New York metropolitan area

The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan economy in the world. It has a gross metropolitan product over US $2.6 trillion. It is the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass, covering about 4,669 square miles. It is very busy, with more than 20 million people living there.

The area includes New York City, parts of Downstate New York such as Long Island and the Hudson Valley, northern and central New Jersey, and Southwestern Connecticut. Many people from other countries live there, making it a key place for immigration to the United States.

As the financial capital of the world, the New York metropolitan area is important for many industries. These include health care, pharmaceuticals, international trade, entertainment, and education. If it were its own country, it would have a very big economy. The area has many top schools, including several Ivy League universities like Columbia, Princeton, Yale, and Cornell.

Definitions

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget uses two ways to describe the area around New York City. The metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is called the New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area. It includes about 19.9 million people. This area covers parts of New York State, New Jersey, and Connecticut. It is made up of several smaller groups of counties.

The combined statistical area (CSA) is known as the New York–Newark, NY–NJ–CT–PA Combined Statistical Area. It has about 22.3 million people. This area includes more counties in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, plus two planning regions in Connecticut. It is sometimes called the tri-state area.

Geography

The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area, has several parts. These include New York City, which has five areas called boroughs including Manhattan. It also includes parts of Long Island, New Jersey, the Hudson Valley, parts of Connecticut, and the Poconos in Pennsylvania.

The area has different types of weather. New York City and parts of Long Island have a humid subtropical climate, while other areas have a humid continental climate. Summers are usually hot and humid, and winters are cold with rain and snow. The region gets plenty of sunshine and about 42 to 50 inches of rain each year.

Subregions

New York City

Main article: New York City

New York City is the biggest city in the United States and the center of the metropolitan area. It has five parts called boroughs: Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island. These boroughs joined together to form one city in 1898. With over 8 million people, New York City is very busy and crowded. It is important for business, money matters, health care, news, art, fashion, and entertainment, often leading the way for trends around the world.

Long Island

Main article: Long Island

Long Island is the most crowded island in the United States, sitting just off the northeast coast. It includes four counties: Kings and Queens (which are part of Brooklyn and Queens), Nassau, and Suffolk. Long Island is famous for its quiet neighborhoods, lovely beaches, and wealthy seaside towns. It also has parks, wineries, and many interesting places to see, making it a favorite spot for both locals and visitors.

Hudson Valley

Main article: Hudson Valley

The Hudson Valley is known for its rolling hills, beautiful scenery, and small towns. It includes areas north of New York City along the Hudson River. The region is split into the Lower Hudson Valley, with counties like Westchester and Rockland, and the Mid-Hudson Valley, including counties such as Dutchess and Ulster. The area offers great views, historic places, and many outdoor activities.

Northern New Jersey

Main articles: North Jersey, Gateway Region, and Skylands Region

Northern New Jersey includes counties such as Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union. The land here is varied, with wetlands, mountains, and valleys. The region has many roads and public transport options. Northern New Jersey is very built-up in some parts, especially near cities like Newark and Jersey City.

Central New Jersey

Main articles: Central Jersey and Jersey Shore

Central Jersey includes counties such as Middlesex, Mercer, and Monmouth. Well-known cities in this area are Trenton, the state capital of New Jersey, and Princeton, home to Princeton University. The area also includes part of the Jersey Shore, famous for its beaches and seaside towns. Central Jersey has important roads like the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway.

Western Connecticut

Main articles: Fairfield County, Connecticut; New Haven County, Connecticut; and Litchfield County, Connecticut

Western Connecticut, including Fairfield, New Haven, and Litchfield counties, is known for its wealth and big companies. The area has flat coastal lands and hilly inland parts. Candlewood Lake, the largest lake for fun activities in the New York metropolitan area, is here and is popular with New York City people for second homes and relaxation.

Pike County, Pennsylvania

Main article: Pike County, Pennsylvania

Pike County, located in Northeastern Pennsylvania, is part of the Pocono Mountains region. The county seat is Milford. Pike County has been growing quickly and is now part of the Hemlock Farms, PA μSA, after being separated from the New York-Newark-Jersey City MSA in September 2023.

Communities

The New York metropolitan area has many important cities and towns. These cities have lots of people living there or are big places for jobs, culture, education, and work. The area is one of the biggest and busiest urban places in the world. Many people live and work together in these big cities and smaller towns.

