New York metropolitan area

The New York metropolitan area includes the most populous city in the United States (New York City); counties comprising Long Island and the Mid- and Lower Hudson Valley in the state of New York; the five largest cities in New Jersey (Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, and Edison) and their vicinities; six of the seven largest cities in Connecticut (Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, Norwalk, and Danbury) and their vicinities; and five counties in Northeast Pennsylvania.

As per the 2013 United States Census Bureau estimates, the New York metropolitan area remains by a significant margin the most populous in the United States, as defined by both the Metropolitan Statistical Area (20.1Â million residents) and the Combined Statistical Area (23.6Â million residents); it is also one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world. The New York metropolitan area continues to be, by far, the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States. The MSA covers 6,720Â sqÂ mi (17,405Â km²), while the CSA area is 13,318Â sqÂ mi (34,493Â km²), encompassing an ethnically and geographically diverse region.

As a center of many industries, including finance, international trade, new and traditional media, real estate, education, fashion and entertainment, tourism, biotechnology, and manufacturing, the New York City metropolitan region is one of the most important economic regions in the world; in 2013, the MSA produced a gross metropolitan product (GMP) of nearly US$1.39Â trillion, while in 2012, the CSA had a GMP of over US$1.55Â trillion, both ranking first nationally by a wide margin and behind the GDP of only twelve nations and eleven nations, respectively. In 2012, the New York metropolitan area was also home to seven of the 25 wealthiest counties in the United States by median household income, according to the American Community Survey. According to Forbes, in 2014, the New York City metropolitan area was home to eight of the top ten zip codes in the United States by median housing price, with six in Manhattan alone.

Definitions

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget utilizes two definitions of the area: the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the Combined Statistical Area (CSA). The MSA definition is titled the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, and includes a population of 20.1 million people by 2014 Census estimates (roughly 1 in 16 Americans). The MSA is further subdivided into four metropolitan divisions. The 25-county metropolitan area includes twelve counties in New York State (coinciding with the five boroughs of New York City, the two counties of Long Island, and five counties in the lower Hudson Valley); 12 counties in Northern and Central New Jersey; and seven counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. The largest urbanized area in the United States is at the heart of the metropolitan area, the New Yorkâ€"Newark, NYâ€"NJâ€"CT Urbanized Area (estimated to have an area of 6,720 square miles).

The counties and county groupings constituting the New York metropolitan area are listed below, with 2012 population estimates:

New Yorkâ€"Newarkâ€"Jersey City, NYâ€"NJâ€"PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (19,831,858)

New Yorkâ€"Jersey Cityâ€"White Plains, NYâ€"NJ Metropolitan Division (11,732,233)
- Kings County (Brooklyn), NY
- Queens County, NY
- New York County (Manhattan), NY
- Bronx County, NY
- Richmond County (Staten Island), NY
- Westchester County, NY
- Bergen County, NJ
- Hudson County, NJ
- Middlesex County, NJ
- Monmouth County, NJ
- Ocean County, NJ
- Passaic County, NJ
- Rockland County, NY
- Orange County, NY
Nassau Countyâ€"Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division (2,875,904)
- Suffolk County
- Nassau County
Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY Metropolitan Division
- Putnam County
- Dutchess County
Newark, NJâ€"PA Metropolitan Division (2,126,269)
- Essex County, NJ
- Union County, NJ
- Morris County, NJ
- Somerset County, NJ
- Sussex County, NJ
- Hunterdon County, NJ
- Pike County, PA

Combined Statistical Area

Combined Statistical Areas (CSA) group together adjacent core-based statistical areas with a high degree of economic interconnection. The New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area had an estimated population of 23.6 million as of 2014. About one out of every fifteen Americans resides in this region, which includes seven additional counties in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. This area, less the Pennsylvania portion, is often referred to as the Tri-State Area and less commonly the Tri-state Region. The New York City television designated market area (DMA) includes Pike County, Pennsylvania, which is also included in the CSA.

In addition to the New Yorkâ€"Newarkâ€"Jersey City, NYâ€"NJâ€"PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, the following core-based statistical areas are also included in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area:

Bridgeportâ€"Stamfordâ€"Norwalk, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area (916,829)
- Fairfield County
New Havenâ€"Milford, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area (862,477)
- New Haven County, Connecticut
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Metropolitan Statistical Area (821,173)
- Warren County, New Jersey
- Carbon County, Pennsylvania
- Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
- Northampton County, Pennsylvania
Trenton, NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area (366,222)
- Mercer County
Torrington, CT Micropolitan Statistical Area (189,927)
- Litchfield County
Kingston, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area (182,693)
- Ulster County
East Stroudsburg, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (169,842)
- Monroe County, Pennsylvania

Geography

The area is frequently divided into the following subregions:

New York City (Center of the region)
Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties, NY â€" separated by water from the rest of the region except New York City; not including Queens County or Kings County (Brooklyn), which coincide with two of New York City's Five Boroughs)
North Jersey (Northern portion of New Jersey)
Central Jersey (Middle portion of New Jersey)
Hudson Valley (Lower Hudson Valley suburbs of Westchester, Putnam and Rockland Counties; and Mid-Hudson exurbs of Dutchess, Orange and Ulster Counties)
Western Connecticut (Only Fairfield, New Haven, and Litchfield Counties are part of the region and separated by the state line)
Lehigh Valley (Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania and Warren County in New Jersey)
Southern and Eastern Poconos (Monroe and Pike Counties in Pennsylvania)

All eight subregions are often further divided. For instance, Long Island can be divided into its South and North Shores (usually when speaking about Nassau County), Western Suffolk, and the East End. The Hudson Valley and Connecticut are sometimes grouped together and referred to as the Northern Suburbs, largely because of the shared usage of Metro-North Railroad.

Subregions

New York City

The center of the metropolitan area is New York City, which consists of five boroughs, each of which is also a county of New York State. The five boroughs â€" Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island â€" were consolidated into a single city in 1898. With a census-estimated 2013 population of 8,405,837 distributed over a land area of just 305 square miles (790Â km²), New York is the most densely populated major city in the United States.

Long Island

Long Island, identified mostly by its more suburban Nassau and Suffolk counties, is also home to two of New York City's boroughs: Brooklyn and Queens.

