Is Plattsburgh, NY a Good Place to Live?
Plattsburgh is a small city of 19,907 in New York, with a median household income of $55,049 and a 6.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.
Strengths: Plattsburgh stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Plattsburgh is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Plattsburgh city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 97.3Plattsburgh's overall cost of living index is 97.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Plattsburgh costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Plattsburgh, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $172,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $940 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $55,049 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Plattsburgh is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Plattsburgh is served primarily by PLATTSBURGH CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 9.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Plattsburgh, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | PLATTSBURGH CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 9.5:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 39.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Plattsburgh sees average highs of 28.2°F in January and 80.7°F in July, with 36.0 inches of annual precipitation and 50.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Plattsburgh, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 28.2°F |
| Average High — July | 80.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 50.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Plattsburgh, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,907 | — |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 14.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 86.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 4.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 3.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.0% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY is covered by 2 ZIP codes: