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.
The education level of Potsdam ranks among the highest in the nation. Of the 25-and-older adult population in Potsdam, 44.65% have at least a bachelor's degree. The typical US community has just 21.84% of its adults holding a bachelor's degree or graduate degree.
The per capita income in Potsdam in 2022 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.
