SARATOGA SPRINGS — Among all 62 New York counties, Saratoga saw the fifth largest percent increase in county population from 2010 to 2020, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau. The increase of nearly 16,000 residents shows 7.2% growth over that 10-year-span.
“You look at the numbers and clearly Saratoga County stands out from just about everyone else in terms of our steady, consistent growth – not just in the last 10 years, but in the last 50 years,” said Todd Shimkus, president at Saratoga Chamber of Commerce.
Saratoga County was home to just over 150,000 residents in 1980. Population increased to just over 180,000 in 1990 and 200,00 at the start of the new century. County population numbers grew to 219,000 in 2010, and to more than 235,000 according to the new report.
“The numbers I’ve seen suggest that people are coming from all around the world,” Shimkus said. “We’ve had a tremendous boost over the last 10 years from GlobalFoundries, manufacturing and health care have also helped immensely.” Telecommuting is also playing a role, he added. “The ability to work in one place for an employer in another. I think part of our population growth has been people who love the quality of life here and have employers that will let them work from anywhere.”
The total population in Saratoga County now stands at 235,509, with 188,616 of those – or 80.1 percent – age 18 and over. There are 109,919 housing units in Saratoga County with 98,756 – or 89.8 percent of them occupied, according to the report.
New York State Tops 20 Million Residents; Overall, U.S. Growth Sluggish
On Aug. 12, the U.S. Census Bureau released its redistricting data which states may now use in redrawing congressional, legislative, and local district boundaries. Initial data detailed changes in the size and distribution of the population across the United States from 2010 to 2020.
Overall, the U.S. counts a population of about 331.4 million people – 7.4% increase in 2020 over 2010. That is, however, the slowest population growth nationally in several decades.
“Many counties within metro areas saw growth, especially those in the south and west. However, as we’ve been seeing in our annual population estimates, our nation is growing slower than it used to,” Marc Perry, a senior demographer at the Census Bureau, said in a statement that accompanied the data release. “This decline is evident at the local level where around 52% of the counties in the United States saw their 2020 Census populations decrease from their 2010 Census populations.”
The largest county in the United States in 2020 remains Los Angeles County with over 10 million people. The largest city remains New York with 8.8 million people.
New York State specifically grew 4.2% from a population of 19,378,102 in 2010 to 20,201,249 in 2020 – with nearly 80% of the population age 18 and over.
Race
Since the first Census Redistricting Data Program, conducted as part of the 1980 census, the U.S. Census Bureau has included summaries for the major race groups specified by the Statistical Programs and Standards Office of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. Originally, the tabulation groups included White, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander, plus “some other race.” These race data were also cross-tabulated by Hispanic/Non-Hispanic origin.
In the 2020 report, there were 220,319 Saratoga County residents, or 93.6% of the county population who reported their race as white alone or in combination with another race, compared to 62.0% who did so across New York State, and 71% nationwide; 2.8% in Saratoga County reported their race as black or African American alone or in combination (compared to 17.5% statewide, and 14.2% U.S.); 1.9% American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination (2.0% N.Y., 2.9% U.S.), 4.1% Asian alone or in combination (10.8% N.Y., 7.2% U.S.). Less than 1% reported their race as Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander in the 2020 Census at the state, county, and national levels. Ethnicity: 3.7% who reported their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino (compared to 19.5% N.Y., and 18.7% across the U.S.).
Hyperlocal
The U.S. Census Bureau report data details changes in population at the national, state and county levels. Additional information via the Bureau will be forthcoming.
The Empire Center for Public Policy, Inc. – an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank based in Albany – calculated population figures for towns, cities and villages. Those calculations follow below.
There are 19 towns and 2 cities in Saratoga County. These municipalities are represented at the county level by 23 Supervisors – one Supervisor representing each town and city, with the exception of Clifton Park and Saratoga Springs – the two largest populated locations and represented by two supervisors each. The towns of Ballston, Halfmoon, Malta, and Moreau each show double-digit percent increases in population over the past decade. Conversely, the Saratoga County towns of Day, Hadley, and Waterford show the largest percent decreases, according to the data.
The city of Saratoga Springs specifically increased population 7.2% over the decade, the eighth highest percent increase over the decade among the state’s 60 cities. Nearby Cohoes, which grew 12.2% ranked first in the state. Saratoga Springs is now the 23rd most populated city in New York.
Data and graphs compiled for this piece provided by The United States Census Bureau, and from The Empire Center for Public Policy, Inc.
