The Town FilesPotter, New York
Town in Yates County · population 1,858 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $130,300
- Household income
- $67,344
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 56 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 35.1
Potter is a town of 1,858 people in Yates County, New York. The median home is worth $130,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for cycling than 98% of New York towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of New York towns, better for a vacation home than 75% of New York towns.
How Potter 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 Potter is worth $130,300, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $67,344, which is more affordable than 88% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,005 a month. 79.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Potter | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $130,300 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,005 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $67,344 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 79.5% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.1% | — |
Who lives in Potter
| People | Potter | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 29.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.8% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.0% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 13.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.1% | 91.1% |
Weather in Potter
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 17.5°F. About 30.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 55.9 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Potter since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 3, 2018 about 1.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 3, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 9, 1956.
Severe weather in Yates County since 1996
Yates County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4825: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 8, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4625: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| July 8, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4180: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Yates County
Yates County had 7,028 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,380 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Potter itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Towns near Potter
- Rushville, NY4.0 mi · 651 people · home $147,100
- Middlesex, NY5.5 mi · 1,377 people · home $208,100
- Gorham, NY5.8 mi · 4,106 people · home $263,300
- Gorham, NY6.4 mi · 604 people · home $228,700
- Benton, NY6.7 mi · 2,985 people · home $258,600
- Jerusalem, NY7.1 mi · 4,405 people · home $320,900
- Penn Yan, NY7.5 mi · 5,056 people · home $152,700
- Crystal Beach, NY7.7 mi · 627 people · home $181,800
Potter questions
Is Potter, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Potter scores better for retirees than 36% of New York towns and quieter than 65%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.1).
How much does a house cost in Potter?
The median owner-occupied home in Potter is valued at $130,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,344, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,005 a month.
What is the weather like in Potter?
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 17.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.2 inches of precipitation a year and 55.9 inches of snow.
Does Potter get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Potter since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 3, 2018. 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)