The Town FilesPetersburgh, New York
Town in Rensselaer County · population 1,372 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $170,300
- Household income
- $77,692
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 60 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 51.3
Petersburgh is a town of 1,372 people in Rensselaer County, New York. The median home is worth $170,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks quieter than 98% of New York towns, easier by car than 75% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 73% of New York towns.
How Petersburgh ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Petersburgh is worth $170,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $77,692, which is more affordable than 76% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,100 a month. 90.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Petersburgh | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $170,300 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,100 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $77,692 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.9% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.2% | — |
Who lives in Petersburgh
| People | Petersburgh | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.3 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.8% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 11.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 29.8 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 91.1% |
Weather in Petersburgh
July highs average 77.8°F and January lows 14.2°F. About 47.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 60.3 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Petersburgh since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 21, 2003 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 25, 1972.
Severe weather in Rensselaer County since 1996
Rensselaer County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 22, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3565: Hurricane Henri |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County had 56,791 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $78,789 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Petersburgh itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Towns near Petersburgh
- Pownal, VT4.8 mi · 548 people · home $272,700
- Pownal, VT5.8 mi · 3,258 people · home $256,600
- Grafton, NY6.6 mi · 2,051 people · home $216,800
- Hoosick, NY6.9 mi · 6,711 people · home $177,200
- Williamstown, MA7.8 mi · 7,513 people · home $437,100
- Williamstown, MA8.0 mi · 4,308 people · home $439,300
- Berlin, NY8.5 mi · 1,808 people · home $214,600
- Hoosick Falls, NY8.5 mi · 3,216 people · home $154,600
Petersburgh questions
Is Petersburgh, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Petersburgh scores better for retirees than 53% of New York towns and quieter than 98%. 23.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.3).
How much does a house cost in Petersburgh?
The median owner-occupied home in Petersburgh is valued at $170,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,692, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $1,100 a month.
What is the weather like in Petersburgh?
July highs average 77.8°F and January lows 14.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.1 inches of precipitation a year and 60.3 inches of snow.
Does Petersburgh get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Petersburgh since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 21, 2003. The typical New York town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)