STAFF REPORTNorth Country This Week

Vaccination rates in St. Lawrence County in 2025 fell close to statewide averages for polio and measles, mumps, and rubella, but data recently released by the state Department of Health suggests that vaccinating against those diseases is uncommon in some local communities. 

Overall, about 77% of young children in the county have received the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. The report shows that some ZIP codes have high  vaccination rates, while others have much lower.

In some areas, fewer than half of young children are fully vaccinated for MMR. This means that some towns may be more at risk if a case of measles occurs. 

St. Lawrence County’s rate for polio vaccination is higher at about 80%, which exceeds the statewide average of 78.96%. 

Polio immunization rates also vary by ZIP code, with the lowest being 9%. The lowest vaccination rates in St. Lawrence County appears to correlate in areas with large Amish populations 

 The polio vaccine requires three doses by age two to provide strong protection. Like measles, polio can spread more easily in communities where vaccination rates are lower. 

“This data matters because measles and polio are highly contagious diseases that can cause serious illness. Vaccines are safe, effective, and the best way to protect children and the community. When an area has a higher vaccination rate, it helps protect babies who are too young to be fully vaccinated, people with weakened immune systems, older adults, and others at high risk,” a representative from the state Health Department said.  

The report does not include figures from communities with too small of a sample size — too few young children — to calculate an average. 

Measles, Mumps, Rubella

The overall vaccination rate against measles, mumps and rubella is 76.2% in St. Lawrence County. That falls below the statewide average of 81.2%, but exceeds counties with the lowest MMR vaccination rates, including Yates County at 55.8%, Jefferson County at 57.1% and Rockland County at 62%. 

In neighboring Franklin County, 77.1% were vaccinated for MMR.

In St. Lawrence County, the community with the lowest MMR vaccination rate is Heuvelton at 35% vaccinated. 

Other communities with less than 75%  vaccinated include Brasher Falls, 73.8% in Potsdam,  and 69.6% in Winthrop.

St. Lawrence County’s highest MMR vaccination rate is in Colton, where 95.2% were vaccinated. 

Larger communities in St. Lawrence County show a range of vaccination rates, including 73.8% in Potsdam, 87.9% in Canton, and 84% in Massena. 

Polio

The overall vaccination rate for polio in St. Lawrence County is 79.6%, which slightly exceeds the statewide average of 78.96%. That figure exceeds the polio vaccination rates in neighboring Jefferson and Franklin Counties, representing 66.3% and 63.6%, respectively. 

The St. Lawrence County community with the lowest rate is Heuvelton at 42.9%. Other communities with less than 75% vaccinated for Polio include Hammond at 63%.

Communities with the highest polio vaccination rates in St. Lawrence County included Winthrop at 90.5%, Canton at 89.1% and Potsdam at 88.6%.

The counties with the lowest rates for polio vaccination include Yates County at 53.7% and Orange County at 58.6%. 

The St. Lawrence County data also included polio vaccination figures from the neighboring Franklin County communities of Moira, Tupper Lake and Bombay.  A total of 46.7% were vaccinated against polio in Tupper Lake; 75% were vaccinated in Moira, and 9.1% were vaccinated in Bombay. 

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