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Northeastern United States American Northeast, the Northeast | |
|---|---|
 A map of the Northeastern United States as defined by theCensus Bureau[1] | |
| Subregions | |
| Country | United States |
| States | [1] |
| Area | |
• Region | 181,324 sq mi (469,630 km2) |
| • Land | 162,257 sq mi (420,240 km2) |
| • Water | 19,067 sq mi (49,380 km2) 9.51% |
| • Urban | 74,800 sq mi (194,000 km2) |
| Highest elevation | 6,288 ft (1,916.66 m) |
| Lowest elevation (Atlantic Ocean[4]) | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population | |
• Region | 57,609,148 |
| • Density | 320/sq mi (120/km2) |
| Demonym(s) | Northeasterner, Yankee |
| GDP | |
| • Region | $5.1 trillion (2022) |
| • Per capita | $88,600 (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
TheNortheastern United States (also referred to as theNortheast, theEast Coast,[b] or theAmerican Northeast) isone of the fourcensus regionsdefined by theUnited States Census Bureau.Located on theAtlantic coast ofNorth America, the region bordersCanada to its north, theSouthern United States to its south, theMidwestern United States to its west, and theAtlantic Ocean to its east.
The Northeast is one of the four regions defined by theU.S. Census Bureau for the collection and analysis of statistics.[1] The Census Bureau defines the region as including the sixNew England states ofConnecticut,Maine,Massachusetts,New Hampshire,Rhode Island, andVermont, and three lower North-Eastern states ofNew Jersey,New York, andPennsylvania. Some expanded definitions of the region includeMid-Atlantic locations such asDelaware,Maryland,Northern Virginia, andWashington, D.C.[10][11][12][13][14]
The region is the base for theNortheast megalopolis, which includes many of the nation's largest metropolitan areas, includingBoston,New York City, andPhiladelphia. The megalopolis makes up 67% of the region's total population of 57,609,148. Thegross domestic product of the region was $5.1 trillion as of 2022 and contains some of themost developed states based on theHuman Development Index, with every state above the national average.[15][16] It is also the most densely populated region in the United States, with 320 people per square mile (120 people/km2).[17][10] The U.S. Census Bureau defines the Northeast United States as having a total area of 181,324 sq mi (469,630 km2), making it the smallest region of the United States by total area.
Anthropologists recognize the "Northeastern Woodlands" as one of thecultural regions that existed in theWestern Hemisphere at the time ofEuropean colonists in the 15th and later centuries. Most did not settle in North America until the 17th century. The cultural area, known as the "Northeastern Woodlands", in addition to covering the entire Northeast U.S., also covered much of what is now Canada and others regions of what is now theeastern United States.[18]
Among the many tribes inhabiting this area were those that made up theIroquois nations and the numerousAlgonquian peoples.[19] In the United States of the 21st century, 18federally recognized tribes reside in the Northeast.[20] For the most part, the people of the Northeastern Woodlands, on whose lands European fishermen began camping to dry their codfish in the early 1600s, lived in villages, especially after being influenced by agricultural traditions of the Ohio and Mississippi valley societies.[21]
All of theU.S. states making up the Northeastern region were among the originalThirteen Colonies, though Maine and Vermont were part of other colonies before the United States became independent in theAmerican Revolution. The two cultural and geographic regions that form parts of the Northeastern region have distinct histories. The first European explorer known to have explored the Atlantic shoreline of the Northeast since theNorse wasGiovanni da Verrazzano in 1524. His shipLa Dauphine explored the coast from what is now known as Florida to New Brunswick.
The first Europeans to settle and colonize New England werePilgrims fromEngland, who landed in present-day Massachusetts in 1620.[22] The Pilgrims arrived on the shipMayflower and foundedPlymouth Colony so they could practice religion freely.[22] Ten years later, a larger group ofPuritans settled north of Plymouth Colony inBoston to formMassachusetts Bay Colony.[23] In 1636, colonists establishedConnecticut Colony[24] andProvidence Plantations.[25]
Providence was founded byRoger Williams, who was banished by Massachusetts for his beliefs in freedom of religion, and it was the first colony to guarantee all citizens freedom of worship.Anne Hutchinson, who was also banished by Massachusetts, formed the town ofPortsmouth. Providence, Portsmouth and two other towns (Newport andWarwick) consolidated to form theColony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.[25]
Henry Hudson explored the area of present-day New York in 1609 and claimed it for the Netherlands. His journey stimulated Dutch interest, and the area became known asNew Netherland. In 1625, the city ofNew Amsterdam (the location of present-day New York City) was designated the capital of the province.[26] The Dutch New Netherland settlement along theHudson River and, for a time, theNew Sweden settlement along theDelaware River divided the English settlements in the north and the south. In 1664,Charles II of England formally annexed New Netherland and incorporated it into theEnglish colonial empire.[27] The territory became the colonies ofNew York andNew Jersey.[27] New Jersey was originally split intoEast Jersey andWest Jersey until the two were united as a royal colony in 1702.[27]
New England played a prominent role in early American education. Starting in the 17th century, the larger towns in New England openedgrammar schools, the forerunner of the modernhigh school.[citation needed] The first public school in the English colonies was theBoston Latin School, founded in 1635.[28] In 1636, the coloniallegislature of Massachusetts foundedHarvard College, the oldestinstitution of higher learning in the United States.[29]
In 1681,William Penn, who wanted to giveQuakers a land of religious freedom, foundedPennsylvania and extended freedom of religion to all citizens.[30]
Penn strongly desired access to the sea for theProvince of Pennsylvania and leased what then came to be known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware" from theDuke.[31] Penn established representative government and briefly combined his two possessions under one General Assembly in 1682.
By 1704, the province of Pennsylvania had grown so large that their representatives wanted to make decisions without the assent of the Lower Counties and the two groups of representatives began meeting on their own, one atPhiladelphia, and the other atNew Castle, Delaware. Penn and his heirs remained proprietors of both and always appointed the same person Governor for their province of Pennsylvania and their territory of the Lower Counties. The fact that Delaware and Pennsylvania shared the same governor was not unique. From 1703 to 1738, both New York and New Jersey shared a governor.[32] Massachusetts and New Hampshire also shared a governor for some time.[33]
The beginnings of theAmerican Revolutionary War would be in the Northeast, specifically in Massachusetts. TheBattles of Lexington and Concord in northeast of Boston would be the first military engagements between the Revolutionaries and the British.[34][page needed] Many of the major battles of the revolution would be fought in the Northeast. The British wouldevacuate Boston in early-1776 and would move tocapture New York City.[35][page needed]
The revolutionaries were pushed to theDelaware River before suddenly moving forward against the British in theBattles of Trenton andPrinceton.[35][page needed] A stalemate was reached in 1778, between the British and American Revolutionaries and continued until the end of the war in 1783.[36] The war would move to southern states and eventually conclude with theBattle of Yorktown in Virginia.[35][page needed]
The idea of an independent United States of America, with the designs of its government would be created primarily in the Northeast in a series of declarations, constitutions, and documents. TheContinental Congresses would meet in Philadelphia, which would produce theDeclaration of Independence andthe Articles of Confederation. Following the American Revolution, thecapital of the newly formed United States would move around in the states ofPennsylvania,New Jersey, andNew York. It was based inNew York City from 1785 until 1790, when it was moved toCongress Hall inPhiladelphia, where it remained for a decade, until 1800, when the construction of the new national capital ofWashington, D.C. was completed.[37]
TheConstitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia, where thenew United States Constitution was drafted in 1787.[38] 6 of thefirst 13 states to ratify the new constitution would be in the Northeast, with the last of the original 13, Rhode Island, ratifying the constitution in 1790. Vermont would be admitted in 1791 as the 14th state. Thefirst Congress would convene inFederal Hall in New York City in March 1789.[39]
Following the revolution the Northeast would see small skirmishes like theWhiskey Rebellion in western parts of Pennsylvania.[40][page needed] Many northeastern states would continue trading with the British and other European powers. Tensions between the United States and Europe (specifically Britain) would sour in the lead up to theWar of 1812.
This caused certain trade merchants tomeet in Hartford to propose succeeding from the United States.[41] TheWar of 1812 would see less fighting in the Northeast and instead more fighting in western and southern areas. A failedinvasion of Canada and the occupation of Maine would be some of the major conflicts during the war.[42] The war would end in 1815 and most of the Northeast has not seen any major conflict since then.
TheAmerican Industrial Revolution was launched inBlackstone Valley inRhode Island andMassachusetts, wheretextile mills spread across New England, and in easternPennsylvania, where coal, steel, and industrialization launched the nation's manufacturing sector.[43]
After the end of the War of 1812, industry boomed in the Northeast in the early and middle parts of the 19th century. With the construction of railroad and canals crossing the northeast and the rise of western territories and resources from the south, the Northeast experienced the development of new industries and a fast-growing population. Many of the coastal cities, includingBoston,New York City, andPhiladelphia, served as ocean trade ports for American goods.
Cities, includingAllentown,Buffalo,Pittsburgh,Rochester, andSyracuse, were settled and emerged as major industrial centers.[44]
By 1860, New York City, based on its present-day boundaries, was the first U.S. city to reach a population exceeding one million.[45][page needed] Due to the settlement of theMidwest andGreat Plains, agriculture would collapse in the Mid-Atlantic and New England, with many farms being abandoned by the end of the century, returning to rural forest.
Conflicts with the south over thespread of slavery would become a large factor in the start of the American Civil War, between the United States (western and Northeastern states) andthe Confederacy (southeastern states). The admission of Maine as a free state in exchange forMissouri becoming a slave state as part of theMissouri Compromise in 1820 would settle the final boundaries of the Northeastern states.[46]
TheMason-Dixon line would be established as the border of slavery, following the border of Pennsylvania and Delaware/Maryland.[47]Abolitionist movements would start in the Northeast and Midwest and would become prominent towards the mid-19th century, these groups advocated the shrinking or banning of slavery in the United States. Some Northeastern states still had small amounts of slaves into the 1850s, though some would ban it during the decade.
Theelection of 1860 led to the start of the Civil War; southern states seceded from the United States in late-1860 and early-1861. States likeMaryland andDelaware would remain in the union, even with slavery still legal. For the first two years, theeastern theater of the war would remain inVirginia and Maryland, but in 1863 the war would reach its northeastern most extent inGettysburg, Pennsylvania. TheBattle of Gettysburg is considered a turning point in the Civil War, seeing the end of the Confederate push northwards.[48]
While all Northeastern states would remain in the United States during the war, conflicts did arise, like theNew York draft riots in 1863.[49] The war would end in 1865 with the United States taking back control of Southern states.
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Following the Civil War, the Northeast would see a large economic boom and would become one of the most industrialized regions in the world. Many technological innovations would be made in the Northeast during this time. TheSecond Industrial Revolution would see the northeast grow massively, even more so than before the Civil War. Many cities in the Northeast would explode in population, with cities like Philadelphia and New York climbing over one million people, while other cities like Buffalo, Boston, and Pittsburgh would rise above half a million during this time.
