Westchester County, NY: Not Upstate, It's Downstate/Metro

Westchester County's Regional Classification

No, Westchester County is not considered Upstate New York.

Definitions

• Downstate / NYC Metro: NYC (5 boroughs) + Long Island (Nassau, Suffolk) + Westchester + Rockland + Putnam + Orange + Dutchess (sometimes)
• Upstate: Everything north of the NYC metropolitan area—typically starting around Columbia/Greene counties or the Catskills

Westchester's Status

• Directly borders The Bronx (NYC)
• Served by Metro-North Railroad (commuter rail to Grand Central)
• Part of NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area
• High cost of living, suburban character, NYC bedroom communities

Why the Confusion?

• Some NYC residents call anything north of 14th Street "upstate" (hyperbole)
• Westchester has parks, reservoirs, "country feel" in north
• Political/cultural differences from NYC proper

Officially and colloquially among New Yorkers: Westchester = Downstate / Suburbs / Metro North. Upstate begins further north.