Known especially for recreation, boating and miles of world-class public beaches, including numerous town, county and state parks and Fire Island National Seashore. Along the north shore, the Gold Coast of Long Island is an upscale section of Nassau and western Suffolk counties that once featured many lavish mansions built and inhabited by wealthy business tycoons in the earlier years of the 20th century, of which only a few remain, some preserved as historic sites. The East End of Long Island (known as the "Twin Forks" because of its physical shape) boasts open spaces for farmland and wineries. The South Fork, in particular, comprises numerous towns and villages known collectively as "The Hamptons" and has an international reputation as a "playground for the rich and famous". During the summer season, many celebrities and the wealthy visit or reside in multi-million dollar mansions and waterfront homes, while others spend weekends enjoying the beaches, attractions, bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

With a population of 7,568,304 as of the 2010 Census, Long Island is the most populated island in the United States and the 17th most populous island in the world. Queens is the most ethnically diverse urban area in the world.

For transportation, it is served by a network of parkways and expressways, with the Long Island Expressway being the major east-west route to New York City. Passenger rail access is provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Long Island Rail Road, one of the largest commuter railroads in the United States. Air travel needs are served by several airports - most notably Farmingdale-Republic Airport (private and commuter) and Islip-MacArthur Airport (commercial airlines), both in Suffolk County. Within Queens, it is home to John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, two of the three major airline hubs serving the New York City area (with Newark Liberty International Airport being the third; all three major airports are operated by The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey).

Northern New Jersey

Northern New Jersey is typically defined as the following counties:

Bergen County
Essex County
Hudson County
Hunterdon County (anything north of Readington Township)
Morris County
Passaic County
Somerset County (anything north of Watchung)
Sussex County
Union County (anything north of Westfield)
Warren County

The New Jersey State Department of Tourism splits North Jersey into the urban Gateway Region and the more rural Skylands Region.

Northern New Jersey is home to four of the largest cities of New Jersey: Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Elizabeth.

The region is geographically diverse with wetlands, mountains, and valleys throughout the area. It has a large network of expressways and public transportation rail services, mostly operated by New Jersey Transit. It is also home to the second busiest airport in the metropolitan area, Newark Liberty International Airport.

Central New Jersey

Central Jersey is the middle portion of the state of New Jersey. Municipalities including Trenton (State capital of New Jersey) and Princeton (home to Princeton University) are located in this subregion, as is a significant portion of the Jersey Shore.

Middlesex County
Mercer County
Monmouth County
Ocean County (some consider this county a part of South Jersey)
Union County (anything south of Westfield)
Somerset County (anything south of Watchung)
Hunterdon County (anything south of Readington Township)

Lower Hudson Valley

Known for its hilly terrain, picturesque settings, and quaint small towns and villages, the Lower Hudson Valley is centered around the Hudson River north of New York City and lies within New York State. Its two most populous counties, Westchester and Rockland, are located on opposite sides of the river, connected by the heavily trafficked Tappan Zee Bridge (a major commuter route from Rockland towards New York City) as well as the Bear Mountain Bridge near their northern ends. Several branches of the MTA Metro-North Railroad serve the region's rail commuters. Southern Westchester County contains more densely populated areas and includes the cities of Yonkers, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, and White Plains. Although many of the suburban communities of Westchester are known for their affluence and expense (some examples: Scarsdale, Chappaqua, Armonk, Katonah, and Briarcliff Manor), the Lower Hudson Valley as a whole is one of the fastest growing areas in the metropolitan area because of high housing costs in New York City and the inner suburbs.

Historically, the valley was home to many factories, including paper mills, but a significant number have closed. After years of lingering pollution, cleanup efforts to improve the Hudson River water quality are currently planned and will be supervised by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Western Connecticut

Fairfield, New Haven, and Litchfield Counties are in western Connecticut. Large business and industrial parks are scattered throughout the area, though mostly contained within Fairfield County. The three counties (and Connecticut in general) are known for affluence. Geographically, the areas are flat along the coast with low hills eventually giving way to large mountain ranges such as The Berkshires further inland. Most of the largest cities in the state are located within New Haven County (home to Yale University) and Fairfield County.

Monroe and Pike Counties, Pennsylvania

Pike County is located in northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 57,369. Its county seat is Milford. Part of the Pocono Mountains region lies within Pike County, which has ranked among the fastest growing counties of Pennsylvania.

Monroe County was added to the CMSA in March 2013, as was the Lehigh Valley. Monroe's county seat is Stroudsburg, and its largest borough is East Stroudsburg. Monroe and Pike are the fastest-growing counties in Pennsylvania and are home to many residents who commute to jobs in Northern New Jersey and New York City. They are located largely in the Pocono Mountains and have multiple state parks as well as most of the Pennsylvania portion of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Efforts continue to resume passenger rail service on the Lackawanna Cutoff route between Scranton and Northern New Jersey via Monroe County.

Lehigh Valley

The Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton MSA (better known as the Lehigh Valley) consists of Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties, PA and Warren County, NJ. The Pennsylvania portion alone constitutes the third-largest metropolitan area of Pennsylvania and Allentown is Pennsylvania's third-largest city. The region is important for east-west transportation between Greater NYC, the Harrisburg metropolitan area, and points west, both by rail and Interstate 78. It also important for north-south road traffic via Interstate 476 and the Route 33 Expressway. The Lehigh Valley is in the process of major urban economic redevelopment including the Two Rivers Landing in downtown Easton, the Steel Stacks/Sands complex on the south side of Bethlehem, and a multi-purpose arena (which hosted its first event on 12 September 2014) in downtown Allentown. In 2010 the population was 712,481 for the PA portion and 821,173 in the MSA as a whole. While a large portion of Carbon County is in the Pocono Mountains, it is also in the Lehigh River valley and the employment interchange is mainly with Lehigh and Northampton Counties.

Urban areas of the region

The combined statistical area is a multicore metropolitan region containing several urban areas.

Principal cities

The following is a list of "principal cities" and their respective population estimates from the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau publication. Principal cities are generally those where there is a greater number of jobs than employed residents.

