Breakdown of Population Loss for the 61 Park Towns from 2010 to 2020

Table 27: A Breakdown of population loss from 2010 to 2020 in the 61 Adirondack Park Towns

2010 2020
AgePersonsAgePersonsChange%Comment
0 to 4 3,980 +3,980 Births or young children who moved in
5 to 9 4,457 +4,457 Births or young children who moved in
0 to 4 4,70510 to 14 4,867 +162 +3%Gain of children who moved in
5 to 9 4,98915 to 19 5,000 +11 +0%Gain of teenagers or college-age young people
10 to 14 5,72220 to 24 4,449 −1,273 −22%Loss of college-age young people
15 to 19 6,58525 to 29 4,851 −1,734 −26%Loss of college-age young people
20 to 24 5,37630 to 34 5,227 −149 −3%Loss of college-age young people and others
25 to 29 4,96835 to 39 5,242 +274 +6%Gain of young career age adults
30 to 34 4,91140 to 44 4,973 +62 +1%Gain of career age adults
35 to 39 5,35245 to 49 5,364 +12 +0%Gain of mid-career adults
40 to 44 6,52750 to 54 6,620 +93 +1%Gain of mid-career adults
45 to 49 8,24755 to 59 8,485 +238 +3%Gain of retirement age adults
50 to 54 8,86960 to 64 8,927 +58 +1%Gain of retirement age adults
55 to 59 8,28065 to 69 8,073 −207 −3%Loss through mortality and out-migration
60 to 64 7,62770 to 74 6,582 −1,045 −14%Loss through mortality and out-migration
65 to 69 5,98475 to 79 4,440 −1,544 −26%Loss through mortality and out-migration
70 to 9912,38680 to 99 5,204 −7,182 −58%Loss through mortality and out-migration
0 to 99100,5280 to 9996,741−3,787−3.8%Population change 2010–2020

Key Finding

The −3.8% population loss from 2010 to 2020 in the 61 Park Towns was from the loss of college age young people and mortality or out-migration of older residents.

An analysis of population change from 2010 to 2020 breaks down the −3.8% population change of the 61 Park Towns. The Park Towns’ population dropped from 100,528 in 2010 to 96,741 in 2020, a loss of −3,787 people. What explains this drop in population?

A breakdown of exactly where the −3.8% drop occurred in the 61 Park Towns is provided in Table 27 above. This table shows the changes in 5-year age groups from 2010 to 2020. This analysis shows losses due to the exodus of college age young people and mortality of older residents.

A total of +9,347 people arrived through births (+8,437), by being brought in by their parents as young children (+173), as young adults after age 25 (+274), as mid-career adults after age 30 (+167), or as retirees after age 55 (+296). These gains were offset by population losses of −13,134 people.

These losses were seen in the departure of college age young people (−3,156) and in the loss of older residents who moved away or died (−9,978). Recruitment of new residents to Adirondacks in the years 2001 to 2020 was not high enough to replace these losses, but this could change in the future.

Many questions face Adirondack communities. With such a small population, it’s important to bear in mind that the decisions of a few hundred individuals and families can positively or negatively effect the population trajectories of Adirondack communities. ❑