Downstate as defined by the New York State Dept of Tourism:

Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, and Southern Dutchess Counties.

Includes: City of Rye, Peekskill, Newburgh, Middletown, Beacon, Port Jervis, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, White Plains, ect.


So anything north of Poughkeepsie basically, like Ulster and Columbia counties.

The areas north of NYC in New York State, with maybe the exception of Westchester County (depending on the context) due to the fact that it has a lot more in common with the areas to its south than to its north. Rockland County more often than not is considered to be Upstate NY (sorry.)

In rural New York State people will either use the NYC area or the Albany area as the marker for upstate. Some people from Orange County for example, say they live upstate and some vehemently oppose that designation, as Orange County is well south of Albany.

The word "upstate" has a particularly negative connotation and should be avoided. Few people like to be considered to be from "upstate", as it implies the antithesis of all that New York is about. "Upstate" is the N-word of geography and should be avoided at all costs.

Note: There is also a rare usage of "upstate" referring to everything outside of New York City, including Long Island and Westchester, just meaning New York State.

This is how I see it from my experience--

1) If you tell someone your from the city and they ask which one? Your Upstate.
2) If your not from Amsterdam the European city. Your Upstate
3) If your movie theater is in the mall. Your upstate
4) If you do all your clothes shopping at Woodbury Commons. Your Upstate
5) If there is a strip road with 15 fast food joints in row. Your Upstate.
6) If you dont get Hot 97 or 92.3 or K2u on your radio stations. Your Upstate.
7) If you know more about my car than a mechanic. Your Upstate.
8) If you live near a prison. Your Upstate.
Pretty much anywhere past White Plains.

A politically incorrect term for all areas north of you. Usually quite derogatory.

1) A region north of New York City's suburbs. Essentially an extension of the Midwestern rustbelt, not that there's anything wrong with that other than the fact they're not exactly New York State's greatest economic asset. Its people have what is undoubtedly the world's worst inferiority complex; they hate being overshadowed by the City almost to the point of irrational hatred, when they might not have necessarily been there. Lovely places to observe nature like the Adirondacks and the Finger Lakes, but there aren't that many prominent resorts to enjoy it from. Most of the largish cities like Buffalo and Rochester are big manufacturing centers, but they're in relatively bad shape and need to be cleaned up (garbagewise and crimewise), revitalized, and repopulated.

2) The city and suburbs of Chicago, Illinois (aka Chicagoland). In this case, upstate is the heavily-urbanized part of the state, while downstate is more rural and dotted with smaller cities and towns.

3) Otherwise, the northern part of any socially or demographically divided state (Northern California, Seattle-area Washington, northern Texas, Florida panhandle, etc.)

anything above Westchester County. deal with it.

Upstate isn't about Texas you morons, it refers to New York. Here in the city where skinny gangstas ryde, you don't wanna be sent upstate. Being sent up north, or upstate, means your about to be introduced to soap on a rope and other assets of prison life. Some great gangstas, the O.G.s, become Gods upstate, and come home and put shit on lock. The rest of them just get their shit put on coc* in prison and are bitc* when they come home.

A barren desolate land north of Westchester, NY containing of some the most boorish people. They claim to have manners and courtesy but they lack common sense and social graces.

Everywhere above New York City. Such as Nassau, Westchester, and Rockland.

If you people actually lived in New York you would know it is not safe. But most of you want to make yourselves look smart. Everyday someone gets shot in New York.