New Yorkâ€"Northern New Jerseyâ€"Long Island MSA
- New York City: 8,175,133
- Newark, New Jersey: 277,140
- Jersey City, New Jersey: 247,597
- Yonkers, New York: 195,976
- Paterson, New Jersey: 146,199
- Edison, New Jersey: 105,652
- Woodbridge Township, New Jersey: 99,265
- New Rochelle, New York: 77,062
- Mount Vernon, New York: 67,292
- White Plains, New York: 56,853
- Union, New Jersey: 56,642
- Wayne, New Jersey: 54,717
Trentonâ€"Ewing MSA
- Trenton, New Jersey: 84,913
- Ewing, New Jersey: 35,790
Bridgeportâ€"Stamfordâ€"Norwalk MSA
- Bridgeport, Connecticut: 144,229
- Stamford, Connecticut: 122,643
- Norwalk, Connecticut: 85,603
- Danbury, Connecticut: 80,893
- Stratford, Connecticut: 51,384
New Havenâ€"Milford MSA
- New Haven, Connecticut: 129,779
- Milford, Connecticut: 51,271
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton MSA
- Allentown, Pennsylvania: 118,032
- Bethlehem, Pennsylvania: 74,982
- Easton, Pennsylvania: 26,800
Poughkeepsieâ€"Newburghâ€"Middletown MSA
- Poughkeepsie, New York: 32,736
- Newburgh, New York: 28,866
- Middletown, New York: 28,086
Kingston MSA
- Kingston, New York: 23,893
Torrington Micropolitan Area
- Torrington, Connecticut: 36,383

Climate

Under the KÃ¶ppen climate classification, using the 0Â Â°C (32Â Â°F) January isotherm, New York City, western (and parts of eastern) Long Island, and a sliver of the Jersey Shore experience a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), and New York is thus the northernmost major city on the North American continent with this climate type.

Much of the remainder of the metropolitan area lies in the transition zone from a humid subtropical (Cfa) to a humid continental climate (Dfa), and it is only the inland, more exurban areas far to the north and west such as Sussex County, New Jersey, that have a January daily average of âˆ'3Â Â°C (26.6Â Â°F) or below and are fully humid continental; the Dfb (warm summer subtype) regime is only found inland at a higher elevation, and receives greater snowfall than the Dfa region. Carbon, Monroe, and Pike Counties in Pennsylvania also have a fully humid continental climate, as do colder areas of Lehigh and Northampton Counties.

The oceanic climate zone (Cfb) only exists on the North Fork, islands in Peconic Bay, and Fishers Island. It is rare in eastern North America.

Winters are cold and damp, and prevailing wind patterns that blow offshore minimize the moderating effects of the Atlantic Ocean; yet the Atlantic and the partial shielding by the Appalachians from colder air keep the New York area warmer in the winter than inland North American metropolitan areas located at similar or lesser latitudes including Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis. Warm periods with 50Â Â°F (10Â Â°C)+ temperatures may occasionally occur during winter. Spring and autumn are unpredictable and can range from chilly to warm, although they are usually mild with low humidity. Summers in the area are typically hot and humid. Nighttime conditions in and around the Five Boroughs are often exacerbated by the urban heat island phenomenon, and temperatures exceed 90Â Â°F (32Â Â°C) on average of 7â€"8 days (on the immediate Long Island Sound and Atlantic coasts), up to in excess of 27 days (inland suburbs in New Jersey) each summer and may exceed 100Â Â°F (38Â Â°C).

Almost all of the metro area receives at least 42 inches (1,070Â mm) of precipitation annually, which is fairly spread throughout the year, and many areas receive upwards of 50Â in (1,270Â mm). Average winter snowfall for 1981 to 2010 ranges from just under 25 inches (64Â cm) along the coast of Long Island to more than 50Â in (127Â cm) in some inland areas, but this usually varies considerably from year to year. Hurricanes and tropical storms are rare in the New York area, but are not unheard of and always have the potential to strike the area, with storm surge a major threat in coastal areas and heavy rain (with the danger of flooding) further inland.

The New York metro area averages 234 days with at least some sunshine and 59% of possible sunlight annually, accumulating 2,400 to 2,800 hours of sunshine per annum.

History

During the Wisconsinan glaciation, the region was situated at the edge of a large ice sheet over 1000 feet in depth. The ice sheet scraped away large amounts of soil, leaving the bedrock that serves as the geologic foundation for much of the New York City metropolitan region today. Later on, the ice sheet would help split apart what are now Long Island and Staten Island.

At the time of European contact the region was inhabited by Native Americans, predominantly the Lenape and others. The Native Americans used the abundant waterways in the area for many purposes such as fishing and trade routes. Sailing for France in 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano was the first European to enter the local waters and encounter the residents, but he did not make landfall. Henry Hudson, sailing for the Dutch in 1609, visited the area and built a settlement on Lower Manhattan Island that was eventually renamed New Amsterdam by Dutch colonists in 1626. The area came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother, the Duke of York.

As the fur trade expanded north, New York became a trading hub, which brought in a diverse set of ethnic groups including Africans, Jews, and Portuguese. The island of Manhattan had an extraordinary natural harbor formed by New York Bay (actually the drowned lower river valley of the Hudson River, enclosed by glacial moraines), the East River (actually a tidal strait), and the Hudson River, all of which merge at the southern tip, from which all later development spread. During the American Revolution, the strategic waterways made New York vitally important as a wartime base for the British navy. Many battles such as the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of New York were fought in the region to secure it. New York City was captured by the British early in the war, becoming a haven for Loyalist refugees from other parts of the country, and remained in the hands of the British until the war ended in 1783. New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790, after which the capital moved to Philadelphia. New York City has been the country's largest city since 1790. In 1792, the Buttonwood Agreement, made by a group of merchants, created what is now the New York Stock Exchange in Lower Manhattan. Today, many people in the metropolitan area work in this important stock exchange.