New York City eventually grew to become one of the largest cities in the world by 1900. With the American involvement in both World Wars, the Northeast would become a large base of war production, with theBrooklyn Naval Yard producing many navy ships.[50] Many worker strikes would occur in the states, including theHomestead strike in 1892.[51] Many of these cities would see a peak population and industrial output in the aftermath ofWorld War II in the 1950s.[52]
Starting in the 1950s and continuing into the 21st century, a largeindustrial decline in the Northeast resulted in a depopulation of many Northeastern cities, many of which had not yet recovered from it into the 21st century. This led to the rise of programs ofurban renewal and demolition of large parts of Northeastern cities during the mid and late 20th century.[53][page needed] There has also been a large population shift to theSun Belt states starting in the 1960s.[54]
New York state lost its claim to being the most populated state after it was surpassed byCalifornia in the 1970s. Some Northeastern cities, including New York City, have recovered from its decline in the mid-20th century.[45][page needed] Many new information and service industries have risen in the northeast, which has led to a boom in the 21st century in some cities in the Northeast like Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. Some other cities likeHartford, Syracuse, and Buffalo still are declining though in the 21st century.[55]Hurricane Sandy would impact much of the northeast in 2012, severely damaging much of the coast and causing flooding inland. The hurricane would directly impactNew Jersey and caused large amounts of flooding in New York City.[56]
Although the first settlers of New England were motivated by religion, since the 21st century,New England had become one of the least religious parts of the United States. In a 2009Gallup survey, less than half of residents inMaine,Massachusetts,New Hampshire, andVermont reported religion as an important part of their daily life.[57] In a 2010 Gallup survey, less than 30% of residents in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts reportedattending church weekly, giving them the lowest church attendance among U.S. states.[58]
The vast area from centralVirginia to northernMaine, and from westernPennsylvania, fromPittsburgh in the west to theAtlantic Ocean in the east, have all been loosely grouped into the Northeast at one time or another.TheU.S. Census Bureau's definition of the Northeast includes nine states:Maine,New York,New Jersey,Vermont,Massachusetts,Rhode Island,Connecticut,New Hampshire, andPennsylvania.[1][c]
The region is often subdivided intoNew England, the six states east of New York state and theMid-Atlantic states of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. This definition has been essentially unchanged since 1880 and is widely used as a standard for data tabulation.[60][61][62][63]
The U.S. Census Bureau has acknowledged the obvious limitations of this definition and the potential merits of a proposal created after the 1950 census,[64] that would include changing regional boundaries to includeDelaware,Maryland, andWashington, D.C. with the Mid-Atlantic states, but ultimately decided that "the new system did not win enough overall acceptance among data users to warrant adoption as an official new set of general-purpose State groupings. The previous development of many series of statistics, arranged and issued over long periods of time on the basis of the existing State groupings, favored the retention of the summary units of the current regions and divisions."[65] The U.S. Census Bureau confirmed in 1994 that it would continue to "review the components of the regions and divisions to ensure that they continue to represent the most useful combinations of states and state equivalents."[65]
Many organizations and reference works follow the Census Bureau's definition for the region.[66][67][68] In the history of the United States, theMason–Dixon line between Pennsylvania (the North) and Maryland (the South) traditionally divided the regions,[69] but in modern times, various entities define the Northeastern United States in somewhat different ways.
TheAssociation of American Geographers divides the Northeast into two divisions: "New England", which is the same as the Census Bureau; and it has the same "Middle States" but adds Delaware.[70] Similarly, theGeological Society of America defines the Northeast as these same states but with the addition of Maryland and theDistrict of Columbia.[71]
The narrowest definitions include only the states of New England.[72] Other more restrictive definitions include New England and New York as part of the Northeast United States, but exclude Pennsylvania and New Jersey.[73][74]
States beyond the Census Bureau definition are included in Northeast Region by various other entities:
While most of the Northeastern United States lie in the physiographic region of theAppalachian Highlands, some are also part of theAtlantic coastal plain, which extends south to the southern tip ofFlorida. The coastal plain areas includeCape Cod in Massachusetts,Long Island in New York, and most ofNew Jersey, and are generally low and flat with sandy soil and long tidal marsh waterways.[10] The highlands, including thePiedmont and the Appalachian Mountains, are heavily forested, ranging from rolling hills to summits greater than 6,000 feet (1,800 m), and pocked with many lakes.[10] The highest peak in the Northeast isMount Washington inNew Hampshire at 6,288 feet (1,917 m).[81]
As of 2012[update], forest-use covered approximately 60% of the Northeastern states, including Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., about twice the national average. About 11% was cropland and another 4% grassland pasture or range. There is also more urbanized land in the Northeast (12%) than any other region in the U.S.[14]
Many parks on a state and national level cover the inland parts of the region. Large parks include theAdirondack Park in northeastern New York,Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont,White Mountain Forest in northern New Hampshire,Baxter State Park in northern Maine,Acadia National Park on the eastern coast of Maine,Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania, andCatskill Park in southern New York. There are also some parks closer to the shore, though these are usually smaller and squeezed in-between urbanized areas. These include thePalisades Park in New Jersey,Fire Island in Long Island, and theCape Cod shoreline in Massachusetts. The Northeast has 72National Wildlife Refuges, encompassing more than 500,000 acres (780 sq mi; 2,000 km2) of habitat and designed to protect some of the 92 different threatened andendangered species living in the region.[20]
The climate of the Northeastern United States varies from northernmost state ofMaine to its southernmost state inMaryland. The region's climate is influenced by its positional western to eastern flow of weather in the lower middle latitudes in the United States. In summer the subtropical high (Bermuda High) moves toward the East Coast, this pumps warm and sultry air toward the Northeast (less so in the far northern areas of northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine). Summers are normally warm in northern areas to hot in southern areas. Frequent (but brief) thundershowers are common on hot summer days from Connecticut south to Maryland.
