Population 317,018 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Albany County
Household size in Albany County
| Period | Albany County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.34 | 2.44 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.45 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.31 | 2.45 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.33 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.11 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Albany County is a place of small households, averaging 2.27 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.34, mirroring the country. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Albany County
| Period | Albany County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.0 | 39.8 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.5 | 40.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.0 | 41.3 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.3 | 41.7 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +1.9 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
At 40.3, the median age in Albany County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 39.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Albany County
| Period | Albany County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 10.5% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 10.0% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 10.1% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 9.8% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in twelve households in Albany County (9.1%), below the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of the Albany area. The single-parent share is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Albany County
Renters in Albany County
| Period | Albany County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.1% | 33.8% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.2% | 34.8% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.6% | 36.1% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 43.4% | 35.8% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in Albany County rent their homes (43.4%), above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 41.9% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Albany County
| Period | Albany County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 10.9% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 11.7% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.8% | 13.3% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 9.3% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Albany County as nationally: 9.1%, against 9.6%. Albany County has a lower vacancy rate than most New York counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Albany County
| Period | Albany County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1962 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1964 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1966 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1969 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Albany County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1966, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1959 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Albany County
| Period | Albany County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $890 | $882 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $998 | $975 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,106 | $1,114 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,421 | $1,360 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$531 | +$478 | +$698 | +$606 |
The median renter in Albany County pays $1,421 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $531 a month from 2006–10, a 60% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.8% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the north and lowest in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Albany County
Bachelor's degrees in Albany County
| Period | Albany County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5% | 32.9% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.9% | 34.4% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.0% | 37.3% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.7% | 42.2% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +9.4 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Albany County is highly educated: nearly half of adults 25 and older (46.7%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 9.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of New York's 62 counties, only four have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Albany County
| Period | Albany County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.6% | 90.4% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.2% | 91.8% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 91.8% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.5% | 93.0% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +2.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Albany County is above the national rate: 93.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few New York counties have a higher share of high school graduates: only three of 62.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Albany County
| Period | Albany County | Albany area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 6.2% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 7.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 5.0% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.4%, unemployment in Albany County is the same as the national rate. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.7 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Albany County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany County | 2.27 | 40.3 | 9.1% | 43.4% | 9.1% | 1966 | $1,421 | 46.7% | 93.5% | 5.4% |
| Rensselaer County | 2.36 | 41.4 | 11.5% | 35.2% | 11.4% | 1964 | $1,209 | 37.3% | 92.3% | 5.4% |
| Schoharie County | 2.26 | 46.8 | 8.6% | 23.6% | 22.1% | 1969 | $1,013 | 27.8% | 92.2% | 5.0% |
| Otsego County | 2.38 | 42.0 | 9.1% | 26.1% | 19.9% | 1961 | $939 | 33.9% | 92.1% | 6.4% |
| Franklin County | 2.23 | 47.6 | 9.8% | 29.9% | 8.9% | 1962 | $1,211 | 40.0% | 94.4% | 5.4% |
| Cortland County | 2.26 | 39.0 | 11.1% | 33.7% | 10.0% | 1961 | $1,046 | 28.3% | 90.4% | 4.7% |
| Essex County | 2.64 | 42.1 | 12.1% | 36.5% | 5.8% | 1961 | $1,864 | 41.9% | 89.4% | 5.3% |
| Yates County | 2.48 | 43.1 | 7.9% | 22.8% | 23.5% | 1965 | $892 | 25.7% | 83.9% | 3.0% |
| Livingston County | 2.33 | 43.1 | 8.6% | 23.7% | 10.9% | 1967 | $948 | 32.1% | 93.7% | 5.2% |
| Wyoming County | 2.24 | 44.7 | 9.1% | 24.1% | 9.3% | 1958 | $819 | 18.3% | 88.2% | 3.7% |
| Macomb County | 2.53 | 41.8 | 10.3% | 25.0% | 5.1% | 1977 | $1,335 | 27.5% | 90.6% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Santa Cruz County, CA · Anoka County, MN · San Luis Obispo County, CA · Weber County, UT · Merced County, CA · Horry County, SC · Erie County, PA · Marin County, CA · Davis County, UT · Yolo County, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Albany County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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