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City · 8,427 residents · St. Lawrence County, New York

Potsdam , New York

In Potsdam, a typical home is worth $146,400 and typical rent is $898 a month. Compared with all of St. Lawrence County, typical household income is 45% lower, the typical home value is 20% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 37 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $146,400

    20% above the county

    65% below New York

    • Potsdam
    • St. Lawrence
    • New York

  • Typical rent

    $898a month

    10% above the county

    45% below New York

    • Potsdam
    • St. Lawrence
    • New York

  • Typical household income

    $34,546a year

    45% below the county

    60% below New York

    • Potsdam
    • St. Lawrence
    • New York

  • Households that own their home

    34%

    37 points below the county

    20 points below New York

    • Potsdam
    • St. Lawrence
    • New York

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$191,677
9.1% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,187 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Potsdam is in St. Lawrence County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of St. Lawrence County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Potsdam apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 34% of households in Potsdam own their home, against 72% in St. Lawrence County.

  2. Potsdam has the 3rd lowest typical household income of the 350 cities in New York with more than 5,000 people ($34,546).

  3. Nearby, in Ogdensburg, the typical home value is $85,400: 42% less than in Potsdam ($146,400).

  4. Nearby, in Massena, the typical rent is $722: 20% less than in Potsdam ($898).

  5. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Potsdam rose 9.1%; in New York, it rose 5.6%.

  6. The typical home in Potsdam is worth $146,400, 20% more than in St. Lawrence County as a whole ($121,900).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Potsdam

What homes there are in Potsdam, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Homes in Potsdam are varied: detached houses are the largest group, at 38%, against 72% in St. Lawrence County.

Year built

The typical home in Potsdam was built in 1959, 5 years before the typical one in St. Lawrence County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,426 a month

St. Lawrence County: $1,330 a month

Without a mortgage

$771 a month

St. Lawrence County: $530 a month

Owners with a mortgage

54%

St. Lawrence County: 48%

In Potsdam, 54% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,426 a month, against $1,330 in St. Lawrence County. Without one it drops to $771.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Much as in St. Lawrence County, the typical home value in Potsdam rose 29% since 2015–2019.

Rent in Potsdam moved so little since 2015–2019 that the Census cannot say whether it rose or fell.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasurePotsdamSt. Lawrence CountyNew YorkUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate3.9%3.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.3%1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.1%5.3%3.4%
People per household 1.812.322.492.53
Drive alone 52%75%49%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate9%6%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate22%3%
Walk or bike 29%7%6%3%
Work from home 11%7%15%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Households in Potsdam are smaller: 1.81 people on average; in St. Lawrence County, 2.32.

In Potsdam, 29% of workers walk or bike to work; in St. Lawrence County, 7%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Potsdam?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Potsdam, worth $146,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 53% of the typical household income in Potsdam, which is $34,546 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $64,953 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of St. Lawrence County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Potsdam. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $5,124 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,516

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$143,748
Total interest
$206,820
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,472 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $806 a month

  • Tight

    $806 to $1,036 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,036 a month

    Your payment · 53%

Compared with the typical household income in Potsdam ($34,546 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,516
Principal & interest$974
Property tax$416
Home insurance$61
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$65

You need at least $5,124 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Potsdam and St. Lawrence County

Potsdam is in St. Lawrence County, New York. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Potsdam's own numbers

Typical home value
$146,400
Typical monthly rent
$898
Typical yearly household income
$34,546
Households that own their home
34%
Effective property tax rate
3.41%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of St. Lawrence County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,041
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+39%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of St. Lawrence County.

Everything about St. Lawrence County

Buying

Buying a home in Potsdam

A typical home in Potsdam is worth $146,400: 20% above the county and 65% below New York. With the typical household income in Potsdam ($34,546 a year), a typical home costs 4.2 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Potsdam 4.2 years
  • St. Lawrence 1.9 years
  • New York 4.9 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in St. Lawrence County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in St. Lawrence County rose 54% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of St. Lawrence County.

