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Population Trends: Adirondack Park vs Rural Northeast U.S.

From 1970 to 2020, the Park Towns experienced an +6.49% growth in population, which was lower than the population growth in New Yorks State of +10.75%, the Split Towns of +34.15% and Rural New York of +13.40%. Rural America in general (see Table 14) also saw impressive population growth of +25.45% up to +20.69%. The Low Density Northeast U.S. counties saw an +7.02% population gain, similar to the Park Towns.

Maps on these pages show that from 1970 to 2020, 37% of New York State towns, etc., and 35% of U.S. counties had population gains less than the Park Town’s rate of +6.49%.

Table 14: Change in Population in Rural America, 1970–2020

Area 1970 2020 Change
Park Towns 90,966 96,866 +6.49%
Rural America
USDA Nonmetro U.S. 35,976,466 45,134,003 +25.45%
Low Density U.S. 15,648,841 18,886,600 +20.69%
USDA Nonmetro NE 3,704,423 4,212,421 +13.71%
Low Density NE 409,274 437,996 +7.02%

The maps in Figures 55 and 57 highlight areas across Rural America that saw lower population gains from 1970 to 2020 than that of the Park Towns. These areas were home to nearly half of the population of the Rural Northeast and one-third of Rural America.

From 2010 to 2020, the Park Towns experienced a −3.72% population drop (see Breakdown of Population Loss for the 61 Park Towns from 2010 to 2020 ). In 2020, the Park Towns were part of a vast American landscape characterized by declining population. From 2010 to 2020, 71% of New York State towns, etc., lost population. In this decade 1,628 U.S. counties, 53% of the nation, lost population. Across Rural America, 67% of the counties lost population. Across the rural Northeast, 74% of the counties lost population.

The trend of slow, inexorable population loss in rural areas across the U.S. is likely to continue for decades and is the reality for most Adirondack communities. Many parts of the Adirondacks, like many parts of Rural America, are struggling to confront population loss. A declining population was the reality from 2010 to 2020, for nearly half of the sprawling Rural America landscape, and creates a major challenge for rural areas like the Adirondack Park. ❑

Figure 55: Comparison of changes in population from 1970 to 2020 between the Park Towns and the Rural Northeast U.S. counties

