New York metropolitan area

The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan economy in the world, with 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 also one of the most populous metro areas globally, with more than 20 million residents according to the 2020 U.S. Census.

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. It serves as a major gateway for legal immigration to the United States, with the largest foreign-born population of any metropolitan region in the world.

As the financial capital of the world, the New York metropolitan area is a hub for many important industries, including health care, pharmaceuticals, international trade, entertainment, and education. If it were an independent sovereign state, it would have the eighth-largest economy globally. The region is also home to many top universities, including several Ivy League universities like Columbia, Princeton, Yale, and Cornell.

Definitions

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

The CSA, known as the New York–Newark, NY–NJ–CT–PA Combined Statistical Area, 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, is divided into several subregions. These include New York City, which has five boroughs including Manhattan, as well as parts of Long Island, New Jersey, the Hudson Valley, parts of Connecticut, and the Poconos in Pennsylvania.

The area has varied climates. New York City and parts of Long Island have a humid subtropical climate, while other areas transition to 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 most populous city in the United States and the heart of the metropolitan area. It consists of five boroughs: Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island. These boroughs were combined into a single city in 1898. With a population of over 8 million people, New York City is the most densely populated major city in the United States. It plays a major role in commerce, finance, health care, media, art, fashion, and entertainment, often setting the pace for global trends.

Long Island

Main article: Long Island

Long Island is the most populous island in the United States, located 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 known for its suburban areas, beautiful beaches, and wealthy coastal communities. It also features parks, wineries, and many places to visit, making it a popular destination for both residents and tourists.

Hudson Valley

Main article: Hudson Valley

The Hudson Valley is known for its hilly terrain, picturesque settings, and small towns. It includes areas north of New York City along the Hudson River. The region is divided 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 scenic views, historic sites, and 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. It is geographically diverse, with wetlands, mountains, and valleys. The region is well-connected by expressways and public transportation. Northern New Jersey is highly urbanized in some areas, particularly around 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. Notable cities in this region include Trenton, the state capital of New Jersey, and Princeton, home to Princeton University. The area also includes part of the Jersey Shore, known for its beaches and coastal towns. Central Jersey has major transportation routes 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 affluence and large businesses. The region features flat coastal areas and hilly inland regions. Candlewood Lake, the largest recreational lake in the New York metropolitan area, is located here and is popular among New York City residents for second homes and recreation.

Pike County, Pennsylvania

Main article: Pike County, Pennsylvania

Pike County, located in Northeastern Pennsylvania, is part of the Pocono Mountains region. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 57,369. The county seat is Milford. Pike County has been one of the fastest-growing counties in Pennsylvania. It is now part of the Hemlock Farms, PA μSA, after being detached from the New York-Newark-Jersey City MSA in September 2023.

Communities

The New York metropolitan area includes many important cities and towns. These principal cities have populations over 100,000 or are major centers for jobs, culture, education, and the economy. The area is one of the largest and most active urban regions in the world, with many people living and working together in big cities and smaller towns.

History

Main article: History of New York City

During the Wisconsinan glaciation, the region was at the edge of a large ice sheet over 1,000 feet deep. The ice scraped away soil, leaving the bedrock that forms much of the New York area today. Later, the ice sheet 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 after King Charles II of England gave the lands to his brother, the Duke of 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 made it important for the British navy. Many battles were fought there. 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 to sell it secretly. 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 and important event in the region's history. Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center, causing the towers to fall and killing nearly 3,000 people. A new building, One World Trade Center, was completed in 2014 to replace the old towers.

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 most populous urban areas in the world. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of over 22 million people. The area is very diverse, with large communities from many different countries and backgrounds.

In 2020, the population was estimated to be about 23.6 million, making it the most populous metropolitan area in the United States. The region includes parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. It is also very diverse, with significant populations of Asian Americans, European Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic or Latino people.

Economy

Main article: Economy of New York City

The New York City regional economy is the largest in the world, with a GDP of US$2.5 trillion in 2022. Many major companies have their headquarters in New York, and many foreign companies also have offices there. Finance, international trade, media, real estate, education, fashion, entertainment, and tourism are some of the leading industries in the area.

The New York metropolitan area is very important for the U.S. financial industry, especially because of Wall Street. This area includes the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ, the world's two largest stock exchanges. The securities industry provides many jobs and contributes a lot to the city's economy.

New York is also a center for technology and biotechnology. Companies in fields like internet, finance technology, telecommunications, and biotechnology are growing. The city supports these industries with its creativity, social tolerance, and strong telecommunications networks. The Port of New York and New Jersey is also a major economic engine, handling large amounts of cargo each year.

Education

The New York metropolitan area is home to 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, with the New York City Department of Education being the biggest in the United States, serving over 1.2 million students.

Transportation

The transportation network in the New York region is very deep and intricate, matching the size and complexity of the metropolis itself.

In 2013, the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan statistical area had the lowest percentage of workers who commuted by private automobile (56.9 percent), with 18.9 percent of area workers traveling via rail transit. During the period starting in 2006 and ending in 2013, the New York MSA had a 2.2 percent decline of workers commuting by automobile.

