New York State’s Geography, Government, Economy, and Demographics
New York State’s geography, government structure, economy, and demographics all contribute to its unique identity. This context provides a backdrop for understanding the different ways climate change is expected to affect the state and its people.
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Geography and Key Features
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Despite being one of the country’s most populous states, New York is largely rural. Forests and agricultural land cover the majority of the state. Some key geographic features include:
- More than 7600 freshwater lakes, ponds, and reservoirs.
- Abundant rivers and streams. The St. Lawrence, Mohawk, Susquehanna, Delaware, and Hudson rivers are among the largest rivers in the state.
- Atlantic Ocean shoreline along the coast of Long Island and portions of New York City, as well as estuaries where fresh water mixes with Atlantic salt water.
- Approximately 850 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, which includes the shorelines of lakes Erie and Ontario and the Niagara and St. Lawrence rivers.
- Mountainous areas, including the Adirondack and Catskill ranges, as well as other upland regions such as the Hudson Highlands, the Taconic Range, and portions of the Allegheny Plateau.
- Nearly 7 million acres of farmland.
- Urban areas, including New York City (the nation’s most populous city) and adjacent metropolitan counties, along with Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and numerous other cities.
Government Structure
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Understanding New York State’s government structure is important to understanding where decisions about climate policy, adaptation, and resilience are made. The state-level government includes a legislative, executive, and judicial branch.
- The legislative branch consists of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly. The Assembly and Senate collaborate to draft and amend New York State laws.
- The executive branch includes the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Comptroller, and Attorney General. This branch oversees 20 executive branch departments, including Agriculture and Markets, Labor, Economic Development, Education, Health, and Environmental Conservation.
The Role of Municipalities in New York State
Municipalities often oversee programs and services that significantly affect people’s quality of life and play a role in climate adaptation.
For instance, municipalities lead infrastructure improvements and maintenance, social and environmental services, land planning and development, and public health and safety programs.
As a result, municipal governments are at the front line for climate action in New York State.
- The judicial branch includes a range of state courts, including appellate courts, superior courts, and local courts.
The state is divided into 62 counties, which are further divided into municipalities: cities, towns, and villages. Counties and municipalities often oversee programs and services that play a role in climate adaptation. New York is a “home rule” state, which means that its constitution grants municipalities the right to pass their own laws and regulations on many issues, based on their local needs.
The state also includes Tribal entities that are sovereign nations and follow their own government structure. Learn more about New York State’s Indigenous Peoples.
Economic Landscape
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New York State is an economic center, both domestically and worldwide. On the surface, its economy is strong compared to the rest of the country, based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment, and wage levels. However, a close look reveals that the economy is not uniform across the state.
When including New York City, per capita income in the state is close to $80,000 per year, well above the national average of $65,000, due in part to New York City’s high wages in the financial and insurance sectors. However, when New York City is excluded, the average wage for the rest of the state falls to about $58,000 per year, which is below the national average. Income inequality is also prevalent throughout the state: according to the 2019 Gini Index, New York State has the highest level of wealth disparity in the entire United States.
There are also observed differences in income across racial and ethnic groups. Between 2014 and 2018, for instance, the median annual income for non-Hispanic white households in the state was nearly $30,000 higher than that of Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black households.
Fast Facts: New York State’s Economy
- The finance, insurance, real estate, rental, and leasing sectors accounted for more than one-third of the state’s GDP in 2021.
- Health care and social assistance employ the largest number of people.
- Small businesses account for more than half (close to 54%) of total employment.
- The state has high levels of income inequality across regions and within specific communities.
Demographic Landscape
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New York is one of the most demographically diverse states in the country. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the state has a population of 20.2 million, with more than 40% living in New York City. Nearly half of the state’s population self-identifies as Black or African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, some other race, or two or more races. Roughly one-fifth of the population identifies their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino.
The state’s cultural richness is connected to its history as one of the most important entry points into the United States. As of 2020, residents born outside of the country represented nearly a quarter of New York State’s residents.
Migration within the United States also affects New York State’s population. For example, some areas—such as the Adirondacks, the Champlain Valley, the Great Lakes, and the Central/Finger Lakes—experience seasonal migration during the summer months. The Adirondacks has about 130,000 permanent residents, as well as 200,000 seasonal residents who live there for just part of the year.
Residents of New York State also represent a wide range of age groups. Nearly 17% of New York’s residents are 65 years old or older. On the other hand, about 20% of the population is under 18.
Some demographic groups face greater risks from climate change. Learn more about Equity and Justice.