Comparing with USDA Nonmetro Northeast counties, from 1970 to 2020, there were 36 USDA Nonmetro NE counties out of 80 with a slower growth in population than the Park. The Park performed better than 45% of the USDA Nonmetro NE counties. There were 2.0 million persons out of 4.2 million (46%) living in these USDA Nonmetro NE counties. Hartford, CT +28.5%, Litchfield, CT Fairfield, CT New Haven, CT Middlesex, CT New London, CT Tolland, CT Windham, CT Worcester, MA Middlesex, MA +277.7%, Nantucket, MA Barnstable, MA Suffolk, MA Bristol, MA Plymouth, MA Norfolk, MA Essex, MA Hampden, MA Hampshire, MA Berkshire, MA +20.0%, Franklin, MA +236.8%, Dukes, MA −27.4%, Aroostook, ME +3.2%, Piscataquis, ME +40.0%, Knox, ME +71.6%, Lincoln, ME Sagadahoc, ME Cumberland, ME York, ME Androscoggin, ME +33.0%, Oxford, ME +29.8%, Kennebec, ME +69.8%, Waldo, ME +60.4%, Hancock, ME +4.1%, Washington, ME Penobscot, ME +31.2%, Franklin, ME +24.3%, Somerset, ME −8.8%, Coos, NH +65.9%, Grafton, NH Strafford, NH Rockingham, NH +46.0%, Cheshire, NH +39.1%, Sullivan, NH Hillsborough, NH +96.8%, Belknap, NH +90.1%, Merrimack, NH +170.1%, Carroll, NH Monmouth, NJ Ocean, NJ Richmond, NY Essex, NJ Union, NJ Hudson, NJ Bergen, NJ Middlesex, NJ Somerset, NJ Morris, NJ Passaic, NJ Sussex, NJ Warren, NJ Hunterdon, NJ Mercer, NJ Camden, NJ Gloucester, NJ Salem, NJ Cumberland, NJ Cape May, NJ Atlantic, NJ Burlington, NJ Clinton, NY Essex, NY Orleans, NY −0.6%, Genesee, NY +7.5%, Wyoming, NY Livingston, NY Schenectady, NY −11.4%, Montgomery, NY Fulton, NY −3.6%, Seneca, NY Ontario, NY Yates, NY +6.9%, Schuyler, NY Tompkins, NY −1.5%, Cayuga, NY Onondaga, NY +2.0%, Cortland, NY +1.8%, Chenango, NY Madison, NY Oneida, NY Lewis, NY Herkimer, NY +4.2%, Otsego, NY Schoharie, NY Albany, NY Saratoga, NY Warren, NY Hamilton, NY Franklin, NY St. Lawrence, NY Jefferson, NY Oswego, NY Wayne, NY Monroe, NY Niagara, NY Erie, NY −13.3%, Chautauqua, NY −5.7%, Cattaraugus, NY −0.0%, Allegany, NY −6.0%, Steuben, NY Chemung, NY Tioga, NY Broome, NY −0.9%, Delaware, NY +49.5%, Sullivan, NY +44.6%, Greene, NY New York, NY Ulster, NY Bronx, NY Kings, NY Rockland, NY Nassau, NY Orange, NY Queens, NY Suffolk, NY Westchester, NY Putnam, NY Dutchess, NY +19.5%, Columbia, NY Rensselaer, NY Washington, NY Philadelphia, PA Bucks, PA −0.4%, Greene, PA Fayette, PA Washington, PA Allegheny, PA Beaver, PA −19.8%, Lawrence, PA Butler, PA Armstrong, PA −3.1%, Clarion, PA +41.6%, Forest, PA −19.1%, Venango, PA Mercer, PA +3.2%, Crawford, PA Erie, PA Westmoreland, PA +4.8%, Indiana, PA +1.8%, Jefferson, PA −19.1%, Warren, PA −22.1%, McKean, PA −35.9%, Cameron, PA −18.0%, Elk, PA +8.0%, Clearfield, PA Blair, PA Cambria, PA −2.5%, Somerset, PA +12.3%, Bedford, PA +35.1%, Fulton, PA +12.7%, Huntingdon, PA Franklin, PA +1.9%, Mifflin, PA +0.0%, Potter, PA −0.7%, Clinton, PA Centre, PA +49.2%, Union, PA Montour, PA +3.4%, Tioga, PA Lycoming, PA Wyoming, PA −2.0%, Sullivan, PA Columbia, PA −7.6%, Northumberland, PA +35.8%, Snyder, PA +40.7%, Juniata, PA Perry, PA Cumberland, PA Adams, PA York, PA Dauphin, PA Lebanon, PA Lancaster, PA Berks, PA −10.6%, Schuylkill, PA Carbon, PA Luzerne, PA Lackawanna, PA +3.5%, Bradford, PA +11.9%, Susquehanna, PA +72.9%, Wayne, PA Pike, PA Monroe, PA Northampton, PA Lehigh, PA Delaware, PA Montgomery, PA Chester, PA Kent, RI Providence, RI Bristol, RI Newport, RI Washington, RI +9.3%, Essex, VT +35.9%, Orleans, VT +27.5%, Bennington, VT Grand Isle, VT +25.5%, Washington, VT +32.7%, Caledonia, VT +94.9%, Lamoille, VT Franklin, VT Chittenden, VT +54.0%, Addison, VT +15.1%, Rutland, VT +38.8%, Windham, VT +31.0%, Windsor, VT +65.6%, Orange, VT

From 1970 to 2020, 45% of USDA Nonmetro Northeast U.S. counties had lower population growth than did the Park Towns. These counties were home to 2.0 million people, 46% of the Rural Northeast U.S. population.

Northeast U.S. metropolitan counties

36 Rural Northeast U.S. counties with lower population growth from 1970 to 2020 than that of the Park Town

44 Rural Northeast U.S. counties with higher population growth from 1970 to 2020 than that of the Park Towns

Figure 56: Population Increases and Decreases in the Rural Northeast U.S. counties, 2010 to 2020

