Albany

Immigrants helped make the Capital Region the only upstate metropolitan area to see population growth in the past year, according to 2015 estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The population increase between July 1, 2014 and July 1, 2015 in Albany, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties was a bright spot beyond downstate New York.

"Its growth is due to job opportunities," said Rocco Ferraro, executive director of the Capital District Regional Planning Commission. GlobalFoundries and other technology firms are boosting the Capital Region.

The Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Area grew in the past year to 881,830 residents. The other five upstate metro regions had population declines.

"We've not had the same conditions in employment that other areas in the state have," Ferraro said, comparing those regions' shrinking job base to the Capital Region.

Since the 2010 Census, the Albany-Schenectady-Troy population has increased by 11,117. The next largest increase is the Rochester metro area at 2,259. Buffalo declined by 321 residents, Syracuse by 2,131 and Utica dropped by 3,776. Binghamton had the largest drop, a loss of 5,703.

Albany County's population grew to 309,381 from 308,729; Rensselaer County increased to 160,266 from 160,083; and Saratoga County went to 226,249 from 224,704.

As in the case of Schenectady County, most of the population lost across upstate was due to people relocating, according to the findings released by the Census Bureau.

Schenectady County's population dropped to 154,604 from 154,919 between 2014 and 2015. Every other upstate county lost population except Hamilton and Tompkins counties, which had small increases.

The largest population growth nationwide continues to be in southern and western states.

Ferraro said the Capital Region's job base is the key to averting declines.

"State government is a stable employer. Now the manufacturing sector is growing with the technology sector's research and development growing," Ferraro said.

The tech sector has attracted newcomers, both domestic and foreign-born, while providing a reason for people not to move away from the Capital Region, Ferraro said.

As baby boomers age, new residents will be drawn by employment opportunities and quality of life, he said.

More Information Upstate uptick The Capital Region has outpaced the rest of upstate New York in population growth since 2010. It has attracted more newcomers than any other upstate metropolitan area and is the only region to gain residents. Metropolitan area population change and net migration, 2010-2015: Albany-Schenectady-Troy: 11,117 (population change), 4,462 (net migration) Binghamton: -5,703, -5,876 Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls: -321, 962 Rochester: 2,259, -9,207 Syracuse: -2,131, -9,891 Utica-Rome: -3,776, -4.315 Metropolitan area population change and net migration, 2014-2015: Albany-Schenectady-Troy: 1,739 (population change), 712 (net migration) Binghamton: -1,426, -1,556 Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls: -1,412, -1,542 Rochester: -1,724, -4,111 Syracuse: -1,293, -2,697 Utica-Rome: -1,387, -1.523 Metropolitan area 2015 population: Albany-Schenectady-Troy: 881,830 Binghamton: 246,020 Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls: 1,135,230 Rochester: 1,081,954 Syracuse: 660,458 Utica-Rome: 295,600 Source: U.S. Census Bureau See More Collapse

From 2010 to 2015, the Capital Region's newcomers increased the population by 4,462. From 2014 to 2015, the region had 712 more people arrive than depart.

The other upstate metro areas had more people leave than arrive from 2014 to 2015. Since 2010, Rochester and Syracuse each lost nearly 10,000 people. The Buffalo area had a slight increase of 962.

The line of metros across upstate lives up to the observation noted in the Census Bureau blog, "Growth or Decline: Understanding How Populations Change": "Counties with shrinking populations are also clustered geographically. For many of these shrinking counties, net migration is the primary cause."

The Capital Region shows a population growth resulting from a mix of new arrivals and births.

Saratoga County's population is driven by increases in international and domestic migration, which totaled 1,119. International migration was 474 with 645 domestic relocations.

Albany County's rate of increase is fed equally by births and migration. The county attracted 1,580 international arrivals but saw a net decrease of 1,173 people relocating elsewhere in the country. There was a net of 421 people due to births outstripping deaths.

In Rensselaer County, births surpassed migration to add 266 people. More people left the county — 506 — than arrived — 399 — from overseas.

Schenectady County's population decline is due to more people leaving as 896 moved on and there were just 409 new international arrivals.

kcrowe@timesunion.com • 518-454-5084 • @KennethCrowe