In winter, the subtropical high retreats southeastward, and the polar jet stream moves south bringing colder air masses from up inCanada and more frequent storm systems to the region. Winter often brings both rain and snow as well as surges of both warm and cold air. In the southern part of the Northeast from coastal Rhode Island southwest to eastern Maryland, the Appalachians partially protect these locations from the extreme cold coming from the west and the interior of North America.[82]
The basic climate of the Northeast can be divided into a colder and snowier interior, including western Maryland, most of Pennsylvania, most ofNorth Jersey,Upstate New York, and most of New England, and a milder coastal plain region fromCape Cod and southernRhode Island southward, includingLong Island,Southern Connecticut,New York City, central and southernNew Jersey, part of the Pennsylvania portion of theDelaware Valley includingPhiladelphia,Delaware, and most ofMaryland.
In the latter region thehardiness zone ranges from 7a to 8a. Annual mean temperatures range from the low-to-mid 50s F from Maryland to southern Connecticut, to the 40s F in most of New York State, New England, and northern Pennsylvania.[82][83][84]
Most of the Northeast has ahumid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb/occasional Dfc/Dc). The northernmost portion of thehumid subtropical zone (Cfa/Do) begins atMartha's Vineyard andextreme SW Rhode Island and extends southwestward down the coastal plain to central and southern Maryland. Theoceanic climate zone (Cfb/Do) only exists onBlock Island andNantucket. It is the only area of the Northeast where all months average between 0 and 22 °C (32 and 72 °F).Cape Cod borders this zone and warm-summer humid continental (Dfb/Dc).[citation needed]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 1,968,040 | — | |
| 1800 | 2,632,755 | 33.8% | |
| 1810 | 3,486,486 | 32.4% | |
| 1820 | 4,359,653 | 25.0% | |
| 1830 | 5,542,381 | 27.1% | |
| 1840 | 6,761,082 | 22.0% | |
| 1850 | 8,626,851 | 27.6% | |
| 1860 | 10,594,268 | 22.8% | |
| 1870 | 12,298,730 | 16.1% | |
| 1880 | 14,507,407 | 18.0% | |
| 1890 | 17,406,969 | 20.0% | |
| 1900 | 21,046,695 | 20.9% | |
| 1910 | 25,868,573 | 22.9% | |
| 1920 | 29,662,053 | 14.7% | |
| 1930 | 34,427,091 | 16.1% | |
| 1940 | 35,976,777 | 4.5% | |
| 1950 | 39,477,986 | 9.7% | |
| 1960 | 44,677,819 | 13.2% | |
| 1970 | 49,040,703 | 9.8% | |
| 1980 | 49,135,283 | 0.2% | |
| 1990 | 50,809,229 | 3.4% | |
| 2000 | 53,594,378 | 5.5% | |
| 2010 | 55,317,240 | 3.2% | |
| 2020 | 57,609,148 | 4.1% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 57,040,406 | [85] | −1.0% |
| [86] | |||
As of the2020 U.S. census, the population of the region was 57,609,148, representing 17.38% of the nation's total population.[5] With an average of 345.5 people per square mile, the Northeast is 2.5 times as densely populated as the second-most dense region, theSouth. Since the last century, theU.S. population has been shifting away from the Northeast andMidwest toward theSouth andWest.[87]
The region's racial composition as of 2020 was 64.42%white, 11.51% African American, 0.51% Native American, 7.25% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 8.17% from other races, and 8.10% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 15.27% of the population.[88] There were 22,418,883 households and 14,189,719 families in 2021. Of the 22,418,883 households, 27.7% included children under the age of 18.[89]
In 2021, the region's the population's age distribution was 20.5% under age 18, 57.36% from 18 to 62, and 22.1% who were 62 years of age or older. The median age was 40.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 women ages 18 and over, there were 94.3 men.[90]
The median income for a household in the region in 2021 was $77,142, and the median income for a family was $97,347. About 11.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.[91]
The two U.S. Census Bureau divisions in the Northeast,New England and theMid-Atlantic, rank second and first respectively among the9 divisions in population density according to the 2013 population estimate. TheSouth Atlantic region (233.1) was very close behind New England (233.2). Due to the faster growth of theSouth Atlantic region, it will take over the #2 division rank in population density in the next estimate, dropping New England to 3rd position. New England is projected to retain the number 3 rank for many, many years, as the only other lower-ranked division with even half the population density of New England is theEast North Central division (192.1) and this region's population is projected to grow slowly.[d][92]
| State | 2020 census | 2010 census | Change | Total Area | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 3,605,944 | 3,574,097 | +0.89% | 4,842.35 sq mi (12,541.6 km2) | 741/sq mi (286/km2) |
| Maine | 1,362,359 | 1,328,361 | +2.56% | 30,842.90 sq mi (79,882.7 km2) | 43/sq mi (17/km2) |
| Massachusetts | 7,029,917 | 6,547,629 | +7.37% | 7,800.05 sq mi (20,202.0 km2) | 879/sq mi (340/km2) |
| New Hampshire | 1,377,529 | 1,316,470 | +4.64% | 8,952.64 sq mi (23,187.2 km2) | 150/sq mi (58/km2) |
| Rhode Island | 1,097,379 | 1,052,567 | +4.26% | 1,033.81 sq mi (2,677.6 km2) | 1,025/sq mi (396/km2) |
| Vermont | 643,077 | 625,741 | +2.77% | 9,216.65 sq mi (23,871.0 km2) | 68/sq mi (26/km2) |
| New England | 15,116,205 | 14,444,865 | +4.65% | 62,688.4 sq mi (162,362 km2) | 236/sq mi (91/km2) |
| New Jersey | 9,288,994 | 8,791,894 | +5.65% | 7,354.21 sq mi (19,047.3 km2) | 1,225/sq mi (473/km2) |
| New York | 20,201,249 | 19,378,102 | +4.25% | 47,126.36 sq mi (122,056.7 km2) | 421/sq mi (163/km2) |
| Pennsylvania | 13,002,700 | 12,702,379 | +2.36% | 44,742.67 sq mi (115,883.0 km2) | 286/sq mi (111/km2) |
| Middle Atlantic | 42,492,943 | 40,872,375 | +3.96% | 99,223.24 sq mi (256,987.0 km2) | 420/sq mi (162/km2) |
| Total | 57,609,148 | 55,317,240 | +4.14% | 161,911.64 sq mi (419,349.2 km2) | 354/sq mi (137/km2) |
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As of 2012[update], the Northeast U.S. accounts for approximately 23% of the nation'sgross domestic product.[15] Due to its vast population and diverse landscapes, the Northeast has a large and robust economy, ranging from financial services in Manhattan, to agriculture inCentral Pennsylvania.
