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North Country

The North Country is a large, mostly rural region of New York State near the Canadian border that is sparsely populated and peppered with small towns and cities, such as Lake Placid and Plattsburgh. With more than 300,000 residents, the area encompasses a substantial swath of New York’s land area, and includes the Adirondack Park forest preserve. Like the rest of upstate New York, the North Country has seen little population or job growth in recent decades, in part because of steep declines in the region’s manufacturing sector. The area includes several higher education institutions, which serve as key employers in the region. Other important local job sectors include health care, retail, tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and timber.

Economic and Demographic Trends
North Country Watertown* Glens Falls* New York State USA
Population1 305,000 117,000 127,000 20,201,000 331,449,000
Pop growth, 10-year change1 -3.8% 0.4% -1.5% 4.2% 7.4%
GDP, billions1 $14 $7 $7 $1,725 $20,894
Job growth, 5-year change2 -4.4% -6.8% -7.8 -4.1% 1.2%
Median household income1 $56,000 $59,000 $63,200 $72,600 $67,000
Median home price1 $121,000 $140,000 $175,000 $350,000 $250,000
Pop share age 25+ with BA+1 24.6% 23.3% 30.1% 39.4% 35.1%


1 2020

2 2021

* Neighboring Metros

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; IPUMS USA-University of Minnesota. Data retrieved through data.census.gov, Moody's Economy.com, or directly from source.



Reports & Analysis
Press Briefing: The Region’s Recovery from the Pandemic Recession (April 13, 2023)
LSE Blog: The Tri-State Region’s Recovery from the Pandemic Recession Three Years On (April 13, 2023)
Regional Employment Trends (March 10, 2023)
Richard Deitz's Briefing on Regional Economic Conditions (March 7, 2023, New York State)
Press Briefing: Employment and Housing Conditions in the Second District (Nov 10, 2022)
A Look at the New York-Northern New Jersey Region’s Pandemic Housing Boom (Nov 10, 2022)
Jaison Abel's Briefing on Economic Conditions in the Region (Nov 5, 2021)
Severe Supply Disruptions Are Impeding Business Activity in the Region (Oct 21, 2021)
Jaison Abel’s Briefing on the New York State Economy During the Pandemic (Sep 30, 2020)
President John Williams's Remarks at St. Lawrence University: Ever Upward (Sep 8, 2021)
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