Population Growth in Capital Region
Population grows by 1.4% in region.
According to recent Census estimates, the central Capital Region leads upstate in total population growth, with an overall increase to the region of 1.4% between 2010 and 2015 estimates. The central Capital Region is growing faster than other large, upstate metropolitan areas. However, the region falls below the national rate of 4.1%.
Some of the contributing factors behind the increase in the region’s population has been natural increase and international migration. The region experienced a natural increase as births outweighed deaths between 2010 and 2015 and more recently between 2014 and 2015. The region as a whole also saw an increase in population due to international migration in both the 2010 to 2015 period and again from 2014 to 2015. According to CDRPC’s Rocky Ferraro, this international growth is likely due to the job opportunities in the region associated with growth in the manufacturing, technology, and research and development areas.
- Saratoga County led the region for net migration.
- Albany County led the region in international migration.
Looking ahead, the region remains challenged by domestic out-migration. Between 2010 and 2015, the region lost 7,624 in population due to domestic migration. Only Saratoga County saw a net increase in domestic migration during both the 2010 to 2015 and the 2014 to 2015 periods.
