New York Metropolitan Area

Panoramic aerial view of the Brooklyn Bridge stretching over East River, with the cityscape of Brooklyn in the backdrop.
A sweeping view of the New York metropolitan area’s urban heart, showcasing the skyline of Lower Manhattan in the foreground and Brooklyn beyond the East River. The iconic Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges span the water, connecting the global city to its vibrant boroughs and neighborhoods. File photo: Content zilla, licensed.

The New York Metropolitan Area stands as the largest, most populous, and economically powerful metropolitan region in the United States. Often called the Tri-State Area or Greater New York, this vast urban agglomeration encompasses New York City and surrounding communities in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and even parts of Pennsylvania. With a population exceeding 20 million people and a gross metropolitan product surpassing $2.6 trillion, the region functions as one of the world’s premier economic and cultural centers.​

For Long Islanders, the New York Metropolitan Area represents home-a dynamic region where suburban communities, urban centers, and diverse neighborhoods connect through shared transportation systems, economic ties, and cultural heritage. Nassau and Suffolk Counties form the Nassau County–Suffolk County Metropolitan Division, one of four divisions comprising the larger New York-Newark-Jersey City Metropolitan Statistical Area. This position places Long Island at the heart of America’s greatest metropolitan economy, with connections extending through all five boroughs of New York City and across state lines into New Jersey and Connecticut.​

Defining the Metropolitan Area: Geography and Statistics

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) officially designates the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area as the formal boundaries of the metro region. As of 2024 Census estimates, this MSA encompasses 19,940,274 people across 23 counties-making it the only metropolitan area in the United States with more than 20 million residents.​

The metropolitan statistical area covers 6,140 square miles and includes:​

New York State (10 counties):

New Jersey (12 counties):

  • Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic Counties (North Jersey)
  • Essex, Union, Morris, Sussex, and Hunterdon Counties (Newark Division)
  • Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Somerset Counties (New Brunswick-Lakewood Division)

Connecticut (1 county):

  • Fairfield County (Western Connecticut)

Combined Statistical Area (CSA)

The broader New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area extends the region’s boundaries to include 31 counties across four states. As of 2024, this CSA encompasses approximately 22.3 million people-nearly one out of every fifteen Americans. The combined statistical area measures 13,318 square miles, making it one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world by both population and land area.​

The CSA adds counties in the Hudson Valley (Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties in New York), the Poconos region of Pennsylvania (Pike and Monroe Counties), and additional Connecticut counties (New Haven and Litchfield).​

Metropolitan Divisions

The MSA is subdivided into four metropolitan divisions, each functioning as a distinct economic and geographic unit:​

  1. New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division (12,172,495 residents) – includes the five NYC boroughs plus Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam Counties in New York, and Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic Counties in New Jersey​
  2. Nassau County-Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division (2,928,347 residents) – comprises Long Island’s two suburban counties​
  3. New Brunswick-Lakewood, NJ Metropolitan Division (2,561,540 residents) – includes Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Somerset Counties​
  4. Newark, NJ Metropolitan Division (2,277,892 residents) – encompasses Essex, Union, Morris, Sussex, and Hunterdon Counties​

Historical Development: From Dutch Settlement to Greater New York

The New York Metropolitan Area’s development begins with the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam on the southern tip of Manhattan in the 1620s. The strategic location at the mouth of the Hudson River, combined with one of the world’s finest natural harbors, positioned the settlement for extraordinary growth.​

After the English captured New Amsterdam in 1664 and renamed it New York, the city began its transformation into a major trading hub. By the late 18th century, New York had emerged as one of colonial America’s most important ports, though still smaller than Philadelphia and Boston.​

The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 proved transformative, connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson River and cementing New York’s position as America’s premier gateway to the interior. This infrastructure revolutionized commerce and triggered unprecedented population growth.​

The City of Greater New York: Consolidation of 1898

The most significant event in shaping the modern New York Metropolitan Area occurred on January 1, 1898, when the City of Greater New York was officially created through consolidation. This historic merger united previously independent municipalities into a single city comprising five boroughs.​