As of 2021[update], theNew York metropolitan area is estimated to produce agross metropolitan product (GMP) of $2.1 trillion US dollars, ranking itfirst in the U.S. If the New York metropolitan area were asovereign state, it would have been theeighth-largest economy in the world.Manhattan is considered the world's financial center, with many large banks based inManhattan and some of the largest stock exchanges onWall Street, like theNew York Stock Exchange, it is so prominent that the term "Wall Street" is usually synonymous with finance. Many other companies are based in New York City area, either inMidtown Manhattan,downtown Brooklyn,Long Island City, or the various suburbs, likeStamford orWhite Plains. Some of the largest companies based in New York City area include,Verizon,J.P. Morgan Chase,Citigroup,MetLife,PepsiCo,IBM,Time Warner,Goldman Sachs, andPfizer. Several technology companies have been founded in New York, or moved their headquarters to New York from other places.
New York City is the nation's most populated city, and theNew York metropolitan area including and surrounding it is the nation's most populated metropolitan region, contributing to a sizable shopping economy, including many large shopping malls and department stores based in the area, such asMacy's on 34th Street,Fifth Avenue, andAmerican Dream inEast Rutherford, New Jersey, thePalisades Center inWest Nyack, New York, and theSoNo Collection inNorwalk, Connecticut. ThePort of New York and New Jersey, one of the nation's largest ports, is located onNew York Harbor.
As of 2021[update], thePhiladelphia metropolitan area is estimated to produce a GMP of $479 billion US dollars, making it the 9th largest economy in the United States. Many large companies are based inPhiladelphia, the nation's sixth-largest city, includingAmerisourceBergen,Comcast, andDuPont. ThePhiladelphia Mint is also located in the city.
TheBoston metropolitan area is a major center for insurance, finance, and technology, serving as the global headquarters forGeneral Electric,Liberty Mutual, and other large companies.
Rural regions and states, including most ofUpstate New York,Vermont,New Hampshire, andMaine, rely more on agriculture, logging, mining, and tourism to help boost their local and statewide economies. Many national and state parks in the region generate lots of tourism, especially during fall months. The logging industry is especially prominent in Maine, making up a large part ofNorthern Maine's economy.
Many Northeastern states have very large economies and are highly developed. As of 2022, the per capitagross domestic products for these states are:
TheNuclear Regulatory Commission oversees 34 nuclear reactors, eight for research or testing and 26 forpower production in the Northeastern United States.[75]
The Northeast is served byAmtrak trains, with theNortheast Regional andAcela, two of the busiest intercity rail lines running fromWashington D.C. in the south toBoston in the north. Other Amtrak Lines that serve the Northeast include theDowneaster,Empire Service,Vermonter,Lake Shore Limited,Pennsylvanian.Light rail,commuter rail, and othersubway systems are also available in the region.
| No. | Name | Metro | Rail type | City | No. of lines | Annual Ridership (Q4 2019)[94] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York City Subway | New York | Rapid Transit | New York | 36 | 2,723,960,100 |
| 2 | MBTA subway | Boston | Rapid Transit/ Light Rail | Boston | 12 | 199,501,352 |
| 3 | Long Island Rail Road | New York | Commuter Rail | New York/Long Island | 13 | 117,773,400 |
| 4 | SEPTA subway | Philadelphia | Rapid Transit | Philadelphia | 3 | 90,240,800 |
| 5 | PATH | New York | Rapid Transit | Newark/Jersey City/New York | 4 | 90,276,600 |
| 6 | NJ Transit Commuter Rail | New York/Philadelphia | Commuter Rail | Hoboken/Paterson/Atlantic City | 11 | 88,319,600 |
| 7 | Metro North Railroad | New York | Commuter Rail | NYC/New Haven/White Plains/Stamford | 3-4 | 86,459,000 |
| 8 | SEPTA Trolley | Philadelphia | Light Rail | Philadelphia | 8 | 24,321,200 |
| 9 | SEPTA Regional Rail | Philadelphia | Commuter Rail | Philadelphia | 13 | 35,594,800 |
| 10 | MBTA Commuter Rail | Boston | Commuter Rail | Boston,Providence,Worcester | 14 | 32,420,400 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh Light Rail | Pittsburgh | Light Rail | Pittsburgh,Bethel Park | 3 | 27,975,600 |
| 12 | NJ Transit Tram | New York/Philadelphia | Light Rail | Trenton/Camden/Newark/Jersey City | 3 | 23,700,000 |
| 13 | Buffalo Metro Rail | Buffalo | Light Rail | Buffalo | 1 | 1,890,200 |
| 14 | Hartford Line | Hartford | Commuter Rail | New Haven,Hartford,Springfield | 1 | 750,000[95] |
| 15 | Shore Line East | New Haven | Commuter Rail | New Haven,New London, Stamford | 1 | 660,500 |
The following table includes all airports categorized by theFAA aslarge or medium hubs[96] located in the Northeastern states.[97][98]
| National Rank | Metro area served | Airport code | Airport name | Largest airline[99] | Annual Passengers[100] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | New York | JFK | John F. Kennedy International Airport | JetBlue (39%) | 15,273,342 |
| 14 | New York | EWR | Newark Liberty International Airport | United (53%) | 14,514,049 |
| 19 | Boston | BOS | Logan International Airport | JetBlue (30%) | 10,909,817 |
| 21 | Philadelphia | PHL | Philadelphia International Airport | American (44%) | 9,820,222 |
| 25 | New York | LGA | LaGuardia Airport | Delta (21%) | 7,827,307 |
| 48 | Pittsburgh | PIT | Pittsburgh International Airport | Southwest (26%) | 3,069,259 |
| 54 | Hartford | BDL | Bradley International Airport | American (17%) | 2,273,259 |
Many major highways cross the Northeast, connecting it to the rest of the nation.