History

Main article: History of New York City

During the Wisconsinan glaciation, the area was near the edge of a large ice sheet over 1,000 feet deep. The ice scraped away soil, leaving the bedrock that shapes the New York area today. Later, the ice split apart what are now Long Island and Staten Island.

When Europeans arrived, the area was home to Native Americans, mainly the Lenape. They used the waterways for fishing and trade. In 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano, sailing for France, was the first European to enter the waters but did not land. In 1609, Henry Hudson, sailing for the Dutch, visited the area and built a settlement on Lower Manhattan Island, later called New Amsterdam by Dutch colonists in 1626. In 1664, the area came under English control and was renamed New York.

As trade grew, New York became a trading hub, attracting many different groups including Africans, Jews, and Portuguese. The natural harbor formed by New York Bay, the East River, and the Hudson River helped the area grow. During the American Revolution, New York's waterways were important for ships. New York was the capital of the United States from 1785 to 1790 and has been the country's largest city since 1790. In 1792, merchants created what is now the New York Stock Exchange in Lower Manhattan.

The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor welcomed many immigrants in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Large groups came from Germany, Ireland, and Italy. Today, their descendants still live in the area. Important cultural buildings like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Opera, and the American Museum of Natural History were built during this time. The five boroughs of New York — The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island — joined into one city in 1898.

The New York City Subway started in 1904, helping people move around the city and its neighborhoods. During Prohibition, when alcohol was not allowed, organized crime grew. The Great Depression brought hard times with high unemployment, but the city began to grow again after World War II.

The September 11th attacks in 2001 were a sad event for the region. Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center, and the towers fell. A new building, One World Trade Center, was completed in 2014.

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused serious damage with strong winds and flooding, affecting many homes and services. The area continues to plan ways to protect against future storms.

Demographics

Further information: African Americans in the New York City metropolitan region, Chinese in the New York City metropolitan region, Dominicans in the New York City metropolitan region, Filipinos in the New York City metropolitan region, Indians in the New York City metropolitan region, Japanese in the New York City metropolitan region, Koreans in the New York City metropolitan region, Puerto Ricans in the New York City metropolitan region, Russians in the New York City metropolitan region, Islam in the New York City metropolitan region, Jews in the New York City metropolitan region, and LGBT culture in the New York City metropolitan region

The New York metropolitan area is one of the biggest cities in the world. It has more than 22 million people. The area is very mixed, with people from many different countries and backgrounds.

In 2020, about 23.6 million people lived there, making it the biggest city area in the United States. It includes parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. The area has many different groups of people, including Asian Americans, European Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic or Latino people.

Economy

Main article: Economy of New York City

The New York City area has the biggest economy in the world, with a GDP of US$2.5 trillion in 2022. Many big companies have their headquarters in New York, and many companies from other countries also have offices there. Important industries in the area include finance, international trade, media, real estate, education, fashion, entertainment, and tourism.

The New York area is very important for the U.S. financial industry, especially because of Wall Street. This area is home to the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ, the world's two largest stock exchanges. These places help create many jobs and support the city's economy.

New York is also a center for technology and biotechnology. Companies working in internet, finance technology, telecommunications, and biotechnology are growing. The city helps these industries with its creativity, social tolerance, and strong networks. The Port of New York and New Jersey is also important, handling lots of cargo each year.

Education

The New York metropolitan area has many important colleges and universities. Three famous Ivy League schools — Columbia University in Manhattan, New York City, Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut — are all highly ranked. Other well-known schools include New York University and The Rockefeller University, both in Manhattan. The area also has large public school systems. The New York City Department of Education is the biggest in the United States.

Transportation

The transportation network in the New York region is very large and complicated, matching the size of the metropolis.

Rail

About one in every three users of mass transit in the United States and two-thirds of the nation's rail riders live in the New York metropolitan area.

New York City Subway

Main article: New York City Subway

The New York City Subway is the largest rapid transit system in the world when measured by stations in operation, with 472. It is open 24 hours a day, unlike many other systems.

PATH

Main article: PATH (rail system)

PATH is a rapid transit system connecting cities in New Jersey with Manhattan in New York City. PATH trains run 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

Commuter rail

The metropolitan area is served by three primary commuter rail systems, including intercity rail with Amtrak.

