Fort Drum is in Jefferson County, New York. Nearby communities are Calcium, population 3,500, Carthage (3,800), Philadelphia (1,950), and Watertown (27,000).

Local Rental Prices: The average rental home in Calcium, NY, ranges from $520-$1,000, with a median price of $675. The Watertown area ranges from $350-$650, with a median of about $500.

Local Housing Prices: The average price to purchase a home in the Jefferson County area is about $116,800, compared to $296,500 for New York.

Short Description of the Area: Watertown is the county seat of Jefferson County, which is located in the northwestern part of the state, just across the St. Lawrence River from Canada. The nearest major cities are Syracuse, 86 miles south of base, and Utica which is about 79 miles south of base.

Climate and Weather: The climate in the Fort Drum area is classified as humid-continental, meaning short summer and longer, cold winters. The average temperature in July is 68.8 degrees Fahrenheit, while January's average is about 18.1 degrees. The average annual precipitation is 40.8 inches and about 33.5 inches of snow in January. Natural disasters are very rare; the most extreme weather comes in the form of wintertime snowstorms.