In USDA Nonmetro Northeast counties, from 2010 to 2020, there were 59 USDA Nonmetro NE counties out of 80 that lost population This was 74% of the USDA Nonmetro NE counties. There were 3.1 million persons out of 4.2 million (73%) living in these USDA Nonmetro NE counties. Hartford, CT −2.5%, Litchfield, CT Fairfield, CT New Haven, CT Middlesex, CT New London, CT Tolland, CT Windham, CT Worcester, MA Middlesex, MA +40.1%, Nantucket, MA Barnstable, MA Suffolk, MA Bristol, MA Plymouth, MA Norfolk, MA Essex, MA Hampden, MA Hampshire, MA Berkshire, MA −0.5%, Franklin, MA +24.6%, Dukes, MA −6.6%, Aroostook, ME −4.2%, Piscataquis, ME +2.2%, Knox, ME +2.3%, Lincoln, ME Sagadahoc, ME Cumberland, ME York, ME Androscoggin, ME −0.1%, Oxford, ME +1.2%, Kennebec, ME +2.1%, Waldo, ME +1.9%, Hancock, ME −5.4%, Washington, ME Penobscot, ME −4.3%, Franklin, ME −3.4%, Somerset, ME −5.4%, Coos, NH +2.2%, Grafton, NH Strafford, NH Rockingham, NH −0.9%, Cheshire, NH −1.6%, Sullivan, NH Hillsborough, NH +6.0%, Belknap, NH +5.0%, Merrimack, NH +4.8%, Carroll, NH Monmouth, NJ Ocean, NJ Richmond, NY Essex, NJ Union, NJ Hudson, NJ Bergen, NJ Middlesex, NJ Somerset, NJ Morris, NJ Passaic, NJ Sussex, NJ Warren, NJ Hunterdon, NJ Mercer, NJ Camden, NJ Gloucester, NJ Salem, NJ Cumberland, NJ Cape May, NJ Atlantic, NJ Burlington, NJ Clinton, NY Essex, NY Orleans, NY −2.8%, Genesee, NY −3.9%, Wyoming, NY Livingston, NY Schenectady, NY −1.4%, Montgomery, NY Fulton, NY −4.1%, Seneca, NY Ontario, NY Yates, NY −2.4%, Schuyler, NY Tompkins, NY −4.7%, Cayuga, NY Onondaga, NY −5.1%, Cortland, NY −6.5%, Chenango, NY Madison, NY Oneida, NY Lewis, NY Herkimer, NY −6.0%, Otsego, NY Schoharie, NY Albany, NY Saratoga, NY Warren, NY Hamilton, NY Franklin, NY St. Lawrence, NY Jefferson, NY Oswego, NY Wayne, NY Monroe, NY Niagara, NY Erie, NY −5.4%, Chautauqua, NY −4.1%, Cattaraugus, NY −5.1%, Allegany, NY −5.5%, Steuben, NY Chemung, NY Tioga, NY Broome, NY −7.7%, Delaware, NY +1.4%, Sullivan, NY −2.6%, Greene, NY New York, NY Ulster, NY Bronx, NY Kings, NY Rockland, NY Nassau, NY Orange, NY Queens, NY Suffolk, NY Westchester, NY Putnam, NY Dutchess, NY −2.4%, Columbia, NY Rensselaer, NY Washington, NY Philadelphia, PA Bucks, PA −7.1%, Greene, PA Fayette, PA Washington, PA Allegheny, PA Beaver, PA −5.5%, Lawrence, PA Butler, PA Armstrong, PA −6.9%, Clarion, PA −9.6%, Forest, PA −8.2%, Venango, PA Mercer, PA −5.4%, Crawford, PA Erie, PA Westmoreland, PA −6.3%, Indiana, PA −1.6%, Jefferson, PA −7.7%, Warren, PA −6.9%, McKean, PA −10.6%, Cameron, PA −3.0%, Elk, PA −1.3%, Clearfield, PA Blair, PA Cambria, PA −4.6%, Somerset, PA −4.4%, Bedford, PA −1.9%, Fulton, PA −4.0%, Huntingdon, PA Franklin, PA −1.2%, Mifflin, PA −6.1%, Potter, PA −4.6%, Clinton, PA Centre, PA −5.0%, Union, PA Montour, PA −2.2%, Tioga, PA Lycoming, PA Wyoming, PA −9.1%, Sullivan, PA Columbia, PA −3.0%, Northumberland, PA +0.1%, Snyder, PA −4.6%, Juniata, PA Perry, PA Cumberland, PA Adams, PA York, PA Dauphin, PA Lebanon, PA Lancaster, PA Berks, PA −3.5%, Schuylkill, PA Carbon, PA Luzerne, PA Lackawanna, PA −4.2%, Bradford, PA −11.4%, Susquehanna, PA −3.2%, Wayne, PA Pike, PA Monroe, PA Northampton, PA Lehigh, PA Delaware, PA Montgomery, PA Chester, PA Kent, RI Providence, RI Bristol, RI Newport, RI Washington, RI −6.1%, Essex, VT +0.6%, Orleans, VT +0.6%, Bennington, VT Grand Isle, VT +0.5%, Washington, VT −3.2%, Caledonia, VT +6.0%, Lamoille, VT Franklin, VT Chittenden, VT +1.5%, Addison, VT −1.7%, Rutland, VT +3.1%, Windham, VT +1.9%, Windsor, VT +1.2%, Orange, VT

From 2010 to 2020, 74% of USDA Nonmetro Northeast U.S. counties lost population. These counties were home to 3.1 million people, 73% of the population of the Rural Northeast U.S.

Northeast U.S. metropolitan counties

59 Rural Northeast U.S. counties that lost population from 2010 to 2020

21 Rural Northeast U.S. counties that gained population from 2010 to 2020

 

The Adirondack Park and Rural America: Enconomic and Population Trends 1970–⁠2020