The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). It has two major terminals in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

New Jersey Transit (NJT) is operated by the New Jersey Transit Corporation. It has major terminals in Manhattan and Hoboken.

Metro-North Railroad (MNRR) is also operated by the MTA. Its major terminal is Grand Central Terminal.

Amtrak's Northeast Corridor offers service to Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, D.C.

Major highways

The following highways serve the region:

Interstates

• I-78
• I-80
• I-84
• I-87
• I-91
• I-95
• I-195
• I-278 – serves as southern beltway around New York City
• I-280
• I-287 – serves as northern beltway around New York City
• I-295
• I-295 – serves as a northern partial beltway around Trenton in Mercer County, NJ
• I-478
• I-495 − also known as Long Island Expressway or LIE
• I-678
• I-684
• I-695
• I-878 – unsigned

U.S. Routes

• US 1
• US 5
• US 6
• US 7
• US 9
• US 22
• US 44
• US 46
• US 130
• US 202
• US 206
• US 209

State Routes

• Route 3
• Route 4
• Route 8
• NY 9A
• Route 15
• Route 17
• Route 18
• Route 21
• Route 23
• Route 24
• NY 24
• Route 25
• NY 25
• Route 27
• NY 27
• Route 28
• Route 29
• Route 31
• Route 33
• Route 34
• Route 35
• Route 36
• Route 53
• Route 62
• Route 139
• Route 208
• NY 440 / Route 440
• Route 495
• NY 895

Other limited-access roads

Some of these roads have a numerical designation assigned to it:

• Belt Parkway
• Bronx River Parkway
• Conn. Turnpike (part of I-95)
• Cross Island Parkway
• FDR Drive
• G.S. Parkway
• Grand Central Parkway
• Harlem River Drive
• Henry Hudson Parkway
• Hutchinson River Parkway
• Jackie Robinson Parkway (formerly: Interboro Parkway)
• Merritt Parkway (part of Route 15)
• N.J. Turnpike (part of I-95)
• New York Thruway (part of I-87)
• Northern State Parkway
• Palisades Parkway
• Saw Mill River Parkway
• Southern State Parkway
• Sprain Brook Parkway
• Taconic State Parkway

Named bridges and tunnels

• Alexander Hamilton Bridge connecting the Trans-Manhattan Expressway in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan and the Cross-Bronx Expressway, as part of Interstate 95
• Basilone Bridge (part of I-95 and the New Jersey Turnpike)
• Chaplain Washington–Harry Laderman Bridge (part of I-95 and NJ Turnpike)
• Bayonne Bridge (part of NY 440 and NJ 440)
• Bear Mountain Bridge (part of US 6 and US 202)
• Bronx–Whitestone Bridge (part of I-678) – connects the boroughs of Bronx and Queens.
• Brooklyn Bridge, iconic of New York and designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. National Park Service in 1964. Connects Brooklyn and lower Manhattan.
• Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel (part of I-478), officially renamed the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel – connects Brooklyn and lower Manhattan.
• Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge (part of I-80 crossing the Delaware River)
• Driscoll Bridge (part of the Garden State Parkway)
• Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge (part of NY 25) – renamed in honor of former New York Mayor Edward I. Koch, also known as the "59th Street Bridge". Connects Queens and the east side of Manhattan.
• George Washington Bridge (part of I-95 and US 1-9/46), the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge.
• Goethals Bridge (part of I-278)
• Great South Bay Bridge, Long Island
• Heroes Tunnel (formerly the West Rock Tunnel) (part of CT 15)
• Holland Tunnel (part of I-78 and NJ 139)
• Lincoln Tunnel (part of Route 495)
• Manhattan Bridge, connecting Brooklyn to Chinatown, Manhattan, carries four tracks of the B, ​D​, N, and ​Q trains of the New York City Subway, in addition to seven lanes of traffic.
• Mid-Hudson Bridge (part of US 44 and NY 55)
• Newark Bay Bridge (part of I-78)
• New Hope – Lambertville Toll Bridge (part of US 202 crossing the Delaware River)
• Newburgh–Beacon Bridge (part of I-84 and NY 52)
• Otisville Tunnel (takes the Metro-North Railroad Port Jervis Line through the Shawangunk Ridge in Orange County, New York)
• Outerbridge Crossing (part of NY 440 and NJ 440)
• Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge (part of I-95 and the Connecticut Turnpike)
• Poughkeepsie Bridge, also known as Walkway over the Hudson, the world's longest pedestrian bridge, connecting Ulster and Dutchess counties in New York
• Pulaski Skyway (part of US 1–9)
• Queens–Midtown Tunnel (part of I-495) – connects Queens and Midtown Manhattan.
• Scudder Falls Bridge (part of I-295 crossing the Delaware River)
• Sikorsky Memorial Bridge (part of CT 15 Merritt & Wilbur Cross Parkways)
• Tappan Zee Bridge (part of I-87, I-287, and the New York State Thruway)
• Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Bridge (part of US 9)
• Throgs Neck Bridge (part of I-295) – connects the boroughs of Bronx and Queens.
• Trenton–Morrisville Toll Bridge (part of US 1)
• Triborough Bridge (part of I-278), officially renamed the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Bridge – connects the three boroughs of Manhattan, Bronx and Queens.
• Verrazzano–Narrows Bridge (part of I-278), the longest suspension bridge in the Americas – connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn.
• William A. Stickel Memorial Bridge (part of I-280)
• Williamsburg Bridge, carries 2 tracks of the J, M, and Z​ trains of the New York City Subway, in addition to 8 lanes of traffic – connects Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Commuter bus

