsdam.
What makes Potsdam stand out
Where Potsdam beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here5,263
Residents who work1,985
Work
2.7 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 97% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
0historic places
HistoryA
Established in 1806
A long history
A history going back 220 years.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 85% of U.S. towns
28.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
College town
57% of Potsdam is in college
2 colleges in town.
Clarkson University3,323 students on campus
- Admission
- 77%
- Net price
- $30,305
- Graduate
- 75%
- Admission
- 78%
- Net price
- $13,624
- Graduate
- 45%
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How Potsdam grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Potsdam is from typical.
Jobs & incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.4 of 20; 23.2% of households have no carAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 4% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →HealthHealthier than 74% of U.S. towns; Canton-Potsdam Hospital 0.4 miles awayB+Open →SafetyB+Open →SchoolsBeat 67% of New York districts on tests and graduationB+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $192K, 3.1 years of the Massena area’s $63K median household incomeC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors10 miles of trails; 2% conserved landA−Open →HistoryEstablished 1806; 14 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life5.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 21.7; 52% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Potsdam: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Potsdam, and how to reach them.
PowerNational Grid19.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPotsdam Village water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTuesdayTown’s haulerTown 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 codes13676, 1369913676 73% · 13699 27%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 Potsdam.
Potsdam is shaped by its college students, draws workers from Potsdam and beyond and is safe by national standards but not by New York’s.
OutdoorsA−
Potsdam has set aside 1.6% of its land for conservation
9.9 miles of trail in 9 parks and preserves. Potsdam’s trail density is 1.8 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Clarkson Woods, 321 acres with 7.3 miles of trail.
#37for trails in NY
| Potsdam | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.8 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.6% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
1.6%
conserved · 54 of 3,445 acres
9.9 mi
of trails · 1.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Clarkson Woods | 7.3 mi | 321 |
| 2. Lehman Park | 1 mi | 43 |
| 3. Ives Park | 0.3 mi | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade C+
Potsdam stands out in New York and nationally, with fewer of its households who own their home
74.2% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 52.1% across New York.
34% of households own their home in Potsdam. Typical home values rose 9.1% in the year to September 2026. The median rent in Potsdam is $898 a month.
$192KZillow home value
| Potsdam | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 34% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $898 a month | $1,103 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Potsdam$192K
New York$525K
+9.1%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
About two in five of Potsdam’s working residents commute to Potsdam
5,263 jobs are based in Potsdam, 2.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 15.8 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
About one in 3 of Potsdam’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Potsdam grew to 5,263 in 2023, 890 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Potsdam (38%), Canton (9%) and Massena (3%).
33%work in town
| Potsdam | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 33% | 10% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Potsdam33%
Potsdam38%
Canton9%
Massena3%
Albany3%
14 mi
median commute distance
5,263
jobs based in Potsdam
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Potsdam faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 96% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Potsdam.
4risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesEarthquakes
2
paid flood claims since 1979
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB+
A smaller share of adults have high blood pressure in Potsdam than in most of New York or the rest of the country
Against the 1,180 U.S. towns with household incomes like Potsdam’s, it is healthier than 99%, so its B+ isn’t only a matter of income.
21% of Potsdam adults have high blood pressure. Only 4 of the 755 New York towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have diabetes than Potsdam. 26% of Potsdam adults have been diagnosed with depression.
74%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Potsdam | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 17% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 34% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 32% | 33% |
32 measures vs. New York
10 better12 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Potsdam | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 5.3% | 11.5% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 1.6% | 3.4% |
| More adults in frequent mental distress | 23.1% | 15% |
Canton-Potsdam Hospital
0.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
55th
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyB+
Crime per resident in Potsdam is lower than in 71% of U.S. towns
At 11.2 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 55% of New York’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 105 to 42 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
71%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Potsdam1.2
New York3.7
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Potsdam4
New York15.7
U.S.15.5
71st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
55th
percentile among NY towns
10
violent crimes reported in 2025
32
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Potsdam
Potsdam has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 80°, January nights drop to 8° and about 77 inches of snow falls in a winter.
77″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–29°
Spring32–53°
Summer57–78°
Fall39–58°
Sep 30
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+2.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Potsdam
20pages on Potsdam
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 67% of NY districtsSafetyB+1.2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than NY on 10 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC+$192K typical home · up 9.1% in a yearWork & commuteD$35K median household income · 5,263 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 4% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Potsdam
SUNY College at PotsdamUniversity or college · Public · PotsdamIn town$8,768 in-state tuitionClarkson UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · PotsdamIn town$59,398 tuitionSt Lawrence UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Canton10.4 mi$65,900 tuition
College town 57 of every 100 Potsdam residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
A shrinking town
Potsdam has shrunk 17% since 2010
9,428 counted in 2010 and 8,312 in 2020; an estimated 8,019 in 2025.
The decline has continued: down 5.7% since 2020, after 11.8% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Famous people from Potsdam
14 notable people were born in Potsdam.
L
Laurie Halse AndersonAmerican children's writer · born 1961
About Potsdam
Town in New York, United States
Potsdam is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The town population was 8,162 at the 2024 census. When the State University of New York at Potsdam and Clarkson University are in session, the population increases by approximately 8,000 students. The town is named after the city of Potsdam in Germany. The town of Potsdam also contains a village named Potsdam. Potsdam is centrally located within the county and northeast of Canton, the county seat.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 103 sq mi
- Elevation
- 433 ft
- ZIP code
- 13676, 13699
- Area code
- 315
Questions about Potsdam
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Potsdam, NY a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Potsdam grades B+ overall, better than 67% of U.S. towns. Potsdam is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among New York’s towns. It grades B+ for health, B+ for safety and B+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Potsdam, NY expensive?
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 Potsdam, NY known for?
Potsdam was established in 1806. 14 notable people were born here, including Frank B. Kellogg and Laurie Halse Anderson.