Before consolidation, the region consisted of separate cities and towns:​

The consolidation vote in 1894 passed by a large majority, though support varied significantly by location. New York County voters overwhelmingly favored consolidation, while Brooklyn (Kings County) narrowly approved with only 50.1% voting yes. Some communities, particularly in Queens, opposed the merger but were overruled by the overall majority.​

On January 1, 1898, Greater New York was born with a population of approximately 3.5 million people, making it the second-largest city in the world after London. The consolidation fundamentally transformed urban governance, infrastructure development, and economic coordination across the region.​

Eastern Queens County was excluded from consolidation and subsequently became Nassau County in 1899. This division established the modern boundaries between New York City and suburban Long Island that persist today.​

20th Century Suburban Expansion

The early 20th century witnessed massive expansion beyond New York City’s borders as improved transportation enabled suburban development. The construction of bridges, tunnels, parkways, and commuter rail lines made it feasible for workers to live outside the city while maintaining urban employment.​

The automobile age accelerated suburban growth dramatically. In 1947, William Levitt broke ground on Levittown in Nassau County – America’s first mass-produced suburban community, which became the prototype for post-World War II suburban development nationwide. This planned community symbolized the shift toward suburban living that would define the region’s growth for decades.​

Robert Moses, as parks commissioner and master builder, constructed extensive parkway systems connecting Long Island to New York City, along with recreational facilities like Jones Beach State Park that made suburban living more attractive. His infrastructure projects fundamentally reshaped the metropolitan landscape.​

By 2010, Greater New York had expanded to between 19 and 23 million residents depending on the definition used, with suburban counties experiencing sustained growth while New York City’s population fluctuated.​

Population and Demographics: America’s Most Diverse Region

As of July 2024, New York City’s population reached 8,478,000, with growth resuming after pandemic-era declines. The broader New York-Newark-Jersey City Metropolitan Statistical Area contains 19,940,274 residents as of 2024 Census estimates. The combined statistical area encompasses approximately 22.3 million people-roughly one in fifteen Americans.​

Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties combined) has a population of approximately 2.9 million people, representing 39% of New York State’s total population outside New York City. If Long Island were a state, it would rank ahead of 21 other states in population.​

Unprecedented Diversity

The New York Metropolitan Area stands as one of the most ethnically and racially diverse regions on Earth. New York City alone is home to the largest foreign-born population of any metropolitan region in the world and continues to serve as the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States.​

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, New York City’s racial and ethnic composition includes:​

  • Non-Hispanic White: 30.9% (2,719,856 residents)
  • Hispanic or Latino: 28.3% (2,490,350 residents)
  • Black or African American: 20.2% (1,776,891 residents)
  • Asian: 15.6% (1,373,502 residents)
  • Two or more races: 3.4% (299,959 residents)
  • Other race: 1.6% (143,632 residents)

The metropolitan area contains extraordinary concentrations of specific ethnic communities:​

  • Largest Jewish community outside Israel, with over 1.5 million Jewish residents
  • Home to 20% of the nation’s Indian Americans, with at least 20 Little India enclaves
  • 15% of all Korean Americans, including vibrant Koreatowns
  • Largest Dominican population in the United States, concentrated in Manhattan and the Bronx
  • Largest Chinese population outside Asia, with over 659,000 overseas Chinese as of 2008
  • Over one million Asian Americans in New York City alone as of 2010, greater than San Francisco and Los Angeles combined

Queens County holds the distinction of being the most ethnically diverse county in the United States and the most diverse urban area in the world. This extraordinary diversity reflects continuous waves of immigration spanning four centuries, from Dutch and English settlers through Irish, German, Italian, and Jewish immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries, to more recent arrivals from Latin America, Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, and Eastern Europe.​

Long Island Demographics

Nassau and Suffolk Counties together form a more predominantly white suburban region, though diversity has been increasing. According to 2020 data, whites form the majority in both counties, with Catholics comprising 52% of the religious population, Jews 16%, and Protestants 7%.​

However, Long Island demographics are changing rapidly. A growing population of nearly half a million Chinese Americans now lives on Long Island, with rapidly expanding Chinatowns in Queens extending into Nassau County. The Flushing Chinatown in Queens has become the largest and fastest-growing Chinatown in the world, housing over 250,000 ethnic Chinese.​

