Self-Employment Rate Trends: Adirondack Park vs Rural Northeast U.S.

Table 11: Change in Self-Employment Rate, of People 16 years and Older, in Rural America, 19702020

Area 1970 2020 Change Change%
Park Towns 4.4% 6.7% +2.3 +53.4%
Rural America
USDA Nonmetro U.S. 7.1% 5.9% −1.2 −16.5%
Low Density U.S. 9.1% 6.6% −2.5 −27.7%
USDA Nonmetro NE 4.8% 6.3% +1.6 +32.7%
Low Density NE 5.4% 7.4% +2.0 +37.5%

The maps on these pages highlight areas in New York State and the U.S. that either experienced lower growth in their self-employment rates than did the Park Towns from 1970 to 2020 or had lower self-employment rates in 2020 than that of the Park Towns. The maps on these two pages show large areas in the Rural Northeast and across Rural America that had lower growth in their self-employment rates that did the Park Towns.

The Adirondacks and the Rural Northeast U.S. stand out from other rural areas in terms of self-employment. The positive self-employment trend in the Adirondacks is something to investigate and possibly develop programs to strengthen.

A positive self-employment rate trend in the Adirondacks is consistent with its overall employment rate trends. While self-employment rates dropped in many other rural areas from 1970 to 2020 the Park Towns experienced a significant increase. The Park Towns' self-employment rate in 2020 was higher than the majority of New York State, the U.S. and Rural America. ❑

Figure 46: Comparison of changes in the self-employment rate, of people 16 years and older, from 1970 to 2020 between the Park Towns and the Rural Northeast U.S. counties

Comparing with USDA Nonmetro Northeast counties, there were 60 counties out of 80 with slower 1970 to 2020 self-employment growth relative to population age 16 and up than the Park. Hartford, CT +73.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, Litchfield, CT Fairfield, CT New Haven, CT Middlesex, CT New London, CT Tolland, CT Windham, CT Worcester, MA Middlesex, MA +60.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, Nantucket, MA Barnstable, MA Suffolk, MA Bristol, MA Plymouth, MA Norfolk, MA Essex, MA Hampden, MA Hampshire, MA Berkshire, MA +112.1% change in percent SE/16 employment, Franklin, MA +69.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, Dukes, MA +17.9% change in percent SE/16 employment, Aroostook, ME +16.4% change in percent SE/16 employment, Piscataquis, ME +78.9% change in percent SE/16 employment, Knox, ME +22.6% change in percent SE/16 employment, Lincoln, ME Sagadahoc, ME Cumberland, ME York, ME Androscoggin, ME +67.7% change in percent SE/16 employment, Oxford, ME +71.4% change in percent SE/16 employment, Kennebec, ME +46.7% change in percent SE/16 employment, Waldo, ME +100.6% change in percent SE/16 employment, Hancock, ME +39.3% change in percent SE/16 employment, Washington, ME Penobscot, ME +30.0% change in percent SE/16 employment, Franklin, ME +40.7% change in percent SE/16 employment, Somerset, ME +85.8% change in percent SE/16 employment, Coos, NH +74.8% change in percent SE/16 employment, Grafton, NH Strafford, NH Rockingham, NH +56.6% change in percent SE/16 employment, Cheshire, NH +9.1% change in percent SE/16 employment, Sullivan, NH Hillsborough, NH +62.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, Belknap, NH +40.0% change in percent SE/16 employment, Merrimack, NH +7.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, 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 +6.1% change in percent SE/16 employment, Genesee, NY +6.