Upstate New York

The ambiguous definition of "Upstate New York"

The exact definition of Upstate New York is somewhat ambiguous, but the term often refers to the whole of the state besides New York City, Long Island, Westchester County, and Rockland County, an area sometimes correspondingly called 'downstate'. Because both Putnam County and Orange County contain many communities of New York City commuters, they are sometimes not considered part of Upstate New York. Also, Dutchess County (at least south of Poughkeepsie) is often no longer considered to be part of Upstate New York as more and more New York City commuters have moved there and turned rural areas into distant suburbs of the metropolis.

Related Topics:
New York City - Long Island - Westchester County - Rockland County - Putnam County - Orange County - Dutchess County - Poughkeepsie

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Some residents use the term in a sense relative to their location, and might consider only the far north 'upstate'. Others consider Upstate New York as only those areas that are actually more-or-less due north of New York City. Many New Yorkers (that is, city residents) even consider everything outside of the five boroughs to be Upstate New York, even Long Island, which is technically east of New York City, a habit which irks many in this supposed "upstate" region. The term "upstate" is often interpreted as mildly pejorative, especially in reference to regions whose status as "upstate" by the above definitions is ambiguous. The term "upstate" is connoted as denying the residents in such a region of their "New Yorkerhood" which many people in nearby regions both desire and deserve; it evokes rural, backward lands whose ways are contrary to those of the big city.

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Still others view "upstate" vs. "downstate" in terms of weather and climate, particularly that of the wintertime. While cold weather and snow are certainly a part of winter in the New York metropolitan area, there is a point somewhere north of New York City where due to a combination of higher terrain and distance from the coast winter mornings suddenly average 10 degrees colder and what would be a rainstorm in Manhattan more often than not becomes a snowstorm. Some say that point (usually said to be north of I-287, the Bear Mountain Bridge, or I-84; or sometimes the point at which ZIP Codes start beginning with "12" instead of "10"), in the area usually indicated by city-based television weather forecasters as "north and west", marks the beginnings of Upstate New York.

Related Topics:
Weather - Climate - New York City - Manhattan - ZIP Code

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Ultimately, most use the term 'upstate' to denote areas that are both somewhat north of and considerably more rural than their home location. Only residents north and west to a certain degree of Albany tend to embrace the term "upstate" as describing their location; south of the Capital Region people tend to find it to be an insulting manifestation of the famous New Yorker magazine's view of the world.

Related Topics:
Albany - New Yorker

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