Long Island is also home to a large Italian-American community, with 26% of residents claiming Italian ancestry. Nassau County features a growing Little India community, while Long Island Koreatown represents another significant Asian population center.​

A contentious issue is residential segregation. A 2002 study by the nonprofit ERASE Racism determined that Nassau and Suffolk counties constitute the most racially segregated suburbs in the United States. This segregation persists despite the region’s overall diversity, reflecting historical patterns of housing discrimination and local zoning policies.​

Economy: The World’s Largest Metropolitan Economy

The New York Metropolitan Area boasts the largest metropolitan economy in the world. In 2024, the multi-state New York City-centered metropolitan statistical area produced a gross metropolitan product (GMP) of over $2.6 trillion. This staggering figure exceeds the GDP of all but seven sovereign nations.​

To put this in perspective, the New York metro area’s economy is larger than that of France, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Russia, and Mexico. It ranks as the 8th largest economy globally, behind only the United States as a whole, China, Japan, Germany, India, the United Kingdom, and France.​

In 2023, New York City alone generated a GDP of approximately $1.286 trillion, with Manhattan accounting for $939 billion (73%) of that total. The city’s economy dwarfs that of most nations and represents the core of the broader metropolitan region’s economic power.​

New York State’s GDP reached $1.8 trillion in 2024, ranking third nationally behind California and Texas. However, the metropolitan area’s GDP significantly exceeds the state figure because it includes substantial economic activity in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.​

Key Economic Sectors

Finance and Banking: The New York Metropolitan Area serves as the undisputed global capital of finance. Anchored by Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, the region hosts the world’s two largest stock exchanges by market capitalization and trading volume-the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ.​

The finance and insurance industry contributed $326.4 billion to New York State’s GDP in 2024, more than any other sector. The securities industry accounts for 5% of New York City’s private sector jobs but generates 8.5% of tax revenue and 22% of total wages, with average salaries of $360,700 as of 2012.​

Major financial institutions headquartered in the metropolitan area include JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and American Express. The region’s dominance in banking, investment management, insurance, and financial services makes it the nerve center of global capital markets.​

  • Professional and Business Services: This sector generated $268.7 billion in 2024, reflecting the region’s concentration of law firms, accounting firms, management consultancies, and advertising agencies. New York is the global center of the advertising industry, metonymously known as “Madison Avenue”.​
  • Real Estate and Rental/Leasing: Contributing $255.9 billion to the state economy, real estate represents a major economic driver. Manhattan alone contained over 500 million square feet of office space as of 2015, making it the largest office market in the United States. Midtown Manhattan, with nearly 400 million square feet, is the world’s largest central business district.​
  • Technology and Media: Silicon Alley—New York’s technology sector—continues expanding, with the information industry growing to 2.0 times its 2014 GDP by 2024. The city serves as the nation’s preeminent center for mass media, journalism, and publishing. Digital media, design, and creative industries account for growing shares of employment.​
  • Healthcare and Life Sciences: Major medical centers, research institutions, and biotechnology companies form a substantial part of the regional economy. The sector provides hundreds of thousands of jobs across hospitals, clinics, pharmaceutical companies, and research facilities.​
  • Tourism and Hospitality: By 2025, tourism had become New York’s second-largest industry after finance. The metropolitan area welcomed tens of millions of visitors annually before the pandemic, generating billions in economic activity through hotels, restaurants, attractions, and entertainment.​
  • Manufacturing and Port Operations: While declining in relative importance, manufacturing remains consequential, particularly food processing, which employs over 19,000 residents and generates $5 billion annually. The Port of New York and New Jersey handled over 8.2 million TEUs in the ten months through October 2022, serving as a major economic engine.​

Employment and Income

As of 2024, private sector employment in New York City increased by 109,700 jobs, though the unemployment rate remained steady at 5.0%. The city’s median household income stands at $79,713, with average household income of $127,894. Approximately 17.36% of the population lives below the poverty line, reflecting persistent income inequality despite the region’s overall wealth.​

Nassau County is the wealthiest county in New York State, with particularly affluent communities concentrated on the Gold Coast and Five Towns areas. The county transitioned from manufacturing-based employment to becoming a major center of white-collar office employment, with some buildings exceeding one million square feet.​

