How Big Is New York? See Its Size in Miles, Acres, and How It Compares to Other States

Written by Chanel Coetzee
Updated: August 11, 2023
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New York State is located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Northeastern United States It was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the country. People automatically think of the Big Apple when they hear New York, but there is so much more. Therefore, it is referred to as New York State to distinguish it from the city. Additionally, it is the 27th largest state in land area and has a varied geography. Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut border New York State to the east and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south. Also, it has a maritime border east of Long Island with Rhode Island. Furthermore, New York State has an international border with the Canadian provinces of Ontario to the northwest and Quebec to the north. But how big is New York?

Manhattan, or NYC, is the largest city in New York State by population. Furthermore, it is composed of 5 boroughs, namely Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Manhattan, which were combined to form New York City in 1898. Also, it is the largest city in the U.S. by population. We will look at this state’s size in acres, square miles, and kilometers.

How Many Acres is New York?

Acres are the most common way to measure land mass, specifically when comparing cities. One acre is about the size of a baseball field, and New York City is about 193,700 acres, making it sound quite large. However, it is small compared to other cities in the United States. But how big is New York State? It is 34,916 million acres.

Furthermore, even though New York City is the most well-known city in this state, the state capital is actually Albany. Also, people who live in New York State are known as New Yorkers. Lastly, its major industries include, among others, communications, finance, publishing, fashion, international trade, tourism, and farming.

Aerial view of the Central park in New York with golf fields and tall skyscrapers surrounding the park.

How big is New York State? It is 34,916 million acres.

©RAW-films/Shutterstock.com

How Many Square Miles is New York?

New York State is the 27th biggest state in the United States and covers 54,555 square miles, which is 141,297 square kilometers, with a population (2022) of around 19,677,151. The main rivers found in New York State are the Mohawk River, the Genesee River, and the Hudson River. Also, the state fish is the Brook Trout, and the state bird is the Eastern Bluebird.

On the other hand, New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the most densely populated city in North America. Also, it is one of the world’s major global cities, along with Paris, London, and Tokyo. It is also an epicenter for international finance, entertainment, culture, and politics. New York City boasts a variety of media outlets, galleries, performance venues, stock exchanges, and international corporations and is home to the United Nations.

This thrilling city is home to over 8 million people and has a land area of 309 square miles or 800 square kilometers. In addition, the five boroughs, which consist of Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Manhattan, and Brooklyn, each have a population of over 1 million people. The Big Apple, as it is known, includes large populations of immigrants from over 180 countries, making it one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

How Big is New York Compared to Other States?

So, how big is New York compared to other States? Let’s first look at New York compared to London. London is a massive place; there are over 9.648 million people living in England’s biggest city. However, compared to New York, with a population of over 18 million people, the Big Apple has almost double the population compared to London. Naturally, you would think that New York has a greater land mass. This, however, is not true. New York is only 302.6 square miles, and London is 607 square miles, making it much larger.

When looking at New York State compared to other states, there are many to compare.

New York StateOther StatesBigger/Smaller
New YorkCalifornia3.00 times bigger than New York
New YorkTexas4.93 times bigger than New York
New YorkFlorida1.21 times bigger than New York
New YorkKansas1.51 times bigger than New York
New YorkMichigan1.07 times bigger than New York
New YorkMontana2.70 times bigger than New York
New YorkNew Mexico2.23 times bigger than New York
New YorkNevada2.03 times bigger than New York
New YorkOregon1.80 times bigger than New York
New YorkWashington1.31 times bigger than New York

History

About 5000 years ago, Native Americans came to the area now known as New York. Then, thousands of years later, their descendants contained tribes such as the Oneida, Seneca, Cayuga, and Mohawk. In 1624 the Dutch settled a colony on what is now Manhattan Island but in those days was called New Amsterdam. Only once the British took control of the area in 1664 was it renamed New York. However, in 1776, after the American Revolution, New York became a United States colony. In 1788, it became a state. A year later, George Washington became the first president of the USA. He was sworn in in New York City, which was then the country’s capital. However, in 1790, the capital changed to Washington. D.C.

New York was named after the British Duke of York. It’s believed to be nicknamed the Empire State because George Washington called it ‘the seat of the Empire”. On September 11, 2001, a devastating event occurred when hijackers flew planes into the twin towers of New York City’s World Trade Center.

Wildlife

How big is New York? Well, it is home to a host of mammals, including bobcats, black bears, and moose. Also, you can find small mammals such as raccoons, skunks, and weasels. Some birds in New York State include golden eagles, peregrine falcons, wild turkeys, cardinals, woodpeckers, and bluejays. Furthermore, several interesting reptiles occur in this state, such as diamondback terrapins, queen snakes, and snapping turtles. Some amphibians in New York State include the eastern hellbender, a 30-inch-long salamander. Lastly, this state offers flowers such as rhododendrons, New England asters, and azaleas and trees like sugar maples, the state tree, pines, and oaks.

Attractions

The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island must be some of the most iconic tourist destinations in New York State. The famous statue symbolized hope to millions of immigrants on their way to Ellis Island. Therefore, tourists can visit both historical attractions via a ferry operated by the National Park Service, which runs all day from Battery Park. Another attraction is Niagara Falls, one of North America’s natural wonders. These falls attract millions of visitors every year, situated on the border of the United States and Canada. In addition, Central Park may appear small on a map of Manhattan, but it is an expansive space with enough sights and things to do to last you a few days.

Also, Times Square offers weeks’ worth of attractions. Its heart is located at the junction of Broadway and 7th Avenue, where massive screens display everything from shows and the newest films to special presentations. Then Lake Placid is the world-famous winter sports resort at the foot of Whiteface Mountain. It is a major tourist destination and hosted the Winter Olympics twice. Lastly, Cooperstown, which sits on the southern tip of Otsego Lake, is the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Here baseball fans can view memorabilia and admire the sport’s legends all day long.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © shutterupeire/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Chanel Coetzee is a writer at A-Z Animals, primarily focusing on big cats, dogs, and travel. Chanel has been writing and researching about animals for over 10 years. She has also worked closely with big cats like lions, cheetahs, leopards, and tigers at a rescue and rehabilitation center in South Africa since 2009. As a resident of Cape Town, South Africa, Chanel enjoys beach walks with her Stafford bull terrier and traveling off the beaten path.

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