The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor greeted millions of immigrants as they came to America by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a globally recognized symbol of the United States and its democracy. Large-scale immigration into New York was a result of a large demand for manpower. A cosmopolitan attitude in the city created tolerance for various cultures and ethnic groups. German, Irish, and Italian immigrants were among the largest ethnic groups. Today, many of their descendents continue to live in the region. Cultural buildings such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Opera, the American Museum of Natural History were built. New York newspapers were read around the country as media moguls James Gordon Bennett, Sr., Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst battled for readership. In 1884, over 70% of exports passed through ports in New York or in one of the surrounding towns. The five boroughs of New York City â€" The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island â€" were consolidated into a single city in 1898.

The now-unified New York City encouraged both more physical connections between the boroughs and the growth of bedroom communities. The New York City Subway began operating in 1904 as the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, one of three systems (the other two being the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation and the Independent Subway System) that were later taken over by the city. Railroad stations such as Grand Central Terminal and Pennsylvania Station helped fuel suburban growth. During the era of the Prohibition, when alcohol was banned nationwide, organized crime grew to supply the high demand for bootleg alcohol. The Broadway Theater District developed with the showing of the musical, Show Boat.

The Great Depression suspended the region's fortunes as a period of widespread unemployment and poverty began. City planner Robert Moses began his automobile-centered career of building bridges, parkways, and later expressways. During World War II, the city economy was hurt by blockades of German U-Boats, which limited of shipping with Europe.

After its population peaked in 1950, much of the city's population began leaving for the suburbs of New York City. The effects were a result of white flight. Industry and commerce also declined in this era, with businesses leaving for the suburbs and other cities. Crime affected the city severely. Urban renewal projects alleviated the decay in Midtown Manhattan to a certain extent, but later failed. Blackouts such as the Northeast Blackout of 1965 and the New York City Blackout of 1977 caused massive rioting. A rare highlight was the completion of the former World Trade Center, which once stood as the tallest buildings in the world.

In the 1980s, the city economy was booming. Wall Street was fueling an economic surge in the real estate market. Despite this, crime was still an issue. Beginning in the 1990s, however, crime dropped substantially. Crime in New York City has continued to decline through the 21st century.

A major event in the region's history was the September 11th attacks in 2001, that killed nearly 3,000 people as two planes crashed into the former World Trade Center and caused the towers to collapse. Businesses led an exodus from Lower Manhattan because of this. In 2003, another blackout occurred, the 2003 North America blackout, but the city suffered no looting and a building boom in New York City continues to this day.

On October 29 and 30, 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused extensive destruction in the metropolitan area, ravaging portions of the Atlantic coastline with record-high storm surge, severe flooding, and high winds, causing power outages for millions of residents via downed trees and power lines and malfunctions at electrical substations, leading to gasoline shortages and snarling mass transit systems. Damage to New York and New Jersey in terms of physical infrastructure and private property as well as including interrupted commerce was estimated at several tens of billions of dollars. The storm and its profound impacts have prompted the discussion of constructing seawalls and other coastal barriers around the shorelines of the metropolitan area to minimize the risk of destructive consequences from another such event in the future.

Statistical history

The U.S. Census Bureau first designated metropolitan areas in 1950 as standard metropolitan areas (SMAs). The "New Yorkâ€"Northeastern NJ SMA" was defined to include 17 counties: 9 in New York (the five boroughs of New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, and Rockland) and 8 in New Jersey (Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Essex, Union, Morris, Somerset, and Middlesex). In 1960, the metropolitan area standards were modified and renamed standard metropolitan statistical areas (SMSAs). The new standards resulted in the splitting of the former SMA into several pieces: the nine New York counties became the "New York SMSA"; three of the New Jersey counties (Essex, Union, and Morris) became the "Newark SMSA"; two other New Jersey counties (Bergen and Passaic) became the "Patersonâ€"Passaicâ€"Clifton SMSA"; Hudson County was designated the "Jersey City SMSA"; and Middlesex and Somerset counties lost their metropolitan status. In 1973, a new set of metropolitan area standards resulted in further changes: Nassau and Suffolk counties were split off as their own SMSA ("Nassauâ€"Suffolk SMSA"); Bergen County (originally part of the Patersonâ€"Cliftonâ€"Passaic SMSA) was transferred to the New York SMSA; the New York SMSA also received Putnam County (previously non-metropolitan); Somerset County was added to the Newark SMSA; and two new SMSAs, the "New Brunswickâ€"Perth Amboyâ€"Sayreville SMSA" (Middlesex County) and "Long Branchâ€"Asbury Park SMSA" (Monmouth County), were established. In 1983, the concept of a consolidated metropolitan statistical area (CMSA) was first implemented. A CMSA consisted of several primary metropolitan statistical areas (PMSAs), which were individual employment centers within a wider labor market area. The "New Yorkâ€"Northern New Jerseyâ€"Long Island CMSA" consisted of 12 PMSAs. Seven PMSAs were based on the original 1950 New York SMA that were split up: New York, Bergenâ€"Passaic, Jersey City, Middlesexâ€"Somersetâ€"Hunterdon (Hunterdon added for the first time), Monmouthâ€"Ocean (Ocean added for the first time), Nassauâ€"Suffolk, and Newark (Sussex added for the first time). One additional PMSA was the Orange County PMSA (previously the Newburghâ€"Middletown SMSA). The other four PMSAs were former SMSAs in Connecticut: Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk, and Danbury. In 1993, four PMSAs were added to the New Yorkâ€"Northern New Jerseyâ€"Long Island CMSA: Trenton PMSA (Mercer County), Dutchess County PMSA, Waterbury PMSA, and New Haven PMSA. Several new counties were also added to the CMSA: Sussex, Warren, and Pike. The CMSA model was originally utilized for tabulating data from the 2000 census. In 2003, a new set of standards was established using the Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) model was adopted and remains in use as of 2010. The CBSA model resulted in the splittingÃ¢Ä¡ up of the old CMSA into several metropolitan statistical areas: New Yorkâ€"Northern New Jerseyâ€"Long Island, Poughkeepsieâ€"Newburghâ€"Middletown, Trentonâ€"Ewing, Bridgeportâ€"Stamfordâ€"Norwalk (includes Danbury), and New Havenâ€"Milford (includes Waterbury). In 2013, the Census Bureau added Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton, and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania, and Warren County, New Jersey (encompassing collectively the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ MSA and the East Stroudsburg, PA MSA), to the Combined Statistical Area, and assimilated Poughkeepsieâ€"Newburghâ€"Middletown into the larger New Yorkâ€"Northern New Jerseyâ€"Long Islandâ€"NYâ€"NJâ€"PA MSA.

