Most smaller urbanized areas in New York State improved their standing in a national ranking of regional economic strength, although top rankings remain concentrated in other states.
Of 15 "micropolitan" statistical areas in New York, 13 gained in the 2006 rankings, compared to their position in 2004. Policom Corp., a Florida-based economic consulting firm, compiles its Economic Strength Rankings from indicators such as employment, population, earnings and personal income. Welfare and Medicaid payments are also included in the analysis, as indicators of economic weakness. Absolute measures such as current population and per-capita income are combined with changes over five-, 10- and 20-year periods to produce the rankings.
Areas centered in Corning, Cortland, Plattsburgh, Seneca Falls and Watertown-Fort Drum each moved up more than 100 places in the 2006 rankings of 577 micropolitan areas nationwide, compared to their 2004 positions. Plattsburgh was the highest-ranked area in New York, at 27th in the nation. The average improvement in ranking for micro areas in New York over the two years was 25 percent.
Micropolitan statistical areas include at least one county and a city or village with 10,000 to 50,000 residents. Metropolitan statistical areas have at least one urbanized area with 50,000 or more residents, and may include adjacent counties that are socially and economically integrated.
New York's 12 metropolitan statistical areas showed a mix of gains and losses in the 2006 rankings, with six moving up and the same number moving down, compared to 2004.The New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island area was ranked 42nd in the country for 2006, up from 49th two years earlier. The Albany-Schenectady-Troy, Buffalo-Niagara Falls, Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, Rochester and Syracuse regions also moved up. Regions centered in Binghamton, Elmira, Glens Falls, Ithaca, Kingston and Utica moved down in the 2006 rankings.
A map of the growth is available here.
Economic Strength Rankings
2006 2005 2004 Metropolitan Statistical Areas Albany 54 82 110 Binghamton 332 332 311 Buffalo 179 201 235 Elmira 323 336 318 Glens Falls 348 344 340 Ithaca 293 250 239 Kingston 331 316 276 NYC-Long Island 42 42 49 Poughkeepsie 112 138 175 Rochester 147 175 214 Syracuse 201 222 258 Utica 321 308 282Micropolitan Statistical Areas
Amsterdam 280 354 351 Auburn 87 85 141 Batavia 149 157 222 Corning 322 422 462 Cortland 324 382 445 Gloversville 251 338 299 Hudson 172 182 120 Jamestown 279 319 349 Malone 209 226 199 Ogdensburg 202 206 229 Olean 107 133 183 Oneonta 222 176 246 Plattsburgh 27 67 139 Seneca Falls 318 396 456 Watertown 85 160 212Source: Policom Corp., www.policom.com