U.S. Department of Commerce

New York


BASIC INFORMATION

map image of New York
2010 Census Population: 19,378,102 (3rd)
Land Area: 47,126.4 square miles (30th)
Density: 411.2 persons per square mile (7th)
Capital: Albany
Became a State: July 26, 1788 (11th)
Bordering States: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
International Border: Canada
Abbreviation: NY
ANSI Code: 36

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HISTORY

The area of New York was part of the original territory of the United States. When originally chartered in 1664, it included a much larger area. A portion was sold to create New Jersey in 1664, and title claims were ceded in 1682 to Delaware and Pennsylvania. In 1780, New York ceded area to the United States that became part of the Northwest Territory in 1787. New York ratified the U.S. Constitution on July 26, 1788; it was the 11th of the original 13 states to join the Union. In 1791, New York consented to the statehood separation of Vermont; in 1792, it sold area along Lake Erie (the Erie Triangle) to Pennsylvania, to assume generally the same boundary as the present state.

Census data for New York are available beginning with the 1790 census. The 1790 census data do not include population included in present-day Pennsylvania or Vermont. These areas were enumerated as parts of those states, although the Erie Triangle and all of the state of Vermont legally were part of New York at the time of the census.

AMERICAN INDIAN AREAS

New York has eight federally recognized American Indian reservations. There is one tribal designated statistical area (TDSA). There are also two state recognized reservations.

METROPOLITAN AND MICROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS AND RELATED STATISTICAL AREAS

New York has 12 metropolitan statistical areas, 15 micropolitan statistical areas, 2 metropolitan divisions, and 6 combined statistical areas.

COUNTIES

There are 62 counties in New York.  The five counties that comprise New York city (Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond) are governmentally consolidated with the city.  The remaining 57 counties are functioning governmental units, each governed by a board of supervisors, county legislature, board of representatives, a legislative board, or a board of legislators.

COUNTY SUBDIVISIONS

There are 1,023 county subdivisions in New York known as minor civil divisions (MCDs).  There are 932 towns with functioning, but not necessarily active governmental units.  East Rochester, Mount Kisco, and Scarsdale towns are coextensive with a single incorporated place and have joint MCD/place governments.  Green Island and Harrison towns are coextensive with a single incorporated place and have separate active township governments.  Each town is governed by a town supervisor or town manager and a town council or town board.

The five boroughs that comprise New York city (one borough in each of the five counties) are not considered to be functioning governmental units.  There are 61 cities in New York that are independent of MCDs and serve as 62 county subdivisions.  There are 14 county subdivisions comprised of American Indian reservations.  American Indian areas have a special legal status regarding their relationship to state and county government and are treated by the Census Bureau as county subdivision equivalents for the portion of the reservation within each county. 

Minor civil divisions are legally incorporated municipal corporations within the state.  They provide a range of services to their residents and are empowered to tax property within their boundaries to raise revenue.  Villages in New York are places dependent within towns and are not treated as minor civil divisions, with the exception of the five town-village governments. 

In addition, there are 10 undefined MCDs that consist entirely of water.

PLACES

New York has 1,189 places; 617 incorporated places and 572 census designated places.  The incorporated places consist of 62 cities and 555 villages.  Cities are independent of any town or American Indian reservation.  Villages are dependent within county subdivision.  New York city is coextensive with the five boroughs (MCDs).  Green Island, East Rochester, Harrison, Mount Kisco, and Scarsdale villages are coextensive with a single town of the same name and have consolidated place/MCD governments.  Pelham and Pelham Manor villages together are coextensive with a single town, Pelham, in Westchester County. City, town, and village governments have similar powers and perform similar functions.

In New York there is no set progression from village to city status.  Cities independent of other county subdivisions are chartered by the state and there is no minimum population size to become a city. 

CENSUS TRACTS/BLOCK GROUPS/BLOCKS

New York has 4,919 census tracts, 15,464 block groups, and 350,169 census blocks.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS

For the 111th Congress (January 2009-January 2011), New York has 29 congressional districts.  Beginning with the 113th Congress (January 2013-January 2015), New York will have 27 congressional districts as a result of reapportionment based on the 2010 Census.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS

New York has 14 elementary school districts, 3 secondary school districts, and 669 unified school districts. 

STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS

There are 62 state senate districts and 150 assembly districts in New York.

ZIP CODE TABULATION AREAS

There are 1,794 ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) in New York.

OTHER INFORMATION OF GENERAL GEOGRAPHIC INTEREST

New York is the only state to have been among the top five most populous states since the first census in 1790. 

New York city has been the nation’s most populous city each decade since 1790. 

Brooklyn was once a separate city; it merged with New York in 1898.

HISTORICAL CENTERS OF POPULATION

http://www.census.gov/geo/www/2010census/centerpop2010/historical/historical_cenpop_36.html

Year North Latitude West Longitude
20106 41° 30′ 05″ 74° 37′ 15″
20006 41° 30′ 27″ 74° 38′ 43″
19905 41° 32′ 37″ 74° 41′ 38″
19804 41° 32′ 45″ 74° 43′ 06″
19703 41° 30′ 49″ 74° 43′ 02″
19603 41° 30′ 21″ 74° 43′ 12″
19503 41° 30′ 23″ 74° 44′ 31″
19402 41° 29′ 50″ 74° 43′ 45″
19302 41° 31′ 32″ 74° 46′ 01″
19201 41° 36′ 13″ 74° 50′ 59″
19101 41° 39′ 29″ 74° 51′ 50″
19001 41° 48′ 00″ 74° 45′ 51″
18901 41° 54′ 51″ 74° 51′ 56″
18801 42° 00′ 04″ 74° 54′ 50″

1  Source:  U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1923
2  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, recomputation for historical county level data which relied upon aggregate county level population data with an estimated county centroid resulting in a possible error of up to one mile.
3  Source:  U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Centers of Population for States and Counties, 1974
4  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group/enumeration area data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
5  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
6  Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, computation from national block-level data

MOST POPULOUS, LARGEST IN AREA, AND DENSLEY POPULATED AREA

  Population Land Area
(square miles)
Population Density
(Persons per square mile)
  Name Population Name Area Name Density
County Kings County 2,504,700 St. Lawrence County 2,630.38 New York County 69,468.4
Place
 - Inc Place New York city 8,175,133 New York city 302.64 Kaser village 27,420.1
 - CDP Cheektowaga CDP 75,178 Calverton CDP 28.03 Bellerose Terrace CDP 17,637.2
Town Hempstead town,
Nassau County
759,757 Webb town,
Herkimer County
452.28 Eastchester town,
Westchester County
6,668.6

LISTS OF ENTITIES

American Indian Areas
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/guidestloc/files/aiannh10.txt

Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Related Statistical Areas
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/guidestloc/files/cbsa10.txt
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/guidestloc/files/metdiv10.txt
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/guidestloc/files/csa10.txt

Counties
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/counties_list_36.txt

County Subdivisions
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/county_sub_list_36.txt

Places
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/2010_place_list_36.txt

Census Tracts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/census_tracts_list_36.txt

Congressional Districts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_cd111_national.txt

School Districts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_unsd_national.txt
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_elsd_national.txt
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_scsd_national.txt

State Legislative Districts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_sldl_national.txt
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_sldu_national.txt

ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_zcta_national.txt