Why do people think Buffalo, NY is part of upstate NY?

As a lifetime resident of Western New York (well, most of my life anyway) I can attest that "upstate" has always meant "not NYC" to me. read more

For all intents and purposes, any part of New York State that is not in the so-called New York Metro Area is considered “upstate.” The New York Metro Area surely includes the City, Long Island and Rockland/Westchester. These areas are marked by high incomes, high property values and high taxes. read more

The entire population of Upstate NY is about 6,000,000 people. Do some BUFFALO math. If 4 cities have metro populations of over 1 million people, that means that between 4 and 5 million of the 6 million people that live in Upstate NY, live in either a city or a suburb. read more

The term “upstate NY” means different things to different people. If you are referring to what is known by those of us from the very northern part of NY as “The North Country” then the reason I see that it is going into economic decline is that it is a very rural part of the country with no industry to attract jobs and an educated work force. read more