SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Restaurant owner Guthrie Benson set up shop in Schenectady two years ago. And he thinks the increase in population is all thanks to downtown renovations.

"The more businesses we can support the more people we can support," said Benson.

"What we hope we are seeing with those 50 people that are absolutely new, is the beginning of a trend," said Schenectady mayor Brian Stratton.

It might be. It's the fifth straight year of positive census figures.
The Census Bureau's latest estimate added 50 people making the population 61,531. Schenectady joined Saratoga Springs as the two cities in the Capital Region to go up. Albany and Troy both saw their populations decrease.

Schenectady is still below the official count at the last census in 2000. Still, Stratton thinks younger families and retirees are attracted to the city for its reasonably priced housing and all said the building boom in the city's core is bringing people back.

"Since 2004 more than $250 million in new investment, new theater, new movie cinema restaurants. There are more reasons for people to be here," said Stratton.

"You can go to work in the morning and something is being built. And when you leave work, you can see it done," said Guthrie.

It's a small gain for Schenectady. A city that at one time had nearly 100,000 people calling it home.