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.
Compared to the rest of the country, citizens of Potsdam spend much less time in their cars: on average, their commute to work is only 16.93 minutes. This also means that noise and pollution levels in the village are less than they would otherwise be.
Being a small village, Potsdam does not have a public transit system used by locals to get to and from work.
Do you have a 4-year college degree or graduate degree? If so, you may feel right at home in Potsdam. 51.83% of adults here have a 4-year degree or graduate degree, whereas the national average for all cities and towns is just 21.84%.
The per capita income in Potsdam in 2022 was $20,220, which is low income relative to New York and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $80,880 for a family of four. However, Potsdam contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.
Potsdam is a somewhat 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, English, German, Italian, and French Canadian.
The most common language spoken in Potsdam is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and French.