Transportation: Connecting the Region

The New York Metropolitan Area features one of the most extensive and complex public transportation networks in the world. The system moves millions of people daily through an interconnected web of subways, buses, commuter rails, ferries, and other services.​

  • New York City Subway: The largest rapid transit system in the world by number of stations (472) and the eighth-largest by annual ridership, the subway carried 1.76 billion passenger trips in 2015. As of September 2006, average weekday ridership exceeded 5 million, with combined subway and bus ridership reaching 7.61 million. The system operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week—one of only a handful of 24-hour subway systems globally.​

The subway serves all boroughs except Staten Island, which has its own Staten Island Railway. Twenty-eight subway lines connect neighborhoods throughout the city, making the system the backbone of urban transportation. Ridership increased 36% from 1995 to 2005, far outpacing population growth and demonstrating New Yorkers’ heavy reliance on public transit.​

  • Bus Service: Over 5,710 buses operated by MTA Regional Bus Operations carry approximately 2.5 million passengers daily on more than 238 local routes, 62 express routes, and 7 Select Bus Service routes. This amounts to 793 million annual bus trips, accounting for 80% of the city’s surface mass transit. New York City operates the largest clean-air diesel-hybrid and compressed natural gas bus fleet in the United States.​

Commuter Rail: Three commuter rail systems serve the metropolitan area:​

  • Metro-North Railroad connects New York City with the northern suburbs in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Dutchess, and Orange Counties, as well as Connecticut
  • Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is the largest commuter railroad in North America, linking Manhattan and Brooklyn with Nassau and Suffolk Counties
  • NJ Transit operates extensive commuter rail service connecting New Jersey communities with New York City

Additionally, the PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) rapid transit system provides 24-hour service between Manhattan and New Jersey.​

  • Ferries: New York Waterway and other ferry services connect Manhattan with New Jersey, while NYC Ferry provides service to Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. The Staten Island Ferry—free since 1997-carries commuters between Staten Island and Manhattan.​

Bridges, Tunnels, and Highways

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Bridges and Tunnels division operates nine bridges and tunnels connecting the boroughs. Major crossings include:​

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey operates additional major crossings including the George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel, Holland Tunnel, and Bayonne Bridge.​

An extensive system of expressways and parkways connects New York City with its suburbs. Major highways include the Long Island Expressway, Cross Island Parkway, Northern State Parkway, Southern State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and numerous others.​

Airports

The New York Metropolitan Area airport system is one of the largest in the world:​

  • John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Queens serves as the region’s primary international gateway
  • LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in Queens handles primarily domestic flights
  • Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey serves international and domestic routes
  • Stewart International Airport in Orange County, New York, provides additional capacity

Together, these facilities accommodated over 130 million passengers in 2016. LaGuardia and JFK are both located on Long Island – in Queens County – making them geographically part of the island.​

Alternative Transportation

New York City has a growing bicycle infrastructure, with Citi Bike operating the largest bike share system outside China. The city promotes cycling as part of its climate and environmental justice initiatives.​

Only 6% of shopping trips in Manhattan involve the use of a car, demonstrating the region’s unique reliance on public transportation compared to other American metropolitan areas. This low car usage contributes to the region’s relatively lower per-capita carbon emissions despite its enormous population.​

Cultural Attractions: World-Class Arts and Entertainment

The New York Metropolitan Area contains an unparalleled concentration of world-class museums and cultural institutions. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met)-one of the largest museums in the world-showcases art spanning 5,000 years of history from every corner of the globe. The museum’s collection includes over two million works, with 1.5 million square feet of exhibition space.​

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) houses the world’s finest collection of modern and contemporary art, including iconic works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Warhol, and countless others. The museum’s collection defines the trajectory of modern art from the late 19th century to the present.​

Other major institutions include:​

  • American Museum of Natural History – featuring anthropology, paleontology, and natural science exhibits
  • Brooklyn Museum – a comprehensive art museum with ancient Egyptian and contemporary collections
  • Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum – housed in Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic spiral building
  • Whitney Museum of American Art – devoted to 20th and 21st century American art
  • The Frick Collection – old master paintings and decorative arts in a Gilded Age mansion
  • The Cloisters – medieval European art and architecture in Fort Tryon Park

