The debate over where “upstate” New York begins has been ongoing among residents for years. Many in Westchester County often joke about being on the “top” side of this imaginary line, known for their lighter skin tones.
A recent visit to Yonkers, located at the edge of the Bronx, aimed to explore local opinions about this boundary. Residents and people passing by were asked if they felt this was where upstate starts.
“Not at all,” responded Leagan Giannero, a 33-year-old Yonkers local, as he strolled down McLean Avenue.
“The Bronx is just one street over. Depending on where I am in my apartment, my GPS sometimes shows New York City and other times Yonkers,” the recreation therapist explained. “If you talk to us, you’d think we’re from the Bronx. We sound different. We may not be in the city, but we aren’t exactly rural either.”
Some New Yorkers have long deemed areas beyond Yankee Stadium as “upstate”, but Giannero disputed this, pointing out other locations he viewed as questionable.
He noted Dutchess County, roughly a 100-mile drive from Manhattan, felt more “upstate.” “You start to see cows and horses there. We have streetlights here—that’s how you know you’re still in suburbia,” she mentioned.
James Flynn, a bartender at McKeon’s, feels that once you approach Albany, you’re clearly in upstate territory.
“This isn’t upstate at all. Look, the Bronx is right there,” he said, gesturing across the street. “Four trains come through here. It’s Metro North.”
Steve Uglinag, 65, the owner of Angelo’s Pizza in Yonkers, echoed this sentiment, stating, “You can call it whatever you want, but it’s definitely not upstate.”
Mili Diaz, a flower shop assistant in Yonkers, recalled her time living in the city, where she once considered places north of Inwood as upstate.
“For me, crossing the bridge felt like stepping into another world,” Diaz asserted. “It was like being far away from Inwood, but now I realize it’s a mere 15 miles from Yonkers to White Plains.”
Flynn reiterated the point that this area doesn’t match the more rural, open spaces of upstate.
Lyphe, a rapper from White Plains who now resides in Florida, previously created a rap criticizing the labeling of Westchester as upstate over a decade ago.
“Upstate is where you see all the farms and cows, like Albany,” part of his lyrics states. “Who are you comparing? Our views are shared with a skyline in our backyard.”
The 47-year-old, who once lived in Yonkers, found it ironic that some consider Westchester truly upstate.
“It’s a stereotype that anyone from outside New York City isn’t a real New Yorker,” he pointed out.
“The notion that we don’t share the same experiences, grit, or beliefs is laughable just because we don’t reside in the boroughs.”
John Chatman, founder of the A Side Event and Music Series, remarked that true upstate lacks densely packed trees, mountains, and often reliable cell service.
“Yeah, when it takes more than 30 minutes between exits, then you’re upstate,” said Chatman, who also oversees content for the Westchester Parks Foundation.
He argued that it’s humorous to suggest only the city and Long Island qualify as ‘real’ New York.
“Sure, you can walk 70 blocks in Manhattan in half an hour, but that’s just not the same as driving or taking a train within an hour. And by the way, Lake George is definitely upstate.”
