Capital District (New York)

Capital District

Albany metropolitan area
Capital District Albany metropolitan area
Region
Interactive Map of Albany–Schenectady, NY CSA	City of Albany Albany–Schenectady–Troy MSA Glens Falls MSA Hudson µSA Gloversville µSA Amsterdam µSA
	City of Albany Albany–Schenectady–Troy MSA Glens Falls MSA Hudson µSA Gloversville µSA Amsterdam µSA
Country	United States
State	New York
Cities	Albany, Amsterdam, Ballston Spa, Catskill, Cohoes, Glens Falls, Gloversville, Hudson, Johnstown, Mechanicville, Menands, Rensselaer, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, South Glens Falls, Troy, Waterford, Watervliet
Counties	Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren, Washington
Area
• Total	7,228 sq mi (18,720 km2)
Population (2020)
• Total	899,262 (MSA); 1,190,727 (CSA)
• Density	124.4/sq mi (48.04/km2)
GDP
• Total	$80.303 billion (2022)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Area code	518, 838
Website	Capital District Regional Planning Commission; Capital District Transportation Committee

The Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is the metropolitan area surrounding Albany, the capital of the U.S. state of New York. With an estimated 1.3 million residents, the Capital District is one of the largest metropolitan areas and the fastest-growing region in Upstate New York.

The Capital District was first settled by the Dutch in the early 17th century and came under English control in 1664. Albany was the first city to be established in New York State, and has been the permanent capital of the state of New York since 1797. The Capital District is notable for many historical events that predate the independence of the United States, including the Albany Plan of Union and the Battles of Saratoga. Since 2020, the economy of Albany and the surrounding Capital District has been directed toward artificial intelligence, computer hardware, nanotechnology, and digital electronics.