Americans Are Flocking to These 10 Fastest-Growing Counties in New York

New York is famous for its population swings, especially over the past few years. NYC is always at the top of the list as one of the largest cities in the world, but is that still the case after the COVID-19 pandemic? Today, we are going to take a look at the 10 fastest-growing counties in the state of New York and learn a little about their populations, location, and some of their notable industries. Let’s learn a bit about New York and the population trends of its counties!

General Population Trends for New York

New York has experienced slight population growth in the past decade, according to data from the Census Bureau. The state’s population was 19,378,102 in 2010 and 19,840,000 in 2022, a rise of about 461,898 people. However, this trend probably masks some larger-scale changes caused by the post-Covid era. The regional powerhouse of the state, New York City, definitely had an impact on the state’s overall population, but it looks like things have recovered and even begun to grow again in the large metro areas. Millions of people left during COVID, but it looks like most of the counties impacted have bounced back.

To get a better picture of the state’s population changes, let’s look at the county level and see which 10 counties are the fastest-growing in New York.

The 10 Fastest Growing Counties in New York

1. Kings County

Kings County is the fastest-growing county in New York. From 2010 to 2023, Kings County grew by 12.01% and currently has a population of 2,805,485, and is the largest county in the state. It has a land area of 69.5 square miles, giving it a population density of 40,078 people per square mile.

Kings County is located in the southeastern portion of the state and is part of the NYC metropolitan area. The county is mostly made up of the Brooklyn borough. The major industries in the county include health care and social assistance, professional, scientific, and technical services, and education.

2. Rockland County

Rockland County is the second-fastest growing county in New York. From 2010 to 2023, Rockland County grew by 11.11% and currently has a population of 346,321. It has a land area of 174 square miles, giving it a population density of 1,949 people per square mile.

Rockland County is located in the southeastern part of the state and is part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area, one of the largest metro areas in the world. Rockland is located a few miles to the northwest of Manhattan. Some of the larger cities in the area include Nyack, New City, Nanuet, Spring Valley, and Suffern. The major industries in the county include health care and social assistance, professional, scientific, and technical services, and retail trade.

3. Queens County

Queens County is the third-fastest growing county in New York. From 2010 to 2023, Queens grew by 10.18% and currently has an estimated population of 2,457,886. It has a land area of 108.1 square miles, giving it a population density of 22,728 people per square mile.

Queens is located in the eastern part of the state and is one of the five boroughs of New York City. The county is reportedly the most diverse urban area in the world, with a population originating from more than 100 countries. The major industries in the county include health care and social assistance, transportation and warehousing, and retail trade.

4. Orange County

Orange County is the fourth-fastest growing county in New York. From 2010 to 2023, Orange County grew by 9.94% and currently has an estimated population of 409,860 people. It has a land area of 812 square miles, giving it a population density of 505 people per square mile.

Orange County is located in the southeastern part of the state and is part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area, although it’s also part of the smaller Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metro area. For reference, the county is a few dozen miles northwest of New York City. The major industries in the county include health care and social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing.

5. Saratoga County

Saratoga County is the fifth-fastest growing county in New York. From 2010 to 2023, Saratoga County grew by 9.41% and currently has an estimated population of 240,279 people. It has a land area of 810 square miles, giving it a population density of 297 people per square mile.

Saratoga County is located in the northeastern part of the state and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy metro area. Saratoga is also considered a part of the “Upstate New York” region. Some of the notable cities within its borders are Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa, and Ballston, although the largest in the area is Albany to the south, just outside of the county border. Some of the major industries in the county include health care and social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing.

6. New York County

New York County is the sixth-fastest growing county in New York. From 2010 to 2023, New York County grew by 8.88% and currently has an estimated population of 1,726,765 people. It has a land area of 22.8 square miles, giving it a population density of 75,739 people per square mile, by far the most population-dense place in the state, as well as the greater U.S.

New York County is located in the southeastern part of the state and is one of the five boroughs of New York City, the area most commonly referred to as Manhattan. The county is a global center for businesses and international organizations, but it’s also a region influenced by the arts, food, and cultural diversity in a truly unique way. The major industries in the county include professional, scientific, and technical services, finance and insurance, and health care and social assistance.

7. Bronx County

Bronx County is the seventh-fastest growing county in New York. From 2010 to 2023, Bronx County grew by 8.22% and currently has an estimated population of 1,498,919. It has a land area of 42.1 square miles, giving it a population density of 35,437 people per square mile.

Bronx County is located in the southeastern part of the state and is another one of the five boroughs of New York City. Interestingly, Bronx County, also known as “the Bronx” when referring to the borough, is the only borough primarily on the “mainland,” whereas the other boroughs are on Long Island, Staten Island, or Manhattan Island. Bronx County has a lot of diversity and cultural importance for the region. The major industries in the county include health care and social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation and food services.

8. Westchester County

Westchester County is the eighth-fastest growing county in New York. From 2010 to 2023, Westchester County grew by 7.58% and currently has an estimated population of 1,021,059 people. It has a land area of 430.7 square miles, giving it a population density of 2,359 people per square mile.

Westchester County is located in the southeastern part of the state and is part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area. For an easy geographic reference, Westchester is located to the north of Manhattan Island and starts just above the border to the Bronx. The major industries in the county include professional, scientific, and technical services, health care and social assistance, and finance and insurance.

9. Richmond County

Richmond County is the ninth-fastest growing county in New York. From 2010 to 2023, Richmond County grew by 7.49% and currently has an estimated population of 503,853. It has a land area of 58.5 square miles, giving it a population density of 8,614 people per square mile.

Richmond County is located in the southeastern part of the state and is one of the other five boroughs of New York City that we’ve covered so far. The county is more commonly known as Staten Island and is the least populated and, by far, the most suburban of all five boroughs. The county is connected to Brooklyn by a bridge and to Manhattan by the Staten Island Ferry. The major industries in the county include health care and social assistance, retail trade, and public administration.

10. Hamilton County

Hamilton County is the tenth-fastest growing county in New York. From 2010 to 2023, Hamilton County grew by 7.28% and currently has an estimated population of 5,188. It has a land area of 1,721 square miles, giving it a population density of 3 people per square mile, the smallest on our list by quite a bit. It goes to show the extremes of the state of New York!

Hamilton County is located in the northern part of the state and is the least populated and most sparsely populated county in New York. The county is located in Upstate New York, a less populated region of the state. Additionally, it’s located in the West Canada Lake Wilderness region, a mostly forested area without many people and little infrastructure.

The Top 10 Largest Counties in New York (by Population):

New York has some of the largest counties in the United States by population. Although, as probably makes sense, most of the largest counties in the state of New York are centered around NYC. In fact, these counties together account for over half of the total population of the state! Here is the most updated list as of 2023:

• Kings County — population of 2,805,485
• Queens County — 2,457,886
• New York County — 1,726,765
• Suffolk County — 1,535,691
• Bronx County — 1,498,919
• Nassau County — 1,412,646
• Westchester County — 1,021,059
• Erie County — 964,796
• Monroe County — 763,973
• Richmond County — 503,853.

Summary of 10 Fastest Growing Counties in New York

Here’s a recap of the top 10 counties with the most rapidly growing populations in the state of New York.