| Number | Length (mi)[101] | Length (km) | Southern or western terminus | Northern or eastern terminus | Formed | Removed | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 I-70 | 2171.71 | 3,495.03 | I-15 inCove Fort, Utah | I-695 atWoodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland | 01956-01-011956 | current | Serves Pennsylvania Associated routes: none in the Northeast | |
 I-76 | 435.66 | 701.13 | I-71 inWestfield Center, Ohio | I-295 atBellmawr, New Jersey | 01964-01-011964 | current | Serves two northeastern states:Pennsylvania,New Jersey Associated routes:I-176,I-276,I-376,I-476,I-676 | |
 I-78 | 146.28 | 235.41 | I-81 atJonestown, Pennsylvania | Canal Street inNew York City | 01957-01-011957 | current | Serves three northeastern states:Pennsylvania,New Jersey,New York Associated routes:I-278,I-478,I-678,I-878 | |
 I-79 | 343.46 | 552.75 | I-77 inCharleston, West Virginia | PA 5 inErie, Pennsylvania | 01967-01-011967 | current | Serves Pennsylvania Associated routes:I-279,I-579 | |
 I-80 | 2899.59 | 4,666.44 | US 101 inSan Francisco,California | I-95 inTeaneck, New Jersey | 01956-01-011956 | current | Serves 2 northeastern states:Pennsylvania andNew Jersey Associated routes:I-180,I-380,I-280 | |
 I-81 | 855.02 | 1,376.02 | I-40 inDandridge, Tennessee | Canadian border atWellesley Island, New York | 01961-01-011961 | current | Serves two northeastern states:Pennsylvania,New York Associated routes:I-481 andI-781 | |
 I-83 | 85.03 | 136.84 | President Street and Fayette Street inBaltimore, Maryland | I-81 inHarrisburg, Pennsylvania | 01959-01-011959 | current | Serves Pennsylvania Associated route:I-283 | |
 I-84 | 232.71 | 374.51 | I-81 inScranton, Pennsylvania | I-90 inSturbridge, Massachusetts | 01963-01-011963 | current | Serves four states:Pennsylvania,New York,Connecticut,Massachusetts Associated routes:I-384,I-684 | |
 I-86 | 223.39 | 359.51 | I-90 nearNorth East, Pennsylvania | NY 17/NY 79 inWindsor, New York | 01999-01-011999 | current | Unfinished in New York Serves two northeastern states: Pennsylvania, New York Associated routes: none | |
 I-87 | 333.49 | 536.70 | I-278 inNew York City | A-15 atCanadian border inChamplain, New York | 01957-01-011957 | current | New York only Associated routes:I-287,I-587,I-787 | |
 I-88 | 117.75 | 189.50 | I-81 inBinghamton, New York | I-90 inSchenectady, New York | 01968-01-011968 | current | New York only Associated routes: none | |
 I-89 | 191.12 | 307.58 | I-93/SR 3A inBow, New Hampshire | Route 133/FutureA-35 atCanadian border inHighgate, Vermont | 01960-01-011960 | current | Serves two northeastern states: New Hampshire, Vermont Associated route:I-189 | |
 I-90 | 3020.44 | 4,860.93 | SR 519/4th Avenue/Edgar Martinez Drive inSeattle, Washington | MA 1A inBoston, Massachusetts | 01956-01-011956 | current | Serves three northeastern states:Pennsylvania,New York,Massachusetts Associated routes:I-190 (New York),I-290 (New York),I-390,I-490,I-590,I-690,I-790,I-890,I-990,I-190 (Massachusetts),I-290 (Massachusetts) Longest Interstate highway in the US | |
 I-91 | 290.37 | 467.31 | I-95 inNew Haven, Connecticut | A-55 atCanadian border inDerby Line, Vermont | 01958-01-011958 | current | Serves three northeastern states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont Associated routes:I-291 (Connecticut),I-291 (Massachusetts)I-391,I-691 | |
 I-93 | 189.95 | 305.69 | I-95/US 1 inCanton, Massachusetts | I-91 inSt. Johnsbury, Vermont | 01957-01-011957 | current | Serves three northeastern states:Massachusetts,New Hampshire,Vermont Associated routes:I-293,I-393 | |
 I-95 | 1919.31 | 3,088.83 | US 1 inMiami, Florida | NB 95 atCanadian border inHoulton, Maine | 01957-01-011957 | current | Serves eight northeastern states:Pennsylvania,New Jersey,New York,Connecticut,Rhode Island,Massachusetts,New Hampshire,Maine Associated routes:I-195,I-295,I-395,I-495,I-695,I-895 Longest primary north-south Interstate highway | |
 I-99 | 98.34 | 158.26 | I-70/I-76 inBedford, Pennsylvania | I-86/NY 17 inPainted Post, New York | 01998-01-011998 | current | Unfinished in Pennsylvania Serves two northeastern states: Pennsylvania, New York Associated routes: none | |
Many other minor highways exist in the Northeast, connecting cities. Major US Routes which run through the Northeast includeUS 1,US 2,US 3,US 4,US 5,US 6,US 7,US 9,US 11,US 13,US 15,US 19,US 20,US 22,US 30,US 40,US 44,US 46,US 62,US 130,US 201,US 202,US 206,US 209,US 219,US 220,US 222,US 224,US 302,US 322,US 422,US 522.
