Cost of living in Potsdam research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Potsdam is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in New York, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Potsdam is 94, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Potsdam is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Potsdam ranks as the #56 cheapest in New York out of 341.
Potsdam ranks as the #1,806 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Potsdam is $176,339.
The median income in Potsdam is $32,061.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Potsdam has an overall cost of living index of 94, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to New York, Potsdam has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than New York's index of 119.
The standard of living in Potsdam ranks as #56 most affordable out of the 341 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Potsdam ranks as the #285 most expensive place in the Empire State.
For more reading on life in Potsdam, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Potsdam. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Potsdam is 109.
The Groceries index in Potsdam is 103.
The Health index in Potsdam is 108.
The Housing index in Potsdam is 64.
The Transportation index in Potsdam is 105.
The Utilities index in Potsdam is 123.
| Living Expense | Potsdam | New York | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 94 | 119 | 100 | |
| Services | 109 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 108 | 101 | 100 | |
| Housing | 64 | 145 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 105 | 105 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 123 | 99 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in New York, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Potsdam is $176,339.
The Median Rent in Potsdam is $819.
The Median Income in Potsdam is $32,061.
The Home Value To Income in Potsdam is 5.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Potsdam is 0.31x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Potsdam. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Morristown, TN has a cost of living index of 84, 0.9x Potsdam.
Massena, NY has a cost of living index of 89, 0.9x Potsdam.
Ogdensburg, NY has a cost of living index of 88, 0.9x Potsdam.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Potsdam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morristown, TN | 30,983 | 84 | 0.9x |
| Massena, NY | 10,234 | 89 | 0.9x |
| Ogdensburg, NY | 9,600 | 88 | 0.9x |
| Canton, NY | 7,222 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Malone, NY | 5,466 | 95 | 1.0x |
| Saranac Lake, NY | 5,099 | 101 | 1.1x |