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, and by length of routes. In 2006 it was the third largest when measured by annual ridership (1.5 billion passenger trips in 2006), However, in 2013, the subway delivered over 1.71 billion rides, but slipped to being the seventh busiest rapid transit rail system in the world. New York's subway is also notable because nearly the entire system remains open 24 hours a day, in contrast to the overnight shutdown common to systems in most cities, including Hong Kong, London, Seoul, Tokyo, and Toronto.

PATH

Main article: PATH (rail system)

PATH is a rapid transit system connecting the cities of Newark, Harrison, Hoboken, and Jersey City, in metropolitan northern New Jersey, with the Lower and Midtown sections of Manhattan in New York City. The PATH is operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. PATH trains run 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The system has a total route length of 13.8 mi (22.2 km), not double-counting route overlaps.

Commuter rail

The metropolitan area is also fundamentally defined by the areas from which people commute into New York. The city is served by three primary commuter rail systems, and is provided intercity rail transit with Amtrak.

The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), the busiest commuter railroad in the United States as of 2015, is operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), an agency of the State Government of New York that focuses on New York City-area transit). It has two major terminals at Pennsylvania Station in Midtown Manhattan and Atlantic Terminal in Downtown Brooklyn, with a minor terminal at the Long Island City station and a major transfer point at the Jamaica station in Queens.

New Jersey Transit (NJT), the second busiest commuter railroad in the United States as of 2015, is operated by the New Jersey Transit Corporation, an agency of the state of New Jersey, in conjunction with Metro-North Railroad and Amtrak. It has major terminals at Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan, Hoboken Terminal, and Newark Pennsylvania Station, with a major transfer point at Secaucus Junction in Hudson County, New Jersey. New Jersey Transit also operates the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail through Hudson County, the Newark Light Rail, and the River Line that runs along tracks shared with Conrail Shared Assets Operations from Trenton to Camden in South Jersey. NJ Transit also has commuter buses operating in and out of Manhattan.

Metro-North Railroad (MNRR), the third busiest commuter railroad in the United States as of 2015, is also operated by the MTA, in conjunction with the Connecticut Department of Transportation and New Jersey Transit. Its major terminal is Grand Central Terminal. Trains on the Port Jervis Line and Pascack Valley Line terminate at Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey; commuters may transfer at either Secaucus Junction for New Jersey Transit trains to New York Pennsylvania Station or at Hoboken Terminal for PATH trains into Manhattan.

Amtrak's Northeast Corridor offers service to Philadelphia, New Haven, and other points between and including 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), underwent a $1 billion project to raise the roadway by 64 feet to 215 feet to allow taller container ships to pass underneath to access seaports in New York City and northern New Jersey.
• 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 on January 29, 1964. Connects Brooklyn and lower Manhattan (at Park Row and City Hall).
• Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel (part of I-478), officially renamed the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, in honor of the former New York State governor – connects Brooklyn and lower Manhattan (financial district).
• Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge (part of I-80 crossing the Delaware River)
• Driscoll Bridge (part of the Garden State Parkway), with a total of 15 travel lanes and 6 shoulder lanes, the widest motor vehicle bridge in the world by number of lanes and one of the world's busiest.
• Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge (part of NY 25) – renamed in honor of former New York Mayor Edward I. Koch, also known informally 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 and one of the world's widest, with 14 lanes.
• 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), the longest bridge in New York State; underwent a $4 billion replacement.
• Thomas Alva Edison Memorial Bridge (part of US 9)
• Throgs Neck Bridge (part of I-295) – connects the boroughs of Bronx and Queens (at the western end of Long Island Sound).
• 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 (hence its name).
• Verrazzano–Narrows Bridge (part of I-278), the longest suspension bridge in the Americas and one of the longest in the world (formerly the world's longest) – 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 or 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; 130.5 million travelers used these three airports in 2016, and the metropolitan area's airspace is the busiest in the nation.

The following smaller airports are also in the metro area and provide daily commercial service:

Commuter usage

According to the 2010 American Community Survey, 54.3% (5,476,169) of commuters used a car or other private vehicle alone, 7.0% (708,788) used a carpool, 27.0% (2,721,372) used public transportation, 5.5% (558,434) walked to work, 2.0% (200,448) 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 important artists, writers, and thinkers live there, and the city is full of museums, theaters, and music venues. Manhattan is the heart of this cultural life, but the whole area has many events and activities that attract people from all over the world.

Sports teams

Further information: Sports in the New York metropolitan area

See also: Soccer in the New York metropolitan area

The New York area is home to many famous sports teams. It has teams in baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer. Some of the most well-known teams include 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 that play in the area.

Media

Main article: Media in New York City

The New York area has many important media companies. It is home to big news outlets like The New York Times and the Associated Press, as well as television networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox News. Local TV and radio stations broadcast to millions of people in the area, 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 been entertaining 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.