The Northeast has the highest amount of tolled roads/bridges in the nation with only two states in the Northeast having no tolls, Connecticut and Vermont. Notable turnpikes include thePennsylvania Turnpike (I-76/I-276/I-95),New Jersey Turnpike (partially I-95),New York Thruway (I-87/I-90),Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90),Maine Turnpike (I-95),PA Turnpike Northeast Extension (I-476). The northeast also contains many tolled and non-tolled parkways, many of which are in New York City metro. Major parkways include theGarden State Parkway,Taconic State Parkway,Hutchinson River Parkway,Saw Mill River Parkway,Lake Ontario State Parkway,Niagara Scenic Parkway,Belt Parkway,Grand Central Parkway,Northern State Parkway.
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The Northeast has been a place for many firsts in transportation in the US, from the first commercial railroad in the US inMilton, Massachusetts (Granite Railway), first rapid transit system (MBTA Green Line),[103] the first limited access road was theBronx River Parkway, opened in 1922,[104] New York is also where the first urban freeway was built in the late-1930s.[105] (FDR Drive) The northeast would also be home to some of the first majorfreeway revolts inGreenwich Village,[106] and would see the first major highway teardown (Miller Highway) in the 1970s.[107]
Before European settlement, most of the Northeast was loosely connected by Native American trails, some of which would be incorporated into early-European settlement roads and turnpikes. One major early road was theBoston Post Road, connecting New York City and Boston along the Connecticut and Rhode Island coasts.[108] Later these roads would be included in theKing's Highway, spanning most of the east coast. Smaller turnpikes would also connect cities across the northeast. These roads would prove essential to moving goods across the English colonies in the 18th century and would later play a large part in theAmerican Revolution.[109]
The region saw a boom in canal-building in the early-19th century, with a major canal being theErie Canal, opened in 1825, connecting theGreat Lakes to the Hudson River and Atlantic Ocean throughWestern New York.[110] The first railroads would be built in the late-1820s and would explode in mileage in the mid to late 19th century.[111] Places like Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Newark, and Pittsburgh would become large water and rail hubs during the Industrial Revolution and would see tremendous booms in population and use.[112]
Many large rivers in the northeast like the Hudson and Delaware would be slowly crossed with bridges starting in the 1800s, with the first fixed crossing of the Hudson River south of Albany being thePoughkeepsie Railroad Bridge, opened in 1889.[113] TheDelair Bridge, which would connect Philadelphia with New Jersey was opened six years later in 1896.[114] The first crossing of the Hudson River into New York City would be the series of Hudson River PATH tunnels, being opened in 1908 and 1909.[115] The first major vehicle tunnel would be the Holland Tunnel, opened up in 1927.[116]
The start of highway construction would be theBronx River Parkway andLong Island Motor Parkway, both of which started construction in the early-1900s.[117] The rise ofRobert Moses in New York would see the construction of many major road bridges and highways crossing the city and metro area. East River Drive (eventually renamed FDR Drive), was built along the corresponding river in Manhattan.[118] The mid-20th century would see the rise of urban and suburbanfreeways and the decline of passenger and freight rail, with many lesser used tracks being abandoned or torn up during this time.[119] It would also see the originalPennsylvania Station demolished in Midtown Manhattan during the mid-1960s.[120] The construction of theCross-Bronx Expressway in New York,Central Artery in Boston, and theVine Street Expressway in Philadelphia tore up many ethnic and minority neighborhoods in the name ofurban renewal.[121][122][123][124] Many other highways were proposed during this era, like theLower Manhattan Expressway and theInner Belt in Boston, which were not built due to fierce highway revolts and rising costs.[106][124][125] After the major highway revolts and rise of environmental concerns, new highway and interstate projects were mostly cancelled or shortened in the Northeast by the 1990s.