Demographics

2010 Census

As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area had a population of 22,085,649. The population density was 1,865 per square mile. The racial markup was that 61.6% or 13,595,960 were White, 16.9% or 3,727,105 were African Americans, 0.5% or 102,349 were American Indian and Alaskan Native, Asians were 9.1% or 2,008,906 overall, Pacific Islanders were less than 1% with a population of 9,971, 8.8% or 1,944,165 listed themselves as "some other race", while 3.2% (697,193) were of two or more races. Hispanics were 21.7% of any race or 4,790,542.

The median age was 37.9. 25.5% were under 18, 9.5% were 18 to 24 years, 28% were 25 to 44 years of age, 26.6% were 45 to 64 years old, and 13.2% were over the age of 65. Males composed 48.3% of the population while females were 51.7% of the population.

97.7% of the population were in households, 2.3% were in group quarters, and 1% were institutionalized. There were 8,103,731 of which 30.2% or 2,449,343 had children. 46.1% or 3,736,165 were composted of opposite sex and married couples. Male households with no wife composed 4.9% or 400,534. 15.0% or 1,212,436 were female households, with no husbands. 34% or 2,754,596 were non-family households. The household density were 684 per square mile. 91.9% of housing units were occupied with a 3.8% vacancy rate. The average household size was 2.65 per household. The average income for non-family households was $90,335, and the average income for families was $104,715. 13.3% or 2,888,493 of the population were below the poverty line.

26.7% or 5,911,993 of the population were born outside the United States. Out of this, 17.4% or 1,028,506 were born in Europe, 27.0% or 1,595,523 were born in Asia, 3.8% or 224,109 were born in Africa, 0.2% or 11,957 were born in Oceania, 50.6% or 2,992,639 were born in Latin America.

Population estimates

As of July 1, 2014, the United States Census Bureau estimated the population of the New York City metropolitan area at 23,632,722, an increase of 556,058 from 2010.

The New York City metropolitan region is ethnically diverse. Asian Americans in New York City, according to the 2010 Census, number more than one million, greater than the combined totals of San Francisco and Los Angeles. New York contains the highest total Asian population of any U.S. city proper. The New York City borough of Queens is home to the state's largest Asian American population and the largest Andean (Colombian, Ecuadorian, Peruvian, and Bolivian) populations in the United States, and is also the most ethnically diverse urban area in the world. The Chinese population constitutes the fastest-growing nationality in New York State; multiple satellites of the original Manhattan Chinatown (ç´ç´„è¯åŸ ), in Brooklyn (å¸ƒé²å…‹æž—è¯åŸ ), and around Flushing, Queens (æ³•æ‹‰ç››è¯åŸ ), are thriving as traditionally urban enclaves, while also expanding rapidly eastward into suburban Nassau County (æ‹¿é¨·ç¸£) on Long Island (é•·å³¶), as the New York metropolitan region and New York State have become the top destinations for new Chinese immigrants, respectively, and large-scale Chinese immigration continues into New York City and surrounding areas. In 2012, 6.3% of New York City was of Chinese ethnicity, with nearly three-fourths living in either Queens or Brooklyn, geographically on Long Island. A community numbering 20,000 Korean-Chinese (Chaoxianzu (Chinese: æœé²œæ—) or Joseonjok (Hangul: ì¡°ì„ ì¡±)) is centered in Flushing, Queens, while New York City is also home to the largest Tibetan population outside China, India, and Nepal, also centered in Queens. Koreans made up 1.2% of the city's population, and Japanese 0.3%. Filipinos were the largest Southeast Asian ethnic group at 0.8%, followed by Vietnamese, who made up 0.2% of New York City's population in 2010. Indians are the largest South Asian group, comprising 2.4% of the city's population, with Bangladeshis and Pakistanis at 0.7% and 0.5%, respectively. Queens is the preferred borough of settlement for Asian Indians, Koreans, and Filipinos, as well as Malaysians and other Southeast Asians; while Brooklyn is receiving large numbers of both West Indian as well as Asian Indian immigrants.

New York City has the largest European and non-Hispanic white population of any American city. At 2.7 million in 2012, New York's non-Hispanic white population is larger than the non-Hispanic white populations of Los Angeles (1.1 million), Chicago (865,000), and Houston (550,000) combined. The European diaspora residing in the city is very diverse. According to 2012 Census estimates, there were roughly 560,000 Italian Americans, 385,000 Irish Americans, 253,000 German Americans, 223,000 Russian Americans, 201,000 Polish Americans, and 137,000 English Americans. Additionally, Greek and French Americans numbered 65,000 each, with those of Hungarian descent estimated at 60,000 people. Ukrainian and Scottish Americans numbered 55,000 and 35,000, respectively. People identifying ancestry from Spain numbered 30,838 total in 2010. People of Norwegian and Swedish descent both stood at about 20,000 each, while people of Czech, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Scotch-Irish, and Welsh descent all numbered between 12,000â€"14,000 people. Arab Americans number over 160,000 in New York City, with the highest concentration in Brooklyn. Central Asians, primarily Uzbek Americans, are a rapidly growing segment of the city's non-Hispanic white population, enumerating over 30,000, and including over half of all Central Asian immigrants to the United States, most settling in Queens or Brooklyn. Albanian Americans are most highly concentrated in the Bronx.

The wider New York City metropolitan area is also ethnically diverse. The New York region continues to be by far the leading metropolitan gateway for legal immigrants admitted into the United States, substantially exceeding the combined totals of Los Angeles and Miami, the next most popular gateway regions. It is home to the largest Jewish as well as Israeli communities outside Israel, with the Jewish population in the region numbering over 1.5 million in 2012 and including many diverse Jewish sects from around the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The metropolitan area is also home to 20% of the nation's Indian Americans and at least 20 Little India enclaves, as well as 15% of all Korean Americans and four Koreatowns; the largest Asian Indian population in the Western Hemisphere; the largest Russian American, Italian American, and African American populations; the largest Dominican American, Puerto Rican American, and South American and second-largest overall Hispanic population in the United States, numbering 4.8 million; and includes at least 6 established Chinatowns within New York City alone, with the urban agglomeration comprising a population of 779,269 overseas Chinese as of 2013 Census estimates, the largest outside of Asia.

