2020 Census shows Genesee County population fell by 2.8 percent from 2010; City of Batavia gained 135 people

“I’m happy that we beat the projections, although I would have loved to have seen our population increase,” said Felipe Oltramari, reacting to the report issued Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The report reveals that Genesee County’s population for 2020 was 58,388 – down 2.8 percent from the 60,079 reported in 2010.

Genesee experienced the smallest drop of the four GLOW counties, however, with the others as follows:

• Livingston, down 5.4 percent from 65,393 in 2010 to 61,834 in 2020;

• Orleans, down 5.9 percent from 42,883 in 2010 to 40,343 in 2020;

• Wyoming, down 3.9 percent from 42,155 in 2010 to 40,531 in 2020.

“I think we did a good job,” Oltramari said. “We beat the projections, and those were the 2019 projections. We were supposed to be at 57,808, and we ended up with 580 more than that.”

Western New York’s major counties, however, saw an increase in the number of residents, with Monroe going from 744,344 in 2010 to 759,443 in 2020 (up 2 percent) and Erie going from 919,040 in 2010 to 954,236 in 2020 (up 3.8 percent).

“I think that Erie and Monroe counties saw an increase for the first time since 1970,” he said. “We actually had an increase in the City of Batavia for the first time in a while.”

The U.S. Census Bureau report shows that the city population went up by 135 people – from 15,465 in 2010 to 15,600 in 2020.

New population figures in Genesee County towns, with the 2020 number followed by the 2010 number:

• Alabama, 1,602; 1,869.
• Alexander, 2,491; 2,534.
• Batavia, 6,293; 6,809.
• Bergen, 3,120; 3,120.
• Bethany, 1,780; 1,765.
• Byron, 2,302; 2,369.
• Darien, 3,010; 3,158.
• Elba, 2,164; 2,370.
• Le Roy, 7,662; 7,641.
• Oakfield, 3,145; 3,250.
• Pavilion, 2,290; 2,495.
• Pembroke, 4,264; 4,292.
• Stafford, 2,424; 2,459.
• Tonawanda Reservation, 241; 483.

Village population figures, with the 2020 number followed by the 2010 number:

• Alexander, 518; 509.
• Bergen, 1,208; 1,176.
• Elba, 558; 676.
• Le Roy, 4,300; 4,391.
• Oakfield, 1,812; 1,813.
• Corfu (part of Town of Pembroke), 689, 709.

Oltramari said the Census count “was no doubt affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“This might explain the sudden 50 percent decrease in the Reservation population,” he said, adding that it could be an undercount caused by pandemic-related staffing issues at the Census Bureau. “The Census Bureau is responsible for outreach to tribal nations.”

The county planning department has received population data “right down to the block level,” Oltramari said, noting that he plans to dig into those statistics in the coming weeks.

More information on the 2020 Census can be found at this link:

https://pad.human.cornell.edu/census2020/index.cfm#pl

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As far as last night’s planning board meeting and referral recommendations, Oltramari said everything went as expected.

-- On the Healthy Living Campus in downtown Batavia site plan review, the board recommended that developers consider offering bicycle parking facilities adjacent to a major entrance to the facility, and, given the large amount of glass utilized in the façades, the facility install bird-friendly glass in order to minimize bird-strikes and reduce its impacts on local bird populations.

Oltramari said project managers are in the process of using special glass, including in the pool area for privacy purposes.

-- On the Brickhouse Commons mixed-use project in the Town of Pembroke, planners’ recommendations included a pedestrian connection between the development and the Tim Hortons to the east, completing a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and obtaining a Stormwater Permit for Construction Activity from NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) prior to final approval from the town, and making sure signs comply with the town’s zoning regulations.

Previously: Genesee County planners to consider latest version of Brickhouse Commons plan at Route 5 and 77