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, Wyoming, NY Livingston, NY Schenectady, NY −15.6% change in percent SE/16 employment, Montgomery, NY Fulton, NY +72.4% change in percent SE/16 employment, Seneca, NY Ontario, NY Yates, NY +28.8% change in percent SE/16 employment, Schuyler, NY Tompkins, NY +6.4% change in percent SE/16 employment, Cayuga, NY Onondaga, NY −11.5% change in percent SE/16 employment, Cortland, NY −28.7% change in percent SE/16 employment, Chenango, NY Madison, NY Oneida, NY Lewis, NY Herkimer, NY +0.3% change in percent SE/16 employment, 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 +7.8% change in percent SE/16 employment, Chautauqua, NY −1.5% change in percent SE/16 employment, Cattaraugus, NY −11.0% change in percent SE/16 employment, Allegany, NY +26.9% change in percent SE/16 employment, Steuben, NY Chemung, NY Tioga, NY Broome, NY −3.6% change in percent SE/16 employment, Delaware, NY +2.9% change in percent SE/16 employment, Sullivan, NY +14.5% change in percent SE/16 employment, 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 +76.0% change in percent SE/16 employment, Columbia, NY Rensselaer, NY Washington, NY Philadelphia, PA Bucks, PA +3.0% change in percent SE/16 employment, Greene, PA Fayette, PA Washington, PA Allegheny, PA Beaver, PA +40.1% change in percent SE/16 employment, Lawrence, PA Butler, PA Armstrong, PA +19.5% change in percent SE/16 employment, Clarion, PA −19.4% change in percent SE/16 employment, Forest, PA +33.5% change in percent SE/16 employment, Venango, PA Mercer, PA +32.7% change in percent SE/16 employment, Crawford, PA Erie, PA Westmoreland, PA +10.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, Indiana, PA +21.3% change in percent SE/16 employment, Jefferson, PA +12.1% change in percent SE/16 employment, Warren, PA −3.7% change in percent SE/16 employment, McKean, PA +48.8% change in percent SE/16 employment, Cameron, PA +13.1% change in percent SE/16 employment, Elk, PA +22.4% change in percent SE/16 employment, Clearfield, PA Blair, PA Cambria, PA +5.8% change in percent SE/16 employment, Somerset, PA −22.8% change in percent SE/16 employment, Bedford, PA −16.3% change in percent SE/16 employment, Fulton, PA +1.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, Huntingdon, PA Franklin, PA +18.6% change in percent SE/16 employment, Mifflin, PA −5.7% change in percent SE/16 employment, Potter, PA +68.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, Clinton, PA Centre, PA +48.5% change in percent SE/16 employment, Union, PA Montour, PA +6.7% change in percent SE/16 employment, Tioga, PA Lycoming, PA Wyoming, PA −13.4% change in percent SE/16 employment, Sullivan, PA Columbia, PA +13.1% change in percent SE/16 employment, Northumberland, PA +26.3% change in percent SE/16 employment, Snyder, PA −7.4% change in percent SE/16 employment, Juniata, PA Perry, PA Cumberland, PA Adams, PA York, PA Dauphin, PA Lebanon, PA Lancaster, PA Berks, PA +11.3% change in percent SE/16 employment, Schuylkill, PA Carbon, PA Luzerne, PA Lackawanna, PA −17.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, Bradford, PA −27.5% change in percent SE/16 employment, Susquehanna, PA −33.8% change in percent SE/16 employment, 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 +71.3% change in percent SE/16 employment, Essex, VT +5.4% change in percent SE/16 employment, Orleans, VT +70.8% change in percent SE/16 employment, Bennington, VT Grand Isle, VT +99.7% change in percent SE/16 employment, Washington, VT +34.8% change in percent SE/16 employment, Caledonia, VT +19.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, Lamoille, VT Franklin, VT Chittenden, VT +18.0% change in percent SE/16 employment, Addison, VT +25.6% change in percent SE/16 employment, Rutland, VT +137.2% change in percent SE/16 employment, Windham, VT +114.0% change in percent SE/16 employment, Windsor, VT +16.3% change in percent SE/16 employment, Orange, VT

