Discover The Tri-State Area: The States in It and Origins of the Name

The world is getting bigger and thus, population centers are getting larger and larger. What used to be two individual and separate cities have now been converted into a big metropolitan area. Sometimes metropolitan areas can encompass an entire county and sometimes they can have an entire region of three states. These regions are sometimes called tri-state areas.

However, the tri-state area that most everyone knows about and that the media refers to is the Tri-State Area with New York City as the anchor metropolis. The surrounding areas in New York State, New Jersey, Connecticut, and some areas in Pennsylvania make up the Greater New York area, or the Tri-State Area.

Let’s take a look at the Tri-State Area, the states in it, and the origins of the name. We’ll also explore what a tri-state area is and other fun facts.

What Is a Tri-State Area?

First off, let’s talk about what a tri-state area is. It’s a term used to refer to a hugely populated area across three states. There’s usually a common thread between the three states. It could be a similar culture or an economy that benefits the region. A metropolis usually serves as the anchor in bringing in tourists and money to the whole region.

There are several tri-state areas, although the most common one is the area around New York City. Journalists will refer to the Tri-State Area as the region around New York City. This encompasses New Jersey and Connecticut’s regions closest to the Big Apple.

Other tri-state areas that exist are the Philadelphia tri-state area which is made up of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The Erie tri-state area encompasses northwest Pennsylvania by Lake Erie, Ohio, and West Virginia. The Chicago tri-state area is made up of northeast Illinois by Lake Michigan, northwest Indiana, and southeast Wisconsin. Finally, another more popular tri-state area is the DMV which encompasses Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

The New York Tri-State Area

The New York Tri-State Area is the most popular of all tri-state areas. It’s the one that journalists and others in the media refer to when they say “Tri-State Area.” The New York Tri-State Area has New York City as the anchor metropolis and the surrounding region, which includes Connecticut and New Jersey, share a culture and an economy that benefits all three states simultaneously. 

The Tri-State Area is also known as Greater New York. It is the largest metropolitan area by landmass in the entire world. The area has a total population of more than 20 million, which is a whopping 6% of the country’s total population. Although the Tri-State Area includes New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, there is also an area in eastern Pennsylvania considered part of the region because of the many people who commute to New York City. 

The region is one of the most important finance and economic hubs. Many industries call New York and the surrounding area home, including fashion, entertainment, publishing, trade, manufacturing, and more. It is also one of the most culturally diverse areas in the world. The Tri-State Area’s GDP is $2.1 trillion, making it the largest metropolitan economy in the world.

Origins of the Tri-State Area

The term’s history is unknown. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it is said that the term first came up in the early 1900s. It was used to refer to Greater New York, encompassing New York City and the other two states’ areas close to the city. It is also very common for many people to live in New Jersey, work in New York, and vacation in Connecticut (or any other combination). Besides the tight region with a shared economy and shared cultures, the region also shares a similar climate. When meteorologists talk about the climate and forecast the region’s weather, they refer to the Tri-State Area as one, as well.

Climate and Geography of the Tri-State Area

The Tri-State Area is composed of three states, and at times some areas in Pennsylvania are added. However, in the Tri-State area, there are several subregions, which include New York City, Long Island, North Jersey, Central Jersey, the Hudson Valley, Western Connecticut, Monroe, and Pike counties in PA).

The climate of this region is extremely similar. It usually has a humid subtropical type of climate. The more inland regions of the Tri-State Area can experience a transitional type of climate between humid subtropical and humid continental. Summers are hot and humid in the area, experiencing an average of 234 days of sunshine per year. The area is vulnerable to hurricanes and storms during the summer. Winters in the region are very cold with some regions experiencing more rain and snow than others. 

Connecticut

Connecticut is nicknamed the Constitution State and is located in New England. The southwestern border of the state borders New York and therefore, many people that work in New York live in Connecticut as it is considered more of a slow-paced lifestyle. Although a small state, it has about 3.6 million people living there. Connecticut was one of the original thirteen colonies and was admitted to the union in 1788 as the fifth state. When it comes to wildlife living in the state, much of it is covered in woodland, so you’ll find black bears and white-tailed deer roaming in the maple and birch forests.

New Jersey

New Jersey is nicknamed the Garden State and it houses about 9 million people. The state is home to one of the most prestigious universities in the world, Princeton University. Because of that, many people in the education sector live in the Tri-State Area — especially because of several universities in the region. New Jersey was also one of the original thirteen colonies and was admitted to the union in 1787 as the third state. When it comes to wildlife in the Garden State, you can find raccoons, red foxes, black bears, and bobcats.

New York

New York is nicknamed the Empire State and it is one of the most populous states in the nation with nearly 20 million people. It is home to the most populous city in the country. New York City is a concrete jungle with an abundance of skyscrapers. The city is also home to one of the tallest buildings in the world (One World Trade Center). One of the original thirteen colonies, New York became the 11th state admitted to the union in 1788. When it comes to wildlife, the state is home to many of the animals of the region like bobcats and black bears. It also has moose and peregrine falcons. 

Conclusion

And there you have it, the New York Tri-State Area is made up of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and some areas of Pennsylvania. New York City is the anchor metropolis, which creates a shared economy in the region. The Tri-State Area is an economic powerhouse with a lot of diversity. It is a huge melting pot that makes America unique in all the senses of the word.

The region is also an area steeped in the history of the United States. When you get the chance to visit New York City and its surrounding areas, know that you are in a concrete jungle that not only houses and employs millions of people, it is also one of the most famous regions in the world.