The Sentinel reports that the latest census estimates are in -- and Oneida County continues to lose population. Utica lost 1,569 people since year 2000, or about 2.6% of its population, leaving 59,082 remaining. Rome lost 730, or about 2.1%, leaving 34,220 behind. The county as a whole lost 1,515 people, to stand at 233,954.
Actually we may not be so bad - or is this just a case of misery loving company?
The Post Standard reports that Syracuse dropped 5,777, or about 4% of its population, leaving 140,658.
Per the Buffalo News, Buffalo lost a whopping 16,500 people, or 5.7%, since 2000. It's population is now only 276,059. (Remember when it had 586,000 people back in the 1960s? It is now less that half of what it was.) Niagara Falls, which used to run neck and neck with Utica in population, lost 5.9%, to stand at 52,326.
People aren't leaving because the area doesn't have enough parks, or broadway shows, or flowers, or cheap hot dogs. They're leaving because the crushing tax burden drives business, and jobs, off to better climes. Until that problem gets fixed our population will continue to fall and the only ones staying will be the ones that didn't want a job anyway.