Period County New York U.S.
Last year (2025) +6.1% +6.0% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +39% +52% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +54% +86% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Potsdam next to St. Lawrence County, New York and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Potsdam $146,400
  • St. Lawrence $121,900
  • New York $423,800
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Potsdam $898
  • St. Lawrence $818
  • New York $1,621
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Potsdam $34,546
  • St. Lawrence $62,850
  • New York $85,974
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Potsdam next to St. Lawrence County and New York
Measure Potsdam St. Lawrence County New York U.S.
Typical home value $146,400 $121,900 $423,800 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $898 $818 $1,621 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $34,546 $62,850 $85,974 $80,734
Households that own their home 34% 72% 54% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $4,986 $2,844 $6,582 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 3.41% 2.33% 1.55% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 74% 51% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below St. Lawrence County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Potsdam

For a typical $146,400 home in Potsdam, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Potsdam's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,516a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $5,124
    Cash to close
    $9,516
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $65

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,489a month

    Down payment
    $7,320
    Cash to close
    $11,712
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $70

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,270a month

    Down payment
    $29,280
    Cash to close
    $33,672
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,406a month

    Down payment
    $21,960
    Cash to close
    $26,352
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Potsdam and for St. Lawrence County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Potsdam

3.41%of the home’s value each year

$4,986 a year for the typical owner in Potsdam.

  • Potsdam 3.41%
  • St. Lawrence 2.33%
  • New York 1.55%

What New York publishes Basic STAR school tax relief (New York State Department of Taxation and Finance)

Exemptions and deadlines in New York

Flood risk in St. Lawrence County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of St. Lawrence County.

FEMA’s maps count no homes in the high-risk zone in St. Lawrence County. That does not mean it cannot flood: check your address.

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Potsdam

Typical rent in Potsdam is $898 a month: 10% above the county. In Potsdam, 74% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of St. Lawrence County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,041 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $20.02 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of St. Lawrence County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $725 $13.94 $29,000
1 bedroom $796 $15.31 $31,840
2 bedrooms $1,041 $20.02 $41,640
3 bedrooms $1,246 $23.96 $49,840
4 bedrooms $1,368 $26.31 $54,720

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Potsdam

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Potsdam has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,140 in all of them.

2 of the 2 are above the fair market rent for St. Lawrence County ($1,041).

  • 13676 $1,140$1,360
  • 13699 $1,140$1,360

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Potsdam when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Potsdam

HUD lists 6 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Potsdam. These are the largest.

  • Lawrence Avenue Apartments 3 Debra Dr, Potsdam 13676 137 low-income homes · 1 bd: 84 · 2 bd: 45 · 3 bd: 8 · In service since 2020 · For families (315) 265-5550
  • Mayfield Apartments 22 Mayfield Dr, Potsdam 13676 156 homes, 128 low-income · Studio: 24 · 1 bd: 131 · In service since 2020 · For families
  • Racquette Acres 100 Racquette Rd, Potsdam 13676 100 low-income homes · 1 bd: 16 · 2 bd: 40 · 3 bd: 40 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 2005 · For families
  • Midtown Apartments 28 Munson St, Potsdam 13676 65 low-income homes · For older adults (315) 265-3680
  • 55-57 Market Street 55 Market St, Potsdam 13676 7 low-income homes · 1 bd: 1 · 2 bd: 6 · In service since 2006

See all 22 buildings in St. Lawrence County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Potsdam

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in St. Lawrence County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man leans over the armchair where a girl is reading a book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Potsdam

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Potsdam or St. Lawrence County. The ones below are statewide in New York: they work in Potsdam the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in New York

Housing counselors near Potsdam

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Potsdam, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Friends of the North Country

    1387 Hardscrabble Rd, Cadyville · 62 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Home improvement and repairs
    • and 4 more
    (518) 293-5045

  • Neighbors of Watertown, Inc.

    112 Franklin St, Watertown · 68 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (315) 782-8497

  • Unhs Neighborworks Homeownership Center

    1611 Genesee St, Utica · 110 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Arabic, American Sign Language (ASL), Cambodian, Cantonese, and 19 more languages.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (315) 724-4197

All counseling agencies in New York

Help in Spanish near Potsdam

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Potsdam

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in St. Lawrence County is named for Potsdam or St. Lawrence County.

3 other authorities have an office in St. Lawrence County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in St. Lawrence County

These cities are also in St. Lawrence County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about St. Lawrence County Housing in New York

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Potsdam, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If St. Lawrence County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Potsdam.

All guides
A smiling girl holds up a small mushroom she found on a forest outing.

Questions

Housing questions about Potsdam

Short answers with the numbers for Potsdam and all of St. Lawrence County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Potsdam?

The typical home value in Potsdam is $146,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in St. Lawrence County it is $121,900.

How much does it cost to rent in Potsdam?

Typical rent in Potsdam is $898 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in St. Lawrence County is $1,041.

What is the FHA loan limit in Potsdam?

Potsdam uses the FHA limit for all of St. Lawrence County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Potsdam?

The typical homeowner in Potsdam pays $4,986 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 3.41% of the home’s value; in St. Lawrence County, the rate is 2.33%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Potsdam?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in St. Lawrence County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).