1st Advantage MortgageSt. Lawrence County (107,226 residents) has a $62,850 median household income and $818 median rent, by the latest Census five-year survey. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- First look: St. Lawrence County, NY
- The St. Lawrence County job picture
- Where St. Lawrence County households live
- Household income in St. Lawrence County
- Where St. Lawrence County differs from the rest of New York
- Nearby counties: income, rent, ownership
- St. Lawrence County towns compared
- What the numbers mean for St. Lawrence County borrowers
- $5,238 a month: the St. Lawrence County median budget
- People and households in St. Lawrence County
- New York rules that apply in St. Lawrence County
- Before you sign
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
First look: St. Lawrence County, NY
St. Lawrence County is home to about 107,226 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 27th most populous of 62 county-level areas in New York. Its 2,680 square miles average 40 people per square mile, by the 2024 Census Gazetteer. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, St. Lawrence County is not part of any metropolitan area. The Census Bureau counts 25 places in the county (11 incorporated, 14 census-designated); the largest is Massena, with about 10,238 residents, or 10% of the county.
The St. Lawrence County job picture
Education and health care (35%), retail trade (10%) and arts, lodging and food service (9%) lead St. Lawrence County's job mix. Education and health care stands out: 35% of workers here, versus 29% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 5.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 11% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 7% work from home. 4,214 St. Lawrence County households, 10.1%, have no vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | St. Lawrence County | Gap to New York |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 35.1% | +5.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.5% | +0.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.4% | +1.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.0% | +2.3 pts |
| Public administration | 6.8% | +2.1 pts |
| Construction | 6.0% | +0.4 pts |
Self-employed in St. Lawrence County? Two years of tax returns usually stand in for pay stubs.
Where St. Lawrence County households live
Half of St. Lawrence County renters pay more than $818 a month and half pay less; the New York midpoint is $1,621. Cost-burdened renters, paying 30%-plus of income: 51% in St. Lawrence County, 52% statewide. With a median value of $121,900, a typical St. Lawrence County house costs 1.9 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 72%. The median home was built in 1964, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Home costs | St. Lawrence County | New York | Compared with New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owners | 72% | 54% | +17.5 pts |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 33% | -10.5 pts |
| Vacant units | 20% | 10% | +9.8 pts |
| Mobile homes | 10.0% | 2.1% | +7.9 pts |
| Median home value | $121,900 | $423,800 | 71% lower |
| Median gross rent | $818/mo | $1,621/mo | 50% lower |
| Rent-burdened renters | 51% | 52% | -1.6 pts |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Household income in St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County households have a median income of $62,850 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 58th of 62 in New York.
| Yearly household income | St. Lawrence County | Gap to New York |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 29.4% | +7.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.8% | +7.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.2% | -3.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.6% | -11.5 pts |
On the low end, 29% of St. Lawrence County households report under $35,000; at the top, 29% report $100,000-plus. 16.9% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 14.0%). Gini index for St. Lawrence County: 0.460. For a borrower in St. Lawrence County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Where St. Lawrence County differs from the rest of New York
Ranked against the other 61 county-level areas in New York, these are the St. Lawrence County figures furthest from the middle.
- Median home value: $121,900 in St. Lawrence County. Only 2 of 62 New York counties are lower. Lower values mean less equity to tap, so unsecured loans are the usual route.
- On the share of workers who work from home, St. Lawrence County sits near the bottom of New York at 7.3%, 5th lowest of 62. Most workers travel to a job here, so commuting costs are part of the budget.
- On median household income, St. Lawrence County sits near the bottom of New York at $62,850, 5th lowest of 62. A lean local median makes the size of the loan the most important choice.