New Jersey Transit, Academy Bus, Coach USA, Spanish Transportation, Trailways of New York, and several other companies operate commuter coaches into the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan, and many other bus services in New Jersey. Bus services also operate in other nearby counties in the states of New York and Connecticut, but most terminate at a subway terminal or other rail station.

Major airports

Main article: Aviation in the New York metropolitan area

The three busiest airports in the New York metropolitan area are John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport.

Commuter usage

According to the 2010 American Community Survey, 54.3% of commuters used a car or other private vehicle alone, 7.0% used a carpool, 27.0% used public transportation, 5.5% walked to work, 2.0% used some other means of transportation such as a bicycle to get to work.

Culture and contemporary life

Main article: New York City § Culture

New York is often called the cultural capital of the world. Many famous artists, writers, and thinkers live there. The city has many museums, theaters, and music venues. Manhattan is the center of this cultural life, but the whole area has many events that attract people from everywhere.

Sports teams

Further information: Sports in the New York metropolitan area

See also: Soccer in the New York metropolitan area

The New York area has many famous sports teams. There are teams in baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer. Some well-known teams are the New York Mets and New York Yankees in baseball, the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks in basketball, and the New York Giants and New York Jets in football. There are also many college teams and other leagues in the area.

Media

Main article: Media in New York City

The New York area has many important media companies. It has big news outlets like The New York Times and the Associated Press, and television networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News. Local TV and radio stations reach millions of people, and many use the Empire State Building to send out their signals.

Theme parks

In New Jersey

In New York State

Coney Island in Brooklyn is one of America’s oldest amusement parks. Playland in Rye, Westchester County, has entertained visitors since 1928. Legoland New York, in Goshen, Orange County, opened in 2021.

Area codes

The New York metropolitan area uses at least 26 area codes to cover its many regions.

Some of the main area codes include:

• (/wiki/Area_code_212) for Manhattan, along with overlays (/wiki/Area_code_646), (/wiki/Area_code_917), and (/wiki/Area_code_332).
• (/wiki/Area_code_718) for other New York City boroughs, with overlays (/wiki/Area_code_347), (/wiki/Area_code_917), and (/wiki/Area_code_929).
• 516 & 363 for Nassau County.
• 631 & 934 for Suffolk County.
• (/wiki/Area_code_914) for Westchester County.
• (/wiki/Area_code_845) for the Hudson Valley counties.
• 570 & 272 for Pike County in Pennsylvania.
• 203 & 475 for southwestern Connecticut.
• 860 & 959 for the rest of Connecticut.
• 201 & 551 for most of Bergen County and parts of Essex, Hudson, and Passaic in Northern New Jersey.
• (/wiki/Area_code_973) for parts of Northern New Jersey.
• (/wiki/Area_code_908) for Central New Jersey areas.
• (/wiki/Area_code_732) for Central New Jersey, with overlay (/wiki/Area_code_848).
• 609 & 640 for Central New Jersey regions.