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Buying a home in Potsdam, New York

The typical owner-occupied home in Potsdam is worth about $146,400, 65% below the New York median of $423,800 and 56% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,986 a year in property taxes, about 3.41% of their home's value, higher than the New York rate of 1.55%. The median household earns $34,546 a year, so the median home costs 4.2 times the median income (4.9 times for New York). 34% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 54% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Potsdam at a glance

Potsdam New York U.S.
Median home value $146,400 $423,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,986 $6,582 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 3.41% 1.55% 0.94%
Median household income $34,546 $85,974 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 34% 54% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 54% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,426 $2,555 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.1% 22.5% 21.0%
Median rent $898 $1,621 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 43.5% 31.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1959 1959 1980
Vacant homes 13.3% 10.0% 10.1%
Population 8,427 19,852,366 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Potsdam

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Potsdam home of $146,400 with 20% down costs about $1,265 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,509, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $54,210 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 44% of the median Potsdam household income of $34,546; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $93,000.

The median rent here is $898 a month, so owning the median home costs about $367 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$29,280
Loan amount$117,120
Principal and interest$788
Property taxes (3.41% a year)$416
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$61
PMI$0
Total per month$1,265

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,124
Loan amount$143,748
Principal and interest$967
Property taxes (3.41% a year)$416
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$61
FHA mortgage insurance$65
Total per month$1,509

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Questions about home buying in Potsdam

What is the median home value in Potsdam?

About $146,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Potsdam?

Homeowners pay a median $4,986 a year, which is about 3.41% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Potsdam?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,265 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $54,210 a year.

More about Potsdam

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data