Ecuador, Colombia, Guyana, Peru, and Brazil were the top source countries from South America for legal immigrants to the New York City region in 2013; the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean; Egypt, Ghana, and Nigeria from Africa; and El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala in Central America. Amidst a resurgence of Puerto Rican migration to New York City, this population had increased to approximately 1.3 million in the metropolitan area as of 2013.

The New York metropolitan area is home to a self-identifying gay and bisexual community estimated at 568,903 individuals, the largest in the United States and one of the world's largest. Same-sex marriages in New York were legalized on June 24, 2011 and were authorized to take place beginning 30 days thereafter.

Economy

The New York City regional economy is the largest in the United States and one of the most important in the world. New York is considered a global power city. Many Fortune 500 corporations are headquartered in New York City, as are a large number of foreign corporations. One out of ten private sector jobs in the city is with a foreign company. In 2012 and 2015, New York City topped the first and second Global Economic Power Index lists, respectively, as published by The Atlantic, with cities ranked according to criteria reflecting their presence on five different lists as published by five separate entities. Finance, international trade, new and traditional media, real estate, education, fashion and entertainment, tourism, biotechnology, and manufacturing are the leading industries in the area.

Along with its wealth, the area has a cost of living that is among the highest in the United States.

Wall Street

New York City's most important economic sector lies in its role as the headquarters for the U.S. financial industry, metonymously known as Wall Street. Anchored by Wall Street, in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world, and the city is home to the world's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization, the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. The city's securities industry, enumerating 163,400 jobs in August 2013, continues to form the largest segment of the city's financial sector and an important economic engine, accounting in 2012 for 5 percent of the city's private sector jobs, 8.5 percent (US$3.8 billion) of its tax revenue, and 22 percent of the city's total wages, including an average salary of US$360,700.

Manhattan had approximately 520 million square feet (48.1 million mÂ²) of office space in 2013, making it the largest office market in the United States, while Midtown Manhattan is the largest central business district in the nation.

Lower Manhattan is the third largest central business district in the United States and is home to both the New York Stock Exchange, on Wall Street, and the NASDAQ, at 165 Broadway, representing the world's largest and second largest stock exchanges, respectively, when measured both by overall average daily trading volume and by total market capitalization of their listed companies in 2013. Wall Street investment banking fees in 2012 totaled approximately US$40 billion, while in 2013, senior New York City bank officers who manage risk and compliance functions earned as much as US$324,000 annually.

In July 2013, NYSE Euronext, the operator of the New York Stock Exchange, took over the administration of the London interbank offered rate from the British Bankers Association.

Many Wall Street firms have added or moved auxiliary financial or technical operations into Jersey City, to take advantage of New Jersey's relatively lower commercial real estate and rental prices, while offering continued geographic proximity to Manhattan's financial industry ecosystem.

Silicon Alley

Silicon Alley, centered in New York City, has evolved into a metonym for the sphere encompassing the metropolitan region's high technology industries involving the Internet, new media, financial technology (fintech), telecommunications, digital media, software development, biotechnology, game design, and other fields within information technology that are supported by its entrepreneurship ecosystem and venture capital investments. In the first nine months of 2014, the New York metropolitan region generated nearly US$3.9 billion in venture capital investment across a broad spectrum of high technology enterprises, most based in Manhattan, with others in Brooklyn, Queens, and elsewhere in the region. High technology startup companies and employment are growing in New York City and the region, bolstered by the city's position in North America as the leading Internet hub and telecommunications center, including its vicinity to several transatlantic fiber optic trunk lines, New York's intellectual capital, and its extensive outdoor wireless connectivity. Verizon Communications, headquartered at 140 West Street in Lower Manhattan, was at the final stages in 2014 of completing a US$3 billion fiberoptic telecommunications upgrade throughout New York City.

The biotechnology sector is also growing in the New York metropolitan region, based upon its strength in academic scientific research and public and commercial financial support. On December 19, 2011, then Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York City announced his choice of Cornell University and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology to build a US$2 billion graduate school of applied sciences on Roosevelt Island, Manhattan with the goal of transforming New York City into the world's premier technology capital. By mid-2014, Accelerator, a biotech investment firm, had raised more than US$30Â million from investors, including Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson, for initial funding to create biotechnology startups at the Alexandria Center for Life Science, which encompasses more than 700,000Â square feet (65,000Â m²) on East 29th Street and promotes collaboration among scientists and entrepreneurs at the center and with nearby academic, medical, and research institutions. The New York City Economic Development Corporation's Early Stage Life Sciences Funding Initiative and venture capital partners, including Celgene, General Electric Ventures, and Eli Lilly, committed a minimum of US$100Â million to help launch 15 to 20 ventures in life sciences and biotechnology.

Port of New York and New Jersey

The Port of New York and New Jersey is the port district of the New York metropolitan area, encompassing the region within approximately a 25-mile (40Â km) radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. A major economic engine for the New York metropolitan area, the port includes the system of navigable waterways in the estuary along 650Â miles (1,050Â km) of shoreline in the vicinity of New York City and the Gateway Region of northeastern New Jersey, as well as the region's airports and supporting rail and roadway distribution networks. In 2010, 4,811 ships entered the harbor carrying over 32.2 million metric tons of cargo valued at over $175Â billion. The port handled $208Â billion in shipping cargo in 2011. Approximately 3,200,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) of containers and 700,000 automobiles are handled per year. In the first half of 2014, the port handled 1,583,449 containers, a 35,000-container increase above the six-month record set in 2012, while the port handled a monthly record of 306,805 containers in October 2014.

