MID HUDSON – Independence Day is one of the busiest days of the year. This year, more than 71 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more to celebrate America’s independence from Britain on July 4. New Yorkers define their travel destinations based on where they live, sparking the upstate versus downstate debate.
Long Islanders generally consider upstate to mean anywhere north of New York City. Adirondack residents consider downstate to mean anything south of Albany. Residents of western New York, such as Buffalo, refrain from entering the debate and are quick to note that their Buffalo Bills are the only American football team in New York State. The NFL’s New York Jets and New York Giants both play their home games in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The Mid Hudson News recently asked Hudson Valley congressional representatives and a congressional candidate to explain where they believe the boundary between upstate and downstate New York lies. The full 30-second responses from Congressmen Marc Molinaro (NY-19) and Pat Ryan (NY-18), Westchester County Executive George Latimer (Democratic candidate for NY-16), and Ryan’s opponent Alison Esposito are featured in the embedded video, with highlights listed below. Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Molinaro’s opponent Josh Riley did not respond to the Mid Hudson News’ request for their response.
“Upstate meets Downstate in the 19th Congressional District,” Molinaro said, also adding that “Upstate starts where Dutchess County meets Columbia County.”
Rep. Ryan, who was born and raised in Kingston, called the debate “fierce” and described the Hudson Valley as “a special and unique place.” He chose Poughkeepsie as the boundary between the regions. “If I had to pick where upstate begins,” he said, using the Metro-North Railroad as a guide, “I would say Poughkeepsie and upstate.”
Ryan’s Republican opponent Alison Esposito, a retired city police officer, told Mid Hudson News: “I’ve always said that anything outside of the city is upstate, but that’s not how the rest of the state sees it.”
Westchester County Executive George Latimer, who just won a Democratic congressional primary against Rep. Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), took a different approach. A Westchester native, he attended graduate school at New York University and noted that his classmates considered Westchester to be part of upstate. He owns a home in the Adirondacks and said his neighbors there consider Westchester to be part of downstate. “I would say upstate New York is 50 miles north of where you are at the moment you’re there.” Like Buffalons, he was quick to point out that neither upstate nor downstate should be confused with western New York.
There is no official definition of the northern and southern boundaries of the state.
