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It's been called the Tri-City Area for as long as I can remember.
OP, there are a few Albany haters who don't seem to have much else to do than come here to rag on Albany. Whatever.
It's not paradise, but like everywhere else, it depends on what you like. I love it here, after living in a number of different places. US News & World Reports evaluates cities for a number of factors and ranks them on it's "Best Places to Live" index. The Albany area ranked #39 in the most recent report. https://realestate.usnews.com/places/new-york/albany
To know where to look for housing, it depends on what you want. The answer would be quite different for a young, childless couple who want to be in an urban area compared to someone looking for great schools in the suburbs.
What kinds of things do you like to do? Slightly north of Albany is the Adirondack State Park, which is larger than the Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Great Smokies National parks combined. Obviously, there is great opportunity for hiking, fishing, kayaking, etc. in the summer and skiing, snowboarding, skating, etc. in the winter.
There are a bunch of good entertainment venues and because it is a moderate sized city, trying to get into them is easy. We get Broadway shows from touring companies at Proctors Theatre, musical performances at The Egg, Troy Music Hall and the Times Union Center. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center gets ballet, symphony and other musical acts.
The employment situation in the area tends to be pretty stable. It doesn't have the big booms like some places, but it isn't the depressed rust belt city a previous poster makes it out to be, either, and tends not to suffer cyclical changes as much. There is a mix of types of employers, including the state government and a large number of colleges and universities, plus a growing technology industry.
Welcome to Albany, hope you enjoy it.
I'm not an Albany hater and certainly not out to offend anyone, I'm just speaking honestly from our own experience having lived there for 6 years. Search this forum, there are way too many other people with very similar experiences and opinions to discard them. There is a common theme regarding the climate, economy, people, etc.
Upstate NY is an area in steep decline and has been for a very long time. Most people outside of that area do not fully appreciate what hard times have fallen on upstate NY, we didn't either before living there. The industrial revolution when upstate NY saw it's heyday was a very long time ago and nothing has come along to replace the industry and agriculture that has dried up in any significant amount to stem the tide of economic and population decline. The evidence is everywhere you look, southern Saratoga county being the lone exception in a sea of economic despair. Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo were ranked 3 of the worst cities in America to live in this time last year. It was based on tangible factors like jobs, incomes, poverty levels, crime, declining real estate values, high taxes, etc. There is a reason why upstate NY has seen a steady out migration of people for decades. All but 2 upstate NY counties, Saratoga being one of them, have lost population in recent years and upstate NY as a whole has seen a steady net out migration for the past 50 plus years.
All you have to do is take a ride out there and see it for yourself to know that it's true, the economic despair is extremely evident and worse in the small towns and cities all the way from Albany to Buffalo which is a huge expanse. Albany/Troy/Schenectady look like the Garden of Eden compared to the rest of upstate NY but that isn't saying much. We lived in Clifton Park/Halfmoon which is one of the nicest suburbs in the Capital Region. One Saturday in early February I was in the new super Walmart there on Rt 9 and the place was packed, practically overflowing. I couldn't figure out why since the Holidays were over and asked the cashier why it was so ridiculously crowded. She replied very matter of fact "because it's the first Saturday of the month and everyone has their welfare checks." I was blown away.
Coming from a booming, thriving place like Austin, TX with a warm sunny climate, happy prosperous and friendly outgoing people, the OP is most definitely in for a culture shock in more ways than one.
^Again, not to argue, but I have never heard it referred to as the “Tri-City Area”. Capital Region/District or the official name of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area, sure. It wouldn’t make sense given that you have 4 other cities in the metro area as well(Saratoga Springs, Watervliet, Cohoes and Rensselaer). I’m only harping on it, because it made the post suspect from the start.
Binghamton has been referred to by that name though due to the good sized urban villages of Endicott and Johnson City, along with Binghamton.
Growing up in the area back in the sixties and seventies I remember it being referred to as the Tri-City Area. I think that kind of gave way to the Capital Region over time though.
Growing up in the area back in the sixties and seventies I remember it being referred to as the Tri-City Area. I think that kind of gave way to the Capital Region over time though.
Interesting, as the poster was a transplant in recent years and the change was already decades ago. Not arguing, but outside of maybe business branding, I don’t hear that about the area.
^Again, not to argue, but I have never heard it referred to as the “Tri-City Area”. Capital Region/District or the official name of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area, sure. It wouldn’t make sense given that you have 4 other cities in the metro area as well(Saratoga Springs, Watervliet, Cohoes and Rensselaer). I’m only harping on it, because it made the post suspect from the start.
Binghamton has been referred to by that name though due to the good sized urban villages of Endicott and Johnson City, along with Binghamton.
I saw that, but it is one of the few sources that refers to the area by that name. You may have some businesses, but that seems to be it. Not saying it is wrong, but it is hardly referred to by that name and that is likely due to the Binghamton area also being referred to by that term(which is heard more often in terms of that area).
For instance, there used to be a semi pro football team in the Binghamton area that went by the name of Tri-Cities Jets, back in the day. Or they may call that area the Triple Cities: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bing...#Triple_Cities
Like I mentioned, it is an area with 4 other cities. So, that also could play a part in the use of Capital District/Region more often too.
I saw that, but it is one of the few sources that refers to the area by that name. You may have some businesses, but that seems to be it. Not saying it is wrong, but it is hardly referred to by that name and that is likely due to the Binghamton area also being referred to by that term(which is heard more often in terms of that area).
For instance, there used to be a semi pro football team in the Binghamton area that went by the name of Tri-Cities Jets, back in the day. Or they may call that area the Triple Cities: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bing...#Triple_Cities
Like I mentioned, it is an area with 4 other cities. So, that also could play a part in the use of Capital District/Region more often too.
Seriously??? With all your time online you haven't looked up the Houston Astros summer league team that plays at the Joe Bruno Stadium on the HVCC campus - The Tri-City Valley Cats? And they are referring to Schenectady/Albany/Troy. They're extremely popular, lots of community events, fireworks after Friday night home games. This is right up your alley.
Seriously??? With all your time online you haven't looked up the Houston Astros summer league team that plays at the Joe Bruno Stadium on the HVCC campus - The Tri-City Valley Cats? And they are referring to Schenectady/Albany/Troy. They're extremely popular, lots of community events, fireworks after Friday night home games. This is right up your alley.
Again, true. I’m just saying that you usually hear the area referred to by a different name. That’s all...
^Again, not to argue, but I have never heard it referred to as the “Tri-City Area”. Capital Region/District or the official name of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area, sure. It wouldn’t make sense given that you have 4 other cities in the metro area as well(Saratoga Springs, Watervliet, Cohoes and Rensselaer). I’m only harping on it, because it made the post suspect from the start.
Binghamton has been referred to by that name though due to the good sized urban villages of Endicott and Johnson City, along with Binghamton.
So how did the Tri-City Valley Cats baseball team come up with that name, then?
So how did the Tri-City Valley Cats baseball team come up with that name, then?
Due to the 3 biggest city centers. However, my point was about what the area is referred to as, generally speaking.
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