Located just north of Albany in the Capital Region, the Glens Falls metropolitan area is one of New York’s smallest metropolitan areas, with a population of around 125,000. Its population and employment had been growing steadily before the Great Recession, but growth has stalled since then. Though manufacturing remains an important source of jobs in the region, employment in this sector has been cut in half since 1990. The health care sector has helped compensate for these losses by adding a significant number of jobs. In addition, the area has a thriving leisure and hospitality sector, partly owing to Glens Falls’ access to recreational attractions such as the Adirondack Mountains, Lake George, and nearby ski resorts.
Economic and Demographic Trends
| Glens Falls | Albany* | North Country* | New York State | USA | |
| Population1 | 125,000 | 883,000 | 307,000 | 19,542,000 | 327,167,000 |
| Pop growth, 10-year change1 | -2.8% | 1.9% | -3.1% | 1.7% | 7.6% |
| GDP, billions2 | $5 | $54 | $11 | $1,598 | $19,485 |
| Job growth, 5-year change1 | 1.6% | 5.8% | 3.2% | 8.0% | 9.3% |
| Median household income2 | $56,000 | $68,000 | $52,000 | $64,000 | $60,000 |
| Median home price2 | $169,000 | $200,000 | $110,000 | $300,000 | $200,000 |
| Pop share age 25+ with BA+2 | 25.5% | 37.2% | 21.9% | 36.0% | 32.0% |
