Herkimer and Oneida Counties

Tables of selected demographics ››

Oneida County includes both the cities of Utica and Rome and accounts for nearly 80 percent of the area's population. Herkimer County is fairly rural, though it includes some textile and metal manufacturing. Both counties have experienced population declines over the past two decades.

This metro area lags the state and the nation in income and especially educational attainment-median household income was roughly $35,000 in 1999, while only 18 percent of adults held college degrees (see table below). The area's demographic profile is not all that diverse: the proportion of Blacks, Hispanics and Asians are all well below the national and statewide averages.

For its size, Utica has a substantial number of insurance companies, mainly back office operations. Also, the area is home to the Oneida Nation of New York, which includes the Turning Stone Casino—a major local tourist attraction.

After a dramatic 8 percent drop in private-sector employment between 2001 and late-2003, the area did see some rebound in 2004; but in 2005 and 2006, the metro area registered minimal job gains. As of mid-2006, private-sector employment was still 7 percent below its previous peak of early 2001. Helping to offset this, however, government employment has expanded by more than 15 percent over the past five years, leaving total employment less than 3 percent below its earlier peak.