Despite the lack of new major road projects in the Northeast, the region has still continued to grow in population, resulting in the rise of alternative forms of transport likeHOV lanes orcommuter rails. This has led to the Northeast having one of the highest transit usage percentages in North America, with the Long Island Railroad being the most used commuter rail in the continent.[126] One exception was theBig Dig, a major road project that would tear down the former elevated Central Artery (I-93) and insteadtunnel it (and widen). It would also construct anew Charles River bridge and theTed Williams Tunnel (I-90). This would end up becoming one of the costliest construction projects in the world, costing $21 billion adjusted to 2020 inflation.[127] The former highway's path would become theRose Kennedy Greenway, a large public park. TheSheridan Expressway (former I-895) was also rebuilt into a boulevard in the late-2010s.[128]Rochester, New York has torn down theInner Loop due to low traffic and to reunify neighborhoods in downtown and to create developable space.[129]
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One geographer,Wilbur Zelinsky, asserts that the Northeast region lacks a unified cultural identity,[17] but has served as a "culture hearth" for the rest of the nation.[130] Several much smaller geographical regions within the Northeast have distinct cultural identities.[17]
Almost half of theNational Historic Landmarks maintained by the National Park Service are located in the Northeastern United States.[131]
According to a 2009Gallup poll, the Northeastern states differ from most of the rest of the U.S. in religious affiliation, generally reflecting the descendants of immigration patterns of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with many Catholics arriving from Ireland, Italy, French Canada - Quebec, Portugal and east-central Europe. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey are the only states in the nation whereCatholics outnumberProtestants and otherChristian denominations. More than 20% of respondents in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont declared no religious identity.[132] Compared to other U.S. regions, the Northeast, along with the Pacific Northwest, has had the lowest regular religious service attendance and the fewest people for whom religion is an important part of their daily lives as of 2015.[133]
The Northeast region is home to numerous professional sports franchises in the"Big Four" leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB),[134] with more than 100 championships collectively among them.[135] Professional sports leagues such as theNational Football League (NFL),Major League Baseball (MLB),National Basketball Association (NBA),Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA),National Hockey League (NHL),Major League Soccer (MLS), andNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL), have team franchises in following Northeastern cities:
Notable golf tournaments in the Northeastern United States includeThe Northern Trust,Travelers Championship, andAtlantic City LPGA Classic. TheUS Open, held in New York, is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments.
Notable Northeastern motorsports tracks includeWatkins Glen International,Pocono Raceway,New Hampshire Motor Speedway andLime Rock Park, which have hostedFormula One,IndyCar,NASCAR andInternational Motor Sports Association races. Also, drag strips such asEnglishtown,Epping andReading have hostedNHRA national events.Belmont Park at New York hosts theBelmont Stakes horse races, which is part of theTriple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.
The region has also been noted for the prevalence of the traditionally Northeastern sports ofice hockey andlacrosse.[136]
The Northeastern United States tended to voteRepublican in federal elections through the first half of the 20th century, but the region has since the 1990s shifted to become the mostDemocratic region in the nation, along with theWest Coast.[13] Results from a 2008Gallup poll indicated that eight of the top ten Democratic states were located in the region, with every Northeastern state having a Democratic Party affiliation advantage of at least ten points.[137] The following table demonstrates Democratic support in the Northeast as compared to the remainder of the nation.[138]
| Year | % President vote | % Senate seats | % House seats | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | Remainder | Northeast | Remainder | Northeast | Remainder | |
| 2000 | 57.6 | 47.5 | 60.0 | 46.3 | 59.6 | 45.7 |
| 2002 | 60.0 | 45.0 | 58.3 | 44.7 | ||
| 2004 | 57.1 | 47.3 | 60.0 | 40.0 | 59.5 | 43.0 |
| 2006 | 75.0 | 45.0 | 73.8 | 48.3 | ||
| 2008 | 60.7 | 52.0 | 80.0 | 52.5 | 81.0 | 52.9 |
| 2010 | 75.0 | 47.5 | 67.9 | 38.5 | ||
The following table ofUnited States presidential election results since 1920 illustrates that over the past eight presidential elections, only three Northeastern states supported a Republican candidate. New Hampshire voted forGeorge W. Bush in 2000;[139] Pennsylvania andMaine's 2nd congressional district voted forDonald Trump in 2016,[140] Maine's 2nd district voted for Trump again in 2020,[141] and 2024 saw Trump take back Pennsylvania and again hold on to Maine's 2nd district. 2004 is so far the only election in U.S. history in which the winner did not win any northeastern state.[142] Bolded entries indicate that party's candidate also won the general election.
| State | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| ME | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D (RME-02) | D (RME-02) | D (RME-02) |
| MA | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| NH | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| NJ | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| NY | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| PA | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | D | R |
| RI | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | R | D | D | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| VT | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
The following table shows the breakdown of party affiliation of governors, attorneys general, state legislative houses and U.S. congressional delegation for the Northeastern states for the upcoming term beginning in January 2025. (Demographics reflect registration-by-party figures from that state's registered voter statistics.)
| State | Governor | Attorney general | Upper House majority | Lower House majority | Senior U.S. senator | Junior U.S. senator | U.S. House delegation | Demographics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 25-11 | Democratic 102-49 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 5-0 | Democratic 36-21 |
| ME | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 20-15 | Democratic 76-73-2 | Republican | Independent | Democratic 2-0 | Democratic 36-30 |
| MA | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 35-5 | Democratic 134-25-1 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 9-0 | Democratic 29-9 |
| NH | Republican | Republican | Republican 16-8 | Republican 222-178 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 2-0 | Republican 34-29 |
| NJ | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 25-15 | Democratic 52-28 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 9-3 | Democratic 38-24 |
| NY | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 41-22 | Democratic 103-47 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 19-7 | Democratic 49-22 |
| PA | Democratic | Republican | Republican 28-22 | Democratic 102-101 | Democratic | Republican | Republican 10-7 | Democratic 45-40 |
| RI | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 34-4 | Democratic 64-10-1 | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 2-0 | Democratic 39-14 |
| VT | Republican | Democratic | Democratic 16-13-1 | Democratic 87-56-4-3 | Independent | Democratic | Democratic 1-0 | Democratic 47-31 |
The most widely used regional definitions follow those of the U.S. Bureau of the Census.
Perhaps the most widely used regional classification system is one developed by the U.S. Census Bureau.
(M)ost demographic and food consumption data are presented in this four-region format.
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