Biggest Cities in New York

New York State is dominated by one of the world's great cities, but the state also contains several mid-sized cities with distinctive characters.

New York City — 8.3 million (city); 20.1 million (metro). The most populous city in the United States and one of the most internationally significant cities in the world. The five boroughs each have distinct characters: Manhattan is the global financial and cultural epicenter; Brooklyn is the most populous borough with a thriving arts and food scene; Queens is the most ethnically diverse urban county in the world; the Bronx is home to the Yankees and the Bronx Zoo; Staten Island is the most suburban and car-dependent borough.

Buffalo — 278,000 (city); 1.2 million (metro). The second-largest city in New York State. Buffalo's 19th-century industrial wealth produced one of the most impressive collections of architecture in the US — Louis Sullivan, Frederick Law Olmsted (who designed the park system), H.H. Richardson, and Frank Lloyd Wright all left significant works here. The city has made a substantial comeback after decades of post-industrial decline.

Rochester — 212,000 (city); 1.1 million (metro). Long known as "Kodak City" for its association with Eastman Kodak. Rochester has diversified into optics, imaging, and biotech. The University of Rochester and RIT are major research institutions that anchor the local knowledge economy.

Yonkers — 211,000. The fourth-largest city in New York State sits directly north of the Bronx on the Hudson River. It's effectively a dense extension of New York City's northern suburbs.

Syracuse — 148,000. Located at the intersection of two major interstates in Central New York. Syracuse University drives much of the city's economy; the surrounding region has some of the highest snowfall of any US metro area due to Lake Ontario lake-effect snow.

Albany — 100,000. The state capital and one of the oldest chartered cities in the US. Albany has a large state government employment base and a growing tech presence through the SUNY Polytechnic Institute's nanotechnology research programs.