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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.

Potsdam, NY
Real Estate & Demographic Data






Potsdam profile


Living in Potsdam



Potsdam is a somewhat small village located in the state of New York. With a population of 8,558 people and four associated neighborhoods, Potsdam is the 211th largest community in New York.

A relatively large number of people in Potsdam telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 11.40% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Potsdam is a small town with a large college student population. Because of this, there is a real youthful, hip vibe to the place, and much of the life in the town is centered on the college. This has helped Potsdam to buck the trend of other small towns that have suffered declining populations over the past 20 to 30 years. Spending by students, and faculty and staff jobs, are a big part of the local economy.

For a small village, there is also a high proportion of single, often educated, people living in Potsdam. This is not typical for smaller communities in America, and adds a feeling of vibrancy to Potsdam.

Residents of the village have the good fortune of having one of the shortest daily commutes compared to the rest of the country. On average, they spend only 15.74 minutes getting to work every day.

Potsdam is one of the most well-educated cities in the nation. 44.65% of adults in Potsdam have at least a bachelor's degree. Compare that to the average community in America, which has just 21.84% with a bachelor's degree or higher.

The per capita income in Potsdam in 2018 was $21,008, which is low income relative to New York and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $84,032 for a family of four. However, Potsdam contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

Potsdam is a very ethnically-diverse village. The people who call Potsdam home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Potsdam residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Potsdam include Irish, Italian, German, English, and Polish.

The most common language spoken in Potsdam is English. Other important languages spoken here include French and Spanish.