Beyond Manhattan, cultural institutions dot the entire metropolitan area. The Buffalo AKG Art Museum in Western New York, the Hyde Collection in Glens Falls, and numerous Long Island museums contribute to the region’s cultural richness.​

Performing Arts

  • Broadway represents the pinnacle of American theater, with the Broadway theatre district in Times Square hosting dozens of theatres presenting world-class productions. Shows like Hamilton, The Lion King, and countless others draw audiences from around the world, generating billions in economic activity. Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway theaters provide venues for experimental and alternative productions.​
  • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts serves as home to the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, and numerous other world-renowned performing arts organizations. The complex represents one of the world’s leading performing arts venues.​
  • Carnegie Hall remains one of the world’s most prestigious concert venues, hosting classical music, jazz, and popular music performances since 1891.​
  • Throughout the metropolitan area, venues like Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre, Barclays Center, Madison Square Garden, and countless smaller theaters and music clubs provide entertainment options spanning every genre and taste.​

Jazz and Music Heritage

New York City’s jazz clubs carry forward a tradition dating to the Harlem Renaissance. Legendary venues like the Blue Note and Village Vanguard host world-class jazz performances nightly. The city’s music scene extends far beyond jazz to include classical music at Lincoln Center, rock and indie music in Williamsburg and Brooklyn, hip-hop culture born in the Bronx, and every other musical genre imaginable.​

Regional Subregions: The Metropolitan Mosaic

New York City, comprising Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, serves as the primary urban center and geographical, cultural, and economic core of the entire metropolitan region. With 8.48 million residents as of July 2024, it remains America’s most populous city by a wide margin.​

Manhattan functions as the financial and cultural heart, home to Wall Street, Midtown’s corporate headquarters, world-class museums, Broadway theaters, and iconic neighborhoods from Harlem to Greenwich Village to the Upper East Side. Brooklyn, with 2.5 million residents, is the most populous borough and has experienced a renaissance as a cultural and residential destination. Queens, the most diverse county in America, houses JFK and LaGuardia airports and vibrant immigrant communities. The Bronx, birthplace of hip-hop and home to Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Zoo, represents the city’s only mainland borough. Staten Island, the least populated borough, maintains a more suburban character while remaining part of New York City.​

Long Island: Suburban Nassau and Suffolk

Nassau and Suffolk Counties form the Nassau County–Suffolk County Metropolitan Division with 2.9 million residents. This suburban region stretches 118 miles east from New York Harbor, making Long Island the largest and longest island in the contiguous United States.​

The region features diverse communities ranging from wealthy Gold Coast estates to middle-class suburbs to beachfront communities along both the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound. The area’s economy has transitioned from aerospace manufacturing and agriculture to service industries, retail, healthcare, and technology.​

North and Central New Jersey

Northern and central New Jersey contain 12 counties that form integral parts of the metropolitan area. Cities like Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, and Trenton provide urban centers, while suburban communities in Bergen, Essex, Morris, Middlesex, Monmouth, and other counties house millions of commuters who work in New York City or New Jersey employment centers.​

Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal serves as the region’s primary container shipping facility, handling over 6 million TEUs annually and serving as an economic engine for the entire metropolitan area.​

Lower Hudson Valley

Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam Counties in New York’s Lower Hudson Valley form affluent suburban communities north of New York City. The region features historic river towns, corporate office parks, and some of the wealthiest zip codes in America. Metro-North Railroad provides commuter rail connections to Manhattan.​

Western Connecticut

Fairfield County in southwestern Connecticut represents the metropolitan area’s New England component. Cities like Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Greenwich contain major corporate headquarters and affluent residential communities. The county has become an important office and corporate center in its own right while maintaining strong commuter connections to New York City.​

Long Island’s Place in the Metro Region

For Long Islanders, the metropolitan area represents both home and gateway to opportunity. Nassau and Suffolk Counties function as one of four metropolitan divisions, with economic and transportation systems intricately connected to New York City and the broader region.​

The Long Island Rail Road provides the critical link, carrying hundreds of thousands of commuters daily between Long Island communities and Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. The region’s highways – including the Long Island Expressway, Northern State Parkway, and Southern State Parkway – connect island residents to jobs, cultural attractions, and family across the metropolitan area.​