Nearby counties: income, rent, ownership
Franklin County is closest, 38 miles from center to center; the sixth, Essex County, is 69 miles off. Essex County leads the group on income ($71,661), Franklin County trails ($65,151), and St. Lawrence County out-earns 0 of the six.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Lawrence County | - | $62,850 | $818/mo | 72% |
| Franklin County, NY | 38 mi | $65,151 | $843/mo | 73% |
| Lewis County, NY | 52 mi | $68,182 | $837/mo | 80% |
| Jefferson County, NY | 59 mi | $66,301 | $1,213/mo | 55% |
| Hamilton County, NY | 64 mi | $68,835 | $912/mo | 82% |
| Herkimer County, NY | 64 mi | $68,515 | $823/mo | 77% |
| Essex County, NY | 69 mi | $71,661 | $934/mo | 77% |
St. Lawrence County towns compared
The table lists the 14 largest of 25 Census places in St. Lawrence County, by population. Together all 25 hold about 51,323 people, so roughly 52% of residents live outside any named place. Winthrop has the highest median household income on the list ($138,231) and Potsdam the lowest ($34,546), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Waddington ($337) and steepest in Hannawa Falls ($1,037). This guide covers each of the 25 places and the rural areas around them.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massena | village | 10,238 | $51,458 | $722 | 32 mi |
| Ogdensburg | city | 9,455 | $61,824 | $778 | 24 mi |
| Potsdam | village | 8,427 | $34,546 | $898 | 13 mi |
| Canton | village | 7,167 | $62,054 | $796 | 9 mi |
| Gouverneur | village | 3,615 | $35,752 | $872 | 22 mi |
| Norwood | village | 1,374 | $54,375 | $683 | 18 mi |
| Norfolk | CDP | 1,204 | $59,491 | $784 | 21 mi |
| Waddington | village | 1,062 | $73,750 | $337 | 26 mi |
| Brasher Falls | CDP | 776 | $52,868 | $416 | 27 mi |
| Hannawa Falls | CDP | 744 | $98,450 | $1,037 | 9 mi |
| Star Lake | CDP | 713 | $57,917 | $722 | 22 mi |
| Madrid | CDP | 641 | $68,333 | $800 | 18 mi |
| Hermon | CDP | 636 | $89,091 | $870 | 8 mi |
| Parishville | CDP | 634 | $76,719 | $885 | 17 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
What the numbers mean for St. Lawrence County borrowers
What the St. Lawrence County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Tight rental budgets. With 51% of St. Lawrence County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
$5,238 a month: the St. Lawrence County median budget
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to St. Lawrence County's medians:
- Median income divided by twelve: $5,238 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $818, takes 16% of that
- Under a 43% cap, $2,252 total minus rent leaves $1,434
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
People and households in St. Lawrence County
Degree holders: 25% of adults over 25. Uninsured, St. Lawrence County: 6.0%; New York: 5.1%.
| Measure | St. Lawrence County | Gap to New York | Gap to typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | -0.5 yrs | -2.2 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.3% | -14.9 pts | +3.2 pts |
| No high school diploma | 10.1% | -1.9 pts | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.0% | +0.9 pts | -1.9 pts |
| No vehicle | 10.1% | -19.1 pts | +4.7 pts |
| Work from home | 7.3% | -7.6 pts | -1.4 pts |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | +2.9 pts | +3.7 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.3% | -1.1 pts | +0.8 pts |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 43.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 30.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.6% |
| 60+ min | 5.0% |
New York rules that apply in St. Lawrence County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For St. Lawrence County, check the New York State Department of Financial Services. If a St. Lawrence County lender ignores a dispute, the CFPB complaint portal is the federal backstop. The New York page has statewide figures to set beside St. Lawrence County's.
Before you sign
A short checklist for St. Lawrence County borrowers:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Related local guides
Next step up from St. Lawrence County:
Frequently asked questions
Is St. Lawrence County a high-income county?
Its $62,850 median ranks 58th of 62 New York counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What is the median rent in St. Lawrence County, NY?
$818 a month, utilities included, or $9,816 a year.
Which towns does the St. Lawrence County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 25 Census places: Massena, Ogdensburg, Potsdam, Canton, Gouverneur.
Will a St. Lawrence County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming New York as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Is there a St. Lawrence County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In New York it is the New York State Department of Financial Services.