Education

The New York metropolitan area is home to many prestigious institutions of higher education. Three Ivy League universities (Columbia University in Manhattan, Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut - all ranked amongst the top 4 U.S. national universities as per U.S. News & World Report as of 2013) reside in the region, as well as New York University and The Rockefeller University, both located in Manhattan; all of the above have been ranked amongst the top 35 universities in the world. New York Institute of Technology, a global university, is located on two campuses, one in Old Westbury, Long Island and one near Columbus Circle in Manhattan. Fordham University, also a nationally ranked university, is located on three campuses, in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Westchester County. The New York City Department of Education is the largest school district in the United States serving over 1.2 million students.

The region also hosts many public high schools, some of which have been described as among the most prestigious in the country.

Attainment

According to the 2010 American Community Survey, of the 14,973,063 persons in this area over 25 years of age, 14.8% (2,216,578) had a graduate or professional degree, 21.1% (3,166,037) had a bachelor's degree, 6.4% (962,007) had an associate degree, 16.0% (2,393,990) had some college education but no degree, 26.8% (4,009,901) had a high school diploma or equivalent, 14.8% (2,224,557) had less than a high school education. In 2010, CNN Money ranked the area as one of the top 10 smartest regions in the United States.

Transportation

The depth and intricacy of the transportation network in the New York City region parallel the size and complexity of the metropolis itself.

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 City metropolitan area.

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 468, and by length of routes. In 2006 it was the third largest when measured by annual ridership (1.5Â 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.

Commuter rail

The metropolitan area is also fundamentally defined by the areas from which people commute into New York City. The city is served by three primary commuter rail systems plus Amtrak.

Metro-North Railroad (MNRR), the busiest commuter railroad in the United States (as of 2012), is operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) (an agency of New York state that focuses on New York City-area transit), 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.

The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), the second busiest commuter railroad in the United States, is also operated by the MTA. 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 third busiest commuter railroad in the United States by passenger miles and also third in trips (when direct operated and purchased transportation services are both included â€" fourth if only direct operated are included), is operated by the New Jersey Transit Corporation, an agency of the state of New Jersey, in conjunction with Metro-North Railroad and Amtrak. A map of the system can be found here [3]. 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 Hudsonâ€"Bergen Light Rail through Hudson County, the Newark City Subway, and the River Line that runs along tracks shared with Conrail Shared Assets Operations from Trenton to Camden in southern New Jersey. NJ Transit also has commuter buses operating in and out of Manhattan.

Amtrak's Northeast Corridor offers service to Philadelphia, New Haven, and other points between and including Boston and Washington, D.C. Additionally, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, an agency controlled by the states of New York and New Jersey, operates the PATH system; this heavy rail transportation service links Manhattan with the counties of Hudson and Essex, New Jersey.

Major stations in the metropolitan area include:

The following table shows all train lines operated by these commuter railroads in the New York metropolitan area. New Jersey Transit operates an additional train line in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. (Shown counterclockwise from the Atlantic Ocean):

Major highways

The following highways serve the region:

Interstates

I-78
I-80
I-84
I-87
Iâ€'91
I-95
Iâ€'195
I-278 â€" serves as southern beltway around New York City
Iâ€'280
I-287 â€" serves as northern beltway around New York City
I-295
I-380
I-476 / Penna Turnpike NE Extension
I-478
I-495 âˆ' also known as Long Island Expressway or LIE
I-678
I-684
I-895

U.S. Routes

US 1
US 6
USÂ 7
US 9
US 22
US 44
USÂ 46
US 202
US 206
US 209

State Routes

RouteÂ 3
RouteÂ 4
RouteÂ 8
NYÂ 9A
RouteÂ 15
RouteÂ 17
RouteÂ 18
RouteÂ 21
RouteÂ 23
RouteÂ 24
RouteÂ 25
NYÂ 25
NYÂ 27
RouteÂ 31
PAÂ 33
RouteÂ 139
RouteÂ 208
PAÂ 309
NYÂ 440 / RouteÂ 440
RouteÂ 495
PAÂ 611

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)
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 (part of Long Island's State Parkway network)
Palisades Parkway
Penna Turnpike NE Extension (part of I-476)
Saw Mill River 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)
Bayonne Bridge (part of NY 440 and NJ 440), scheduled to undergo 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)
Bronxâ€"Whitestone Bridge (part of I-678) - connects the boroughs of Bronx and Queens.
Brooklyn Bridge, iconic of New York City 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).
Brooklynâ€"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.
Eastonâ€"Phillipsburg Toll Bridge (part of US 22 crossing the Delaware River)
Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge (part of NY 25) - renamed in honor of former New York City Mayor Edward I. Koch, also known informally as the "59th Street Bridge". Connects Queens and 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
Hill to Hill Bridge, part of PA-378 over the Lehigh River in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Heroes Tunnel (formerly the West Rock Tunnel) (part of CT 15)
Holland Tunnel (part of I-78)
Interstate 78 Toll Bridge (over the Delaware River)
Lehigh Tunnel (part of Interstate 476) in Carbon and Lehigh Counties, PA
Lincoln Tunnel (part of Route 495)
Manhattan Bridge, connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan's Chinatown, carries 4 tracks of the B D N Q trains of the New York City Subway, in addition to other traffic.
Mid-Hudson Bridge (part of US 44 and NY 55)
Newark Bay Bridge (part of I-78)
New Hope â€" Lambertville Toll Bridge (part of US 202 crossing the Delaware River)
Newburghâ€"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 1â€"9)
Queensâ€"Midtown Tunnel (part of I-495) - connects Queens and Midtown Manhattan.
Scudder Falls Bridge (part of I-95 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; planned to undergo 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 western end of Long Island Sound).
Trentonâ€"Morrisville Toll Bridge (part of US 1)
Triborough Bridge (part of I-278), officially renamed the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Bridge, also known as the RFKâ€"Triboro Bridge - connects the three boroughs of Manhattan, Bronx and Queens (hence its name).
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (part of I-278), the longest suspension bridge in the Americas and one of the longest in the world - 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 Z trains of the New York City Subway, in addition to other traffic - connects the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan (lower east side).

Commuter bus

New Jersey Transit, Academy Bus, Coach USA, Spanish Transportation, 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

The New York metropolitan area handles the busiest urban airspace in the United States â€" carrying over 100 million passengers annually, and is served by three major airports.