Long Island’s economy both depends on and contributes to the larger metropolitan economy. Many residents commute to jobs in Manhattan or Queens, while Long Island itself hosts major employers in healthcare, education, retail, and increasingly technology sectors. The region’s beaches, wineries, historic sites, and cultural attractions draw visitors from throughout the metro area and beyond.​

Culturally, Long Islanders maintain a distinct identity within the metropolitan mosaic – suburban yet connected, prosperous yet diverse, local yet cosmopolitan. The invisible border separating Nassau County from Queens represents more than a county line; it marks a transition from urban to suburban, from city to “the Island,” that shapes personal and community identity.​

Challenges and Future Outlook

The New York Metropolitan Area faces significant challenges alongside its extraordinary strengths. Housing affordability crisis affects both New York City and suburban communities, with median home prices and rents exceeding national averages dramatically. Income inequality persists, with extreme wealth in Manhattan and affluent suburbs contrasting sharply with poverty in parts of the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens.​

Transportation infrastructure requires continuous investment to maintain and expand capacity. The subway system, while extensive, struggles with aging infrastructure and funding challenges. Road congestion affects quality of life and economic productivity throughout the region.​

Climate change poses existential threats, particularly from sea level rise and intensifying storms that threaten coastal communities throughout Long Island, New York City, and New Jersey. The region must invest billions in resilience measures to protect against future climate impacts.​

Despite these challenges, the New York Metropolitan Area’s fundamentals remain extraordinarily strong. Its diversity, economic dynamism, cultural richness, and global connections position it to remain America’s premier metropolitan region for generations to come. For Long Islanders and all who call this vast region home, the metropolitan area represents not just where they live but a dynamic, evolving ecosystem of opportunity, culture, and community that continues to shape American life and global civilization.

NY Metro Key Facts

New York Metropolitan Area
Official NameNew York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
Also Known AsGreater New York, The Tri-State Area
Population (2024)19,940,274 (MSA); 22.3 million (CSA)
Area6,140 sq. mi. (MSA); 13,318 sq. mi. (CSA)
States IncludedNew York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania (in CSA)
New York Counties (10)New York (Manhattan), Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, Bronx, Richmond (Staten Island), Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam
New Jersey Counties (12)Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Essex, Union, Morris, Sussex, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset
Connecticut Counties (1)Fairfield County
Combined Statistical Area (CSA)Adds 8 more counties: Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan, Ulster (NY); Pike, Monroe (PA); New Haven, Litchfield (CT)
Population ShareNearly 1 in 15 Americans live in this region
Gross Metropolitan Product (2024)Over $2.6 trillion – largest metropolitan economy in the world
Economic Rank (Global)8th largest economy worldwide (larger than Canada, Russia, and Australia)
Largest IndustriesFinance, Real Estate, Professional Services, Media, Technology, Tourism, Healthcare
Main Economic HubManhattan (New York County) – core of global finance, culture, and commerce
Key Metropolitan Divisions1) New York–Jersey City–White Plains 2) Nassau–Suffolk 3) New Brunswick–Lakewood 4) Newark
Transportation HighlightsExtensive 24-hour subway, largest commuter rail network (LIRR, Metro-North, NJ Transit), major airports (JFK, LGA, EWR), ferries, and extensive bridges/tunnels
AirportsJohn F. Kennedy (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA), Newark Liberty (EWR), Stewart International (SWF)
Cultural LandmarksThe Met, MoMA, Lincoln Center, Broadway, Carnegie Hall, American Museum of Natural History, Guggenheim, Whitney Museum
Key Historical Milestones1620s Dutch settlement; 1825 Erie Canal; 1898 NYC consolidation; 1947 Levittown suburban boom
DiversityMost ethnically diverse region in the U.S.; Queens is the most diverse county in the world
Long Island SubregionNassau & Suffolk Counties – suburban extension east of NYC, 2.9 million residents
ChallengesHigh housing costs, income inequality, transportation congestion, and coastal climate risks
Symbolic CoreStatue of Liberty – the enduring emblem of freedom, immigration, and opportunity