From 1970 to 2020, 75% of USDA Nonmetro Northeast U.S. counties had lower growth in their self-employment rate than did the Park Towns. These counties were home to 3.0 million people, 72% of the population of the Rural Northeast U.S.

Northeast U.S. metropolitan counties

60 Rural Northeast U.S. counties with lower growth in their self-employment rate from 1970 to 2020 than that of the Park Town

20 Rural Northeast U.S. counties with higher growth in self-employment rate from 1970 to 2020 than that of the Park Towns

Figure 47: Comparison of the self-employment rate, of people 16 years and older, in 2020 between the Park Towns and the Rural Northeast U.S. counties

Comparing with USDA Nonmetro Northeast counties, there were 54 counties out of 80 with lower 2020 self-employment relative to population age 16 and up than the Park. Hartford, CT 8.0% SE/16 employment, Litchfield, CT Fairfield, CT New Haven, CT Middlesex, CT New London, CT Tolland, CT Windham, CT Worcester, MA Middlesex, MA 17.0% SE/16 employment, Nantucket, MA Barnstable, MA Suffolk, MA Bristol, MA Plymouth, MA Norfolk, MA Essex, MA Hampden, MA Hampshire, MA Berkshire, MA 8.5% SE/16 employment, Franklin, MA 16.1% SE/16 employment, Dukes, MA 5.7% SE/16 employment, Aroostook, ME 6.6% SE/16 employment, Piscataquis, ME 11.6% SE/16 employment, Knox, ME 11.1% SE/16 employment, Lincoln, ME Sagadahoc, ME Cumberland, ME York, ME Androscoggin, ME 6.9% SE/16 employment, Oxford, ME 6.3% SE/16 employment, Kennebec, ME 9.0% SE/16 employment, Waldo, ME 11.9% SE/16 employment, Hancock, ME 9.8% SE/16 employment, Washington, ME Penobscot, ME 7.3% SE/16 employment, Franklin, ME 6.5% SE/16 employment, Somerset, ME 7.4% SE/16 employment, Coos, NH 6.6% SE/16 employment, Grafton, NH Strafford, NH Rockingham, NH 6.1% SE/16 employment, Cheshire, NH 5.5% SE/16 employment, Sullivan, NH Hillsborough, NH 7.2% SE/16 employment, Belknap, NH 5.5% SE/16 employment, Merrimack, NH 8.7% SE/16 employment, 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 5.2% SE/16 employment, Genesee, NY 6.5% SE/16 employment, Wyoming, NY Livingston, NY Schenectady, NY 4.3% SE/16 employment, Montgomery, NY Fulton, NY 5.6% SE/16 employment, Seneca, NY Ontario, NY Yates, NY 5.7% SE/16 employment, Schuyler, NY Tompkins, NY 4.8% SE/16 employment, Cayuga, NY Onondaga, NY 4.8% SE/16 employment, Cortland, NY 4.8% SE/16 employment, Chenango, NY Madison, NY Oneida, NY Lewis, NY Herkimer, NY 5.8% SE/16 employment, 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 5.0% SE/16 employment, Chautauqua, NY 4.9% SE/16 employment, Cattaraugus, NY 4.4% SE/16 employment, Allegany, NY 5.9% SE/16 employment, Steuben, NY Chemung, NY Tioga, NY Broome, NY 7.3% SE/16 employment, Delaware, NY 6.5% SE/16 employment, Sullivan, NY 6.2% SE/16 employment, 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 8.8% SE/16 employment, Columbia, NY Rensselaer, NY Washington, NY Philadelphia, PA Bucks, PA 3.2% SE/16 employment, Greene, PA Fayette, PA Washington, PA Allegheny, PA Beaver, PA 4.4% SE/16 employment, Lawrence, PA Butler, PA Armstrong, PA 4.8% SE/16 employment, Clarion, PA 2.4% SE/16 employment, Forest, PA 4.0% SE/16 employment, Venango, PA Mercer, PA 5.9% SE/16 employment, Crawford, PA Erie, PA Westmoreland, PA 4.0% SE/16 employment, Indiana, PA 5.2% SE/16 employment, Jefferson, PA 4.1% SE/16 employment, Warren, PA 3.7% SE/16 employment, McKean, PA 4.9% SE/16 employment, Cameron, PA 3.2% SE/16 employment, Elk, PA 4.5% SE/16 employment, Clearfield, PA Blair, PA Cambria, PA 5.4% SE/16 employment, Somerset, PA 5.1% SE/16 employment, Bedford, PA 5.0% SE/16 employment, Fulton, PA 4.4% SE/16 employment, Huntingdon, PA Franklin, PA 5.1% SE/16 employment, Mifflin, PA 6.6% SE/16 employment, Potter, PA 4.7% SE/16 employment, Clinton, PA Centre, PA 5.7% SE/16 employment, Union, PA Montour, PA 6.5% SE/16 employment, Tioga, PA Lycoming, PA Wyoming, PA 5.5% SE/16 employment, Sullivan, PA Columbia, PA 4.3% SE/16 employment, Northumberland, PA 5.9% SE/16 employment, Snyder, PA 6.1% SE/16 employment, Juniata, PA Perry, PA Cumberland, PA Adams, PA York, PA Dauphin, PA Lebanon, PA Lancaster, PA Berks, PA 4.0% SE/16 employment, Schuylkill, PA Carbon, PA Luzerne, PA Lackawanna, PA 5.1% SE/16 employment, Bradford, PA 5.3% SE/16 employment, Susquehanna, PA 5.6% SE/16 employment, 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 7.7% SE/16 employment, Essex, VT 8.7% SE/16 employment, Orleans, VT 8.6% SE/16 employment, Bennington, VT Grand Isle, VT 8.4% SE/16 employment, Washington, VT 8.5% SE/16 employment, Caledonia, VT 9.5% SE/16 employment, Lamoille, VT Franklin, VT Chittenden, VT 9.0% SE/16 employment, Addison, VT 6.4% SE/16 employment, Rutland, VT 11.5% SE/16 employment, Windham, VT 9.5% SE/16 employment, Windsor, VT 8.8% SE/16 employment, Orange, VT

In 2020, 68% of USDA Nonmetro Northeast U.S. counties had a lower self-employment rate than did the Park Towns. These counties were home to 3.0 million people, 72% of the population of the Rural Northeast U.S.

Northeast U.S. metropolitan counties

54 Rural Northeast U.S. counties with a lower self-employment rate in 2020 than that of the Park Towns

26 Rural Northeast U.S. counties with a higher self-employment rate in 2020 than that of the Park Towns