Warren and Washington Counties

This metro area has roughly 129,000 residents, based on the 2010 Census, and the population is nearly evenly split between Warren and Washington counties. Over the past decade, the population of both counties expanded by slightly under 4 percent, which is below the nationwide pace but nearly double the state-wide growth rate. Both counties are largely rural, though Warren includes the city of Glens Falls, as well as the resort of Lake George. The metro area is somewhat below the state-wide average in terms of both income and educational attainment: median household income was roughly $48,000 in 2009, and only 22 percent of adults held college degrees. However, a much higher proportion of adults hold college degrees in Warren County than in Washington. The area's demographic profile is not all that diverse: the proportions of Blacks, Hispanics and Asians are all well below the national and statewide averages.

Washington County is largely an industrial based economy, with manufacturing accounting for more than one in four jobs. Warren County is more of a resort destination, with some farming. The primary manufacturing industries in the metro area are surgical and medical instruments, minerals, wood products and paper (based on its proximity to the Adirondack forest). In addition, tourism accounts for a large part of business—particularly in Warren County, where accommodation, food services, arts and recreation together account for nearly one out of five jobs. During the economic downturn, employment fell by roughly 5 percent, before leveling off during 2010.

Over the 2007-09 period, the median home value was reported to be nearly $185,000 in Warren County and $143,000 in Washington—moderately below the nationwide median and well below the statewide median. During the 2000-2006 housing boom, home prices in the metropolitan area more than doubled—roughly in line with the national average. Home values held relatively steady thereafter before falling sharply in 2009 and 2010, but began to improve in 2011.¹

Recent Trends
Private-sector employment in the Glens Falls metropolitan area dropped during the first half of 2012 after expanding in 2011. Most major sectors experienced declines, including retail trade, leisure and hospitality, and transportation and utilities, while manufacturing and government expanded modestly. Unemployment has climbed upward to over 8 percent. Home prices have risen at a solid pace during the first half of 2012 and are approaching their 2006 peak.

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¹Trends in home prices referred to here are all based on repeat-sales indexes from CoreLogic.

	Glens Falls MSA*: selected characteristics
		Population in 2010			% of 2010 Population that is1
		Total Population1	% Change from 20001	per Sq. Mile2	Black	Hispanic	Asian
	Glens Falls Metro Area	128,923	3.7	76	1.9	2.0	0.6
	Warren	65,707	3.8	76	0.9	1.8	0.7
	Washington	63,216	3.6	76	3.0	2.3	0.4
	New York State	19,378,102	2.1	410	15.9	17.6	7.3
	USA	308,745,538	9.7	87	12.6	16.3	4.8

	Glens Falls MSA*: selected characteristics
		Median		% of Homes	% of Adults with5
		Household Income3	Home Value4	Owner Occupied4	College Degrees	HS Degrees
	Glens Falls Metro Area	$48,226	$163,400	71.0	21.9	87.6
	Warren	$50,344	$184,400	69.5	26.2	89.2
	Washington	$46,729	$142,700	72.7	17.4	85.9
	New York State	$54,659	$310,000	55.4	31.8	84.2
	USA	$50,221	$191,900	66.4	27.5	84.6
* Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are metro areas defined by the Office of Management and Budget for use by federal statistical agencies. 1 Source: US Bureau of the Census, decennial Census of Population. 2 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Population; land area data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s geographic database (TIGER® database) for Census 2000. 3 Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey, 2009 (1-year estimates) 4 Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey, 2007-09 (3-year estimates) 5 Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey, 2006-08 (3-year estimates)

October 2012