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

New York City has been described as the cultural capital of the world by the diplomatic consulates of Iceland and Latvia and by New York's own Baruch College. A book containing a series of essays titled New York, culture capital of the world, 1940â€"1965 has also been published as showcased by the National Library of Australia. Tom Wolfe has quoted regarding New York's culture that "Culture just seems to be in the air, like part of the weather."

Although Manhattan remains the epicenter of cultural life in the metropolitan area, the entire region is replete with prominent cultural institutions, with artistic performances and ethnically oriented events receiving international attention throughout the year.

Sports teams

New York City is home to the headquarters of the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, and Major League Soccer. Four of the ten most expensive stadiums ever built worldwide (MetLife Stadium, the new Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden, and Citi Field) are located in the New York metropolitan area. The New York metropolitan area has the most professional sports teams in these five leagues.

Listing of the professional sports teams in the New York metropolitan area:

National Basketball Association (NBA)
- Brooklyn Nets (Brooklyn, New York City, NY)
- New York Knicks (Manhattan, New York City, NY)
Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
- New York Liberty (Manhattan, New York City, NY)
Major League Baseball (MLB)
- New York Mets (Queens, New York City, NY)
- New York Yankees (The Bronx, New York City, NY)
Minor League Baseball (MiLB)
- International League (AAA)
  - Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies) (Allentown, PA)
- Eastern League (AA)
  - Trenton Thunder (Yankees) (Trenton, NJ)
- South Atlantic League (A)
  - Lakewood Blue Claws (Phillies) (Lakewood Township, NJ)
- New York-Penn League (SS)
  - Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) (Brooklyn, New York City, NY)
  - Hudson Valley Renegades (Rays) (Fishkill, NY)
  - Staten Island Yankees (Yankees) (Staten Island, New York City, NY)
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
- Bridgeport Bluefish (Bridgeport, CT)
- Long Island Ducks (Central Islip, NY)
- Somerset Patriots (Bridgewater Township, NJ)
Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball (CanAm League)
- New Jersey Jackals (Little Falls, NJ)
- Newark Bears (Newark, NJ)
- Rockland Boulders (Pomona, NY)
National Football League (NFL)
- New York Giants (East Rutherford, NJ)
- New York Jets (East Rutherford, NJ)
National Hockey League (NHL)
- New Jersey Devils (Newark, NJ)
- New York Islanders (Brooklyn, New York City, NY)
- New York Rangers (Manhattan, New York City, NY)
American Hockey League (AHL)
- Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders) (Bridgeport, CT)
- Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Flyers) (Allentown, PA)
Major League Soccer (MLS)
- New York City FC (Bronx, New York City, NY)
- New York Red Bulls (Harrison, NJ)
Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL)
- Lehigh Valley Steelhawks (Allentown, PA)
- Trenton Freedom (Trenton, NJ)
Major League Lacrosse (outdoor) (MLL)
- New York Lizards (Hempstead, NY)
College Sports (NCAA Division I)
- Army Black Knights (West Point, NY)
- Columbia University Lions (Manhattan, New York City, NY)
- Fairfield University Stags (Fairfield, CT)
- Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights (Teaneck, NJ)
- Fordham University Rams (The Bronx, New York City, NY)
- Hofstra University Pride (Hempstead, NY)
- Iona College Gaels (New Rochelle, NY)
- Lafayette College Leopards (Easton, PA)
- Lehigh University Mountain Hawks (Bethlehem, PA)
- Long Island University Blackbirds (Brooklyn, New York City, NY)
- Manhattan College Jaspers and Lady Jaspers (The Bronx, New York City, NY)
- Marist College Red Foxes (Poughkeepsie, NY)
- Monmouth University Hawks (West Long Branch, NJ)
- New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders (Newark, NJ)
- Princeton University Tigers (Princeton, NJ)
- Quinnipiac University Bobcats (Hamden, CT)
- Rider University Broncs (Lawrenceville, NJ)
- Rutgers University Scarlet Knights (New Brunswick, NJ)
- Sacred Heart University Pioneers (Fairfield, CT)
- St. Peter's University Peacocks and Peahens (Jersey City, NJ)
- St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers (Brooklyn, New York City, NY)
- St. John's University Red Storm (Queens, New York City, NY)
- Seton Hall University Pirates (South Orange, NJ)
- Stony Brook University Seawolves (Stony Brook, NY)
- Wagner College Seahawks (Staten Island, New York City, NY)
- Yale University Bulldogs (New Haven, CT)

Media

The New York City metropolitan area is home to the headquarters of several well-known media companies, subsidiaries, and publications, including Thomson Reuters, The New York Times Company, the Associated Press, Time Warner, NBCUniversal, the Hearst Corporation, Viacom, News Corporation, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, ABC, CBS, and NBC. Local television channels include WCBS-TV 2 (CBS), WNBC 4 (NBC), WNYW 5 (FOX), WABC-TV 7 (ABC), WWOR-TV 9 (MyNetworkTV), WPIX 11 (CW), WNET 13 (PBS), WNYE-TV 25 (NYC Media) and WPXN-TV 31 (Ion). NY1 is a 24/7 local news provider available only to cable television subscribers. Radio stations serving the area include: WNYC, WFMU, WABC-AM, and WFAN. Many television and radio stations use the top of the Empire State Building to broadcast their terrestrial television signals, while some media entities broadcast from studios in Times Square.

The New York metropolitan area is extensive enough so that its own channels must compete with channels from neighboring television markets (including Philadelphia, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and Hartford) within its outlying counties. Cable companies offer such competition in the Pennsylvania portion, Connecticut, and a few counties in central New Jersey.

Theme parks

In New Jersey

In New York State

Playland, Rye, Westchester County

Plans were unveiled by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on September 27, 2012 for the New York Wheel, a giant Ferris wheel, to be built at the northern shore of Staten Island, overlooking the Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor, and the Lower Manhattan skyline.

In Pennsylvania

Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Dorneyville, Lehigh County

Although the DP&WWK complex is not planned as a theme park, it is nonetheless one of the largest amusement parks in Pennsylvania and draws substantially from Greater NYC since it is just off Interstate 78 in a location just west of Allentown.

Area codes

The area is served by at least 29 area codes:

Notes

References

External links

Government Census, Table 1.

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