So You Think You Live In Upstate New York
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So You Think You Live In Upstate New York

Settling the age-old question of what exactly is "upstate"

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So You Think You Live In Upstate New York
By Daniel Case, via Wikimedia Commons

If you live/work/or spend a significant amount of time in the state of New York, you're probably aware of the whole debate surrounding upstate New York. What counts as upstate New York, what defines upstate New York, and who are upstate New Yorkers?

I'm here to lay out the facts and settle this argument once and for all.

*Boos in the distance from New Yorkers who already know I'm failing them*

First, the general layout of New York State:

Westchester, as discussed, is hardly outside of the city, so a lot of people from Westchester consider themselves a notch above the rest of us. "Upstate" can come with a connotation of disgust depending on who's saying it. "Oh no, we're not from upstate, we're from Westchester."

If you're from anywhere besides the city or Westchester County, you probably consider Poughkeepsie the border. Why Poughkeepsie? It's a pretty arbitrary choice, seeing as it isn't even a county or region border, and it's really not much further north than Westchester is relative to the rest of the state.

My town is just south of Poughkeepsie, and I'm in that boat: upstate starts past mid-Hudson Valley. However, I know people in the North Country Region and even the Capital district who would scoff at that idea.

The reason for this division mostly lies in vantage point - and since most outsiders really only associate NYC with New York, they're not taking into account the vast expanse of the state.

If you live further south in New York, you're more likely to think the border for upstate is further south - because you're familiar with what is north and south relative to your location. People from much further north don't understand how a southern county could be "upstate" because to them, it is so far to the south.

In the end, there's no definite border that can distinguish upstate New York from the rest of the state - I tried, I failed - but New Yorkers can gladly unite under a common belief: the city is never, ever to be included in upstate New York. And though they may seem like the main attraction, we've got a whole lot to offer up here.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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