Nicknames for Albany include Smallbany for its population size, The 518 for its area code and Cradle of the Union reflecting its historic role in America’s Civil War.
Research website numbeo ranks Albany in the top 9% compared to the 250 cities evaluated on its overall quality of life index at June 2020. Albany scored well on index factors such as property price to income ratio (lowest 2%), pollution (cleanest 6%), traffic commute time (fastest 6%) and purchasing power (strongest 9%). On the negative side, Albany rates relatively poorly on climate (worst 17%), cost of living (most expensive 28%) and safety (bottom 27%).
One of Albany’s most dominant landmarks is its Empire State Plaza, a group of state agency office buildings that is a powerful example of late American modern architecture. The plaza includes the Erastus Corning Tower, the highest building in New York state excluding New York City.
Albany is also home to 57 buildings on National Register of Historic Places as well as 5 National Historic Landmarks including the Ten Broeck Mansion originally built in 1795.
One amusing Guinness World Record pertaining to Albany is that its West Albany Mall is where professional tap teacher Anthony Morigerato performed a record 1,163 taps on June 23, 2011—the most ever achieved within a minute. Nicknames for Albany include Cradle of the Union and the 518 Cap City (where 518 refers to Albany’s area code).
Albany serves as headquarters for entertainment media retail chain Trans World Entertainment and engineering consulting firm Clough, Harbour & Associates LLP.
From an international trade perspective, New York shipped U$73.275 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2019. Its most valuable exports include diamonds (16.3% of New York’s global total), paintings and drawings (9.4%), jewelry (7.1%) rubies, sapphires and emeralds (2.1%), sculptures and statues (1.8%), gold (also 1.8%), civilian aircraft including engines and other parts (1.6%), electronic integrated circuit processors and controllers (1.3%), and piston engine ignitions (1.3%) according to United States Census Bureau data.
The non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Albany County was 11.7% at July 2020, up from 3.9% one year earlier.
Capital Facts for Albany, United States: Quick Reference
Famous People
Below, you will find 10 of the most famous people born in Albany, United States.
- Reid Scott, actor (born Nov. 19, 1977)
- Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator (born Dec. 9, 1956)
- John McTiernan, writer, director & producer (born Jan. 8, 1951)
- William Devane, actor (born Sep. 5, 1937)
- Christopher Bolduc, opera singer (born Mar. 12, 1980)
- Chad Collins, actor (born Sep. 22, 1979)
- Christian Finnegan, comedian & writer (born Apr. 1, 1973)
- Theo Hill, jazz pianist (born May 23, 1982)
- Andy Rooney, journalist & TV commentator (born Jan. 14, 1919)
- Jeremy Horne, professional CFL football player (born Oct. 25, 1986)
Note: Data for our Famous People tab was sourced from Google searches of published Wikipedia articles specific to each person’s name.
Population
Demonym for an Albany resident: Albanian
Population: 96,853 (Albany) at September 17, 2020
Density: 4,526 people per square mile (1,747 per square kilometer)
Population: 19,440,500 (New York) at September 17, 2020
Density: 356 people per square mile (138 per square kilometer)
Financial
Real GDP: US$27.768 billion in 2018 (Albany County)
Real GDP per person: $90,891
Note: The above GDP metrics are on a current basis and are in Chained 2012 U.S. dollars.
Official currency used in Albany: U.S. dollars
Geography
Capital landmarks: Erastus Corning Tower, Historic Cherry Hill, New York State Executive Mansion, Schuyler Mansion, Shaker Heritage Society, Ten Broeck Museum and the Times Union Center
Research
Research Sources:
Brookings Institution, Global Metro Monitor Report (includes GDP data).
Dilemma X, U.S. Census Bureau metropolitan population estimates July 1, 2016.
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Total Real Gross Domestic Product for Albany County, NY.
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Unemployment Rate in Albany County, NY.
Forbes Global 2000, The World’s Biggest Public Companies.
Guinness World Records, Top dancing – most taps in a minute.
Nations Online, Capital Cities of the USA.
Numbeo, Quality of Life Index by City.
Official Government Website, City of Albany official website.
United States Census Bureau, Foreign Trade: State by 6-Digit HS Code and Top Countries.
United States Census Bureau, State Population Totals Tables: 2010-2016.
United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics: Seasonally Adjusted Metropolitan Area Estimates.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Gross Domestic Product by Metropolitan Area, 2015 (Tables Only).
Wikimedia Commons, Albany city flag.
Wikipedia, Albany, New York.
Wikipedia, List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
Wikipedia, New York.
World Population Review, Albany, New York Population.
Albany residents celebrate Independence Day as a national holiday each July 4.
Albany’s land area occupies 21.4 square miles (55.43 square kilometers). The state capital’s population was 96,853 Albanians at September 17, 2020.
At the state level, New York has a land area measuring 54,555 square miles (141,300 square kilometers) with a population of 19.4 million inhabitants.
Albany’s population density is more concentrated averaging 4,526 residents per square mile (1,747 per square kilometer).
Zooming out to New York state’s land boundaries, population density drops to an average 356 inhabitants per square mile (138 per square kilometer).
