Is Rotterdam, NY a Good Place to Live?
Rotterdam is a small city of 22,673 in New York, with a median household income of $79,415 and a 2.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.
Strengths: Rotterdam stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Rotterdam is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Rotterdam 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: 97.6Rotterdam's overall cost of living index is 97.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Rotterdam costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Rotterdam, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $190,400 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,124 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $79,415 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageRotterdam's violent crime rate is 285.3 per 100,000 residents — 25% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Rotterdam is served primarily by SCHALMONT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Rotterdam, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | SCHALMONT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Rotterdam sees average highs of 32.8°F in January and 83.9°F in July, with 40.7 inches of annual precipitation and 59.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Rotterdam, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 32.8°F |
| Average High — July | 83.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 59.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | Rotterdam, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,673 | — |
| Median Age | 40.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 83.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 6.8% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.6% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 18.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Rotterdam
Rotterdam, NY is covered by 2 ZIP codes: