Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States, also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast,[lower-alpha 1] or the American Northeast, is a geographic region of the United States. It is located on the Atlantic coast of North America, with Canada to its north, the Southern United States to its south, and the Midwestern United States to its west. The Northeast is one of the four regions defined by the U.S. Census Bureau for the collection and analysis of statistics.[1] The Census Bureau defines the region as including nine U.S. states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, however, most vernacular definitions also include Delaware, and occasionally Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Northeastern United States | |
|---|---|
| American Northeast, the Northeast | |
![]() Regional definitions vary from source to source. This map reflects the Northeastern United States as defined by the Census Bureau.[1] | |
| Subregions |
|
| Country | |
| States | |
| Population | |
| • Total | 57,609,148 |
| Demonym(s) | Northerner, Northeasterner, Yankee |
The U.S. Census Bureau–defined region of the Northeastern United States has a total area of 181,324 sq mi (469,630 km2) with 162,257 sq mi (420,240 km2) of that being land mass, making it the smallest region of the United States by both land mass and total area.[6] The Northeastern region is the nation's most economically developed, densely populated, and culturally diverse region.[7][8] Of the nation's four census regions, the Northeast has the second-largest percentage of residents living in an urban setting, with 85 percent, and is home to the nation's largest metropolitan area.[9] The Northeast is home to most of the Northeast megalopolis, the most economically significant and second most-populated of eleven megaregions within the United States, accounting for 20% of U.S. GDP as of 2016.[10]
History

Indigenous people
Anthropologists recognize the "Northeastern Woodlands" as one of the cultural regions that existed in the Western Hemisphere at the time of European colonists in the 15th and later centuries. Most did not settle in North America until the 17th century. The cultural area, known as the "Northeastern Woodlands", in addition to covering the entire Northeast U.S., also covered much of what is now Canada and others regions of what is now the eastern United States.[11]
Among the many tribes that inhabited this area were those that made up the Iroquois nations and the numerous Algonquian peoples.[12] In the United States of the 21st century, 18 federally recognized tribes reside in the Northeast.[13] For the most part, the people of the Northeastern Woodlands, on whose lands European fishermen began camping to dry their codfish in the early 1600s, lived in villages, especially after being influenced by the agricultural traditions of the Ohio and Mississippi valley societies.[14]
Colonial history
All of the U.S. states making up the Northeastern region were among the original Thirteen Colonies, though Maine, Vermont, and Delaware were part of other colonies before the United States became independent in the American Revolution. The two cultural and geographic regions that form parts of the Northeastern region have distinct histories.
New England
The first Europeans to settle New England were Pilgrims from England, who landed in present-day Massachusetts in 1620.[15] The Pilgrims arrived on the ship Mayflower and founded Plymouth Colony so they could practice religion freely.[15] Ten years later, a larger group of Puritans settled north of Plymouth Colony in Boston to form Massachusetts Bay Colony.[16] In 1636, colonists established Connecticut Colony and Providence Plantations.[17][18] Providence was founded by Roger Williams, who was banished by Massachusetts for his beliefs in freedom of religion, and it was the first colony to guarantee all citizens freedom of worship.[18] Anne Hutchinson, who was also banished by Massachusetts, formed the town of Portsmouth.[18] Providence, Portsmouth and two other towns (Newport and Warwick) consolidated to form the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.[18]
Although the first settlers of New England were motivated by religion, since the 21st century, New England had become one of the least religious parts of the United States. In a 2009 Gallup survey, less than half of residents in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts reported religion as an important part of their daily life.[19] In a 2010 Gallup survey, less than 30% of residents in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts reported attending church weekly, giving them the lowest church attendance among U.S. states.[20]
New England played a prominent role in early American education. Starting in the 17th century, the larger towns in New England opened grammar schools, the forerunner of the modern high school. The first public school in the English colonies was the Boston Latin School, founded in 1635.[21] In 1636, the colonial legislature of Massachusetts founded Harvard College, the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.[22]
Mid-Atlantic

The first European explorer known to have explored the Atlantic shoreline of the Northeast since the Norse was Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524. His ship La Dauphine explored the coast from what is now known as Florida to New Brunswick. Henry Hudson explored the area of present-day New York in 1609 and claimed it for the Netherlands. His journey stimulated Dutch interest, and the area became known as New Netherland. In 1625, the city of New Amsterdam (the location of present-day New York City) was designated the capital of the province.[23] The Dutch New Netherland settlement along the Hudson River and, for a time, the New Sweden settlement along the Delaware River divided the English settlements in the north and the south. In 1664, Charles II of England formally annexed New Netherland and incorporated it into the English colonial empire.[24] The territory became the colonies of New York and New Jersey.[24] New Jersey was originally split into East Jersey and West Jersey until the two were united as a royal colony in 1702.[24]
In 1681, William Penn, who wanted to give Quakers a land of religious freedom, founded Pennsylvania and extended freedom of religion to all citizens.[25] Penn strongly desired access to the sea for his Pennsylvania Province and leased what then came to be known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware" from the Duke.[26] Penn established representative government and briefly combined his two possessions under one General Assembly in 1682. However, by 1704 the Province of Pennsylvania had grown so large that their representatives wanted to make decisions without the assent of the Lower Counties and the two groups of representatives began meeting on their own, one at Philadelphia, and the other at New Castle, Delaware. Penn and his heirs remained proprietors of both and always appointed the same person Governor for their Province of Pennsylvania and their territory of the Lower Counties. The fact that Delaware and Pennsylvania shared the same governor was not unique. From 1703 to 1738, New York and New Jersey shared a governor.[27] Massachusetts and New Hampshire also shared a governor for some time.[28]
Geography



The vast area from central Virginia to northern Maine, and from western Pennsylvania, from Pittsburgh in the west to the Atlantic Ocean in the east, have all been loosely grouped into the Northeast, including six of Pennsylvania's seven largest cities, Allentown, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, Scranton, and Bethlehem.
Using the U.S. Census Bureau's definition of the Northeast, the region includes nine states: Maine, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.[1][lower-alpha 2] The region is often subdivided into New England (the six states east of New York State) and the Mid-Atlantic states (New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania). This definition has been essentially unchanged since 1880 and is widely used as a standard for data tabulation.[30][31][32][33] However, the U.S. Census Bureau has acknowledged the obvious limitations of this definition and the potential merits of a proposal created after the 1950 census,[34] that would include changing regional boundaries to include Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia with the Mid-Atlantic states, but ultimately decided that "the new system did not win enough overall acceptance among data users to warrant adoption as an official new set of general-purpose state groupings. The previous development of many series of statistics, arranged and issued over long periods of time on the basis of the existing State groupings, favored the retention of the summary units of the current regions and divisions."[35] The U.S. Census Bureau confirmed in 1994 that it would continue to "review the components of the regions and divisions to ensure that they continue to represent the most useful combinations of states and state equivalents."[35]
Many organizations and reference works follow the Census Bureau's definition for the region.[36][37][38] In the history of the United States, the Mason–Dixon line between Pennsylvania (the North) and Maryland (the South) traditionally divided the regions,[39] but in modern times, various entities define the Northeastern United States in somewhat different ways. The Association of American Geographers divides the Northeast into two divisions: "New England", which is the same as the Census Bureau; and it has the same "Middle States" but adds Delaware.[40] Similarly, the Geological Society of America defines the Northeast as these same states but with the addition of Maryland and the District of Columbia.[41] The narrowest definitions include only the states of New England.[42] Other more restrictive definitions include New England and New York as part of the Northeast United States, but exclude Pennsylvania and New Jersey.[43][44]
| City | City population | Metro population | U.S. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 8,804,190 | 20,140,470 | 1 |
| Philadelphia | 1,603,797 | 6,245,051 | 6 |
| Boston | 675,647 | 4,941,632 | 24 |
| Newark | 311,549 | See New York | 66 |
| Pittsburgh | 302,971 | 2,370,930 | 68 |
| Jersey City | 292,449 | See New York | 75 |
| Buffalo | 278,349 | 1,125,637 | 78 |
States beyond the Census Bureau definition are included in Northeast Region by various other entities:
- Various organizations include: Delaware, Maryland and District of Columbia.[8][45][46][47][48][49]
- The US EPA and NOAA include in their Northeast Region: Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia.[50][51][52]
- The National Fish and Wildlife Service includes in their Northeast Region: Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, West Virginia, and Virginia.[53]
- The National Park Service includes in their Northeast Region: Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia (though small parts are also in the National Capital Region).[54]
Environment




Topography
While most of the Northeastern United States lie in the Appalachian Highlands physiographic region; some are also part of the Atlantic coastal plain, which extends south to the southern tip of Florida. The coastal plain areas include Cape Cod in Massachusetts, Long Island in New York, most of New Jersey, Delaware) are generally low and flat, with sandy soil and marshy land.[8] The highlands, including the Piedmont and the Appalachian Mountains, are generally heavily forested, ranging from rolling hills to summits greater than 6,000 feet (1,800 m), and pocked with many lakes.[8] The highest peak in the Northeast is Mount Washington, New Hampshire at 6,288 feet (1,917 m).[55]
Land use
As of 2012, forest-use covered approximately 60% of the Northeastern states (including Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia), about twice the national average. About 11% was cropland and another 4% grassland pasture or range. There is also more urbanized land in the Northeast (12%) than any other region in the U.S.[49]
Climate
The climate of the Northeastern United States varies from northernmost Maine to southernmost Maryland. The climate of the region is created by the position of the general west to east flow of weather in the middle latitudes that much of the USA is controlled by and the position and movement of the subtropical highs. Summers are normally warm in northern areas to hot in southern areas. In summer, the building Bermuda High pumps warm and sultry air toward the Northeast, and frequent (but brief) thundershowers are common on hot summer days. In winter the subtropical high retreats southeastward, and the polar jet stream moves south bringing colder air masses from up in Canada and more frequent storm systems to the region. Winter often brings both rain and snow as well as surges of both warm and cold air.[56]
The basic climate of the Northeast can be divided into a colder and snowier interior (western Maryland, most of Pennsylvania, most of northern New Jersey, Upstate New York, and most of New England), and a milder coast and coastal plain from Cape Cod and southern Rhode Island southward, including Long Island, Southern Connecticut, New York City, central and southern New Jersey, Delaware, and most of Maryland. In the latter region the hardiness zones are 7a and 7b. Annual mean temperatures range from the low-to-mid 50s F from Maryland to southern Connecticut, to the 40s F in most of New York State, New England, and northern Pennsylvania.[56][57][58]
Most of the Northeast has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb/Dc). The northernmost portion of the humid subtropical zone (Cfa/Do) begins at Martha's Vineyard and extreme SW Rhode Island and extends southwestward down the coastal plain to central and southern Maryland. The oceanic climate zone (Cfb/Do) only exists on Block Island and Nantucket and is the only area of the Northeast where all months average between 0 and 22 °C (32 and 71.6 °F).
Wildlife
The Northeast has 72 National Wildlife Refuges, encompassing more than 500,000 acres (780 sq mi; 2,000 km2) of habitat and designed to protect some of the 92 different threatened and endangered species living in the region.[13]
Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, the population of the region totaled 57,609,148.[59] With an average of 345.5 people per square mile, the Northeast is 2.5 times as densely populated as the second-most dense region, the South. Since the last century, the U.S. population has been shifting away from the Northeast and Midwest toward the South and West.[60]
The two U.S. Census Bureau divisions in the Northeast, New England and the Mid-Atlantic, rank second and first respectively among the 9 divisions in population density according to the 2013 population estimate. The South Atlantic region (233.1) was very close behind New England (233.2). Due to the faster growth of the South Atlantic region, it will take over the #2 division rank in population density in the next estimate, dropping New England to 3rd position. New England is projected to retain the number 3 rank for many, many years, as the only other lower-ranked division with even half the population density of New England is the East North Central division (192.1) and this region's population is projected to grow slowly. [lower-alpha 3][61]
| State | 2020 census | 2010 census | Change | Area | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 3,605,944 | 3,574,097 | +0.89% | 4,842.35 sq mi (12,541.6 km2) | 741/sq mi (286/km2) |
| Maine | 1,362,359 | 1,328,361 | +2.56% | 30,842.90 sq mi (79,882.7 km2) | 43/sq mi (17/km2) |
| Massachusetts | 7,029,917 | 6,547,629 | +7.37% | 7,800.05 sq mi (20,202.0 km2) | 879/sq mi (340/km2) |
| New Hampshire | 1,377,529 | 1,316,470 | +4.64% | 8,952.64 sq mi (23,187.2 km2) | 150/sq mi (58/km2) |
| Rhode Island | 1,097,379 | 1,052,567 | +4.26% | 1,033.81 sq mi (2,677.6 km2) | 1,025/sq mi (396/km2) |
| Vermont | 643,077 | 625,741 | +2.77% | 9,216.65 sq mi (23,871.0 km2) | 68/sq mi (26/km2) |
| New England | 15,116,205 | 14,444,865 | +4.65% | 62,688.4 sq mi (162,362 km2) | 236/sq mi (91/km2) |
| New Jersey | 9,288,994 | 8,791,894 | +5.65% | 7,354.21 sq mi (19,047.3 km2) | 1,225/sq mi (473/km2) |
| New York | 20,201,249 | 19,378,102 | +4.25% | 47,126.36 sq mi (122,056.7 km2) | 421/sq mi (163/km2) |
| Pennsylvania | 13,002,700 | 12,702,379 | +2.36% | 44,742.67 sq mi (115,883.0 km2) | 286/sq mi (111/km2) |
| Middle Atlantic | 42,492,943 | 40,872,375 | +3.96% | 99,223.24 sq mi (256,987.0 km2) | 420/sq mi (162/km2) |
| Total | 57,609,148 | 55,317,240 | +4.14% | 161,911.64 sq mi (419,349.2 km2) | 354/sq mi (137/km2) |
Economy
As of 2012, the Northeast U.S. accounts for approximately 23% of the nation's gross domestic product.[62] Due to it's vast population and diverse landscapes, the Northeast has a large and robust economy, ranging from financial services in Lower Manhattan, to agriculture in Central Pennsylvania.
New York City

As of 2021, the New York metropolitan area is estimated to produce a gross metropolitan product (GMP) of $2.1 trillion US dollars, ranking it first in the U.S. If the New York metropolitan area were a sovereign state, it would have the eighth-largest economy in the world. Manhattan is considered the world's financial center, with many large banks based in Lower Manhattan and some of the largest stock exchanges on Wall Street, like the New York Stock Exchange, it is so prominent that the term "Wall Street" is usually synonymous with finance. Many other companies are based in New York City area, either in Midtown Manhattan, downtown Brooklyn, Long Island City, or the various suburbs, like Stamford or White Plains. Some of the largest companies based in New York City area include, Verizon, J.P. Morgan Chase, Citigroup, MetLife, PepsiCo, IBM, Time Warner, Goldman Sachs, and Pfizer. Many tech companies are being founded as well in New York, or moving their headquarters in New York from other places, with the rise of many technology companies in the metropolitan area.
The large population of New York City and the metropolitan area around it contribute to a very large shopping economy, with many large shopping malls and department stores based in the area, including the Macy's on 34th street, Fifth Avenue, and various suburban shopping malls, like the American Dream in East Rutherford, Palisades Center in West Nyack, or the SoNo Collection in Norwalk. One of the largest cargo ports in the nation, the Port of New York and New Jersey, is located on New York Harbor, delivering goods for the city and much of the Northeast.
Other regions
As of 2021, the Philadelphia metropolitan area is estimated to produce a GMP of $479 billion US dollars, making it the 9th largest economy in the United Sates. Many large companies are based as well in Philadelphia due to it's significance and easy connections to other cities like New York and Washington DC. These companies include Comcast, Cigna, and RiteAid. The Philadelphia Mint is also located within the city.
The Boston metropolitan area is also a major center for insurance, finance, and technology, with major companies like General Electric and Liberty Mutual being based in the city.
Rural regions and state, like Northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine rely more on agriculture, logging, mining, and tourism to help boost their local and statewide economies. Many national and state parks in the region generate lots of tourism, especially during fall months. The logging industry is especially prominent in Maine, making up a large part of Northern Maine's economy.
Many of the northeastern states have very large economies and are highly developed, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. These statics are as of Q3 2022.
- New York, $2.1 trillion USD, per capita $105,226
- Pennsylvania, $931 billion USD, per capita $71,825
- New Jersey, $753 billion USD, per capita $81,307
- Massachusetts, $693 billion USD, per capita $99,274
- Connecticut, $323 billion USD, per capita $89,301
- New Hampshire, $106 billion USD, per capita $76,008
- Maine, $85 billion USD, per capita $61,491
- Rhode Island, $72 billion USD per capita $65,879
- Vermont, $41 billion USD, per capita $63,275
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission oversees 34 nuclear reactors, eight for research or testing and 26 for power production in the Northeastern United States.[48]
Transportation
Rail systems


The Northeast is served by Amtrak trains, with the Northeast Regional and Acela, two of the busiest intercity rail lines in the United States going from Washington DC to Boston. Other Amtrak Lines that serve the Northeast include the Downeaster, Empire Service, Vermonter, Lake Shore Limited, Pennsylvanian. Many other rail systems also exist in the Northeast, varying from light rail, commuter rail, or heavy rapid transit (subway).
| No. | Name | Metro | Rail type | City | No. of lines | Annual Ridership
(Q4 2019)[63] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York City Subway | New York | Rapid Transit | New York | 36 | 2,723,960,100 |
| 2 | MBTA subway | Boston | Rapid Transit/
Light Rail |
Boston | 12 | 199,501,352 |
| 3 | Long Island Rail Road | New York | Commuter Rail | New York/Long Island | 13 | 117,773,400 |
| 4 | SEPTA subway | Philadelphia | Rapid Transit | Philadelphia | 3 | 90,240,800 |
| 5 | PATH | New York | Rapid Transit | Newark/Jersey City/New York | 4 | 90,276,600 |
| 6 | NJ Transit Commuter Rail | New York/Philadelphia | Commuter Rail | Hoboken/Patterson/Atlantic City | 11 | 88,319,600 |
| 7 | Metro North Railroad | New York | Commuter Rail | NYC/New Haven/White Plains/Stamford | 3-4 | 86,459,000 |
| 8 | SEPTA Trolley | Philadelphia | Light Rail | Philadelphia | 8 | 24,321,200 |
| 9 | SEPTA Regional Rail | Philadelphia | Commuter Rail | Philadelphia | 13 | 35,594,800 |
| 10 | MBTA Commuter Rail | Boston | Commuter Rail | Boston, Providence, Worcester | 14 | 32,420,400 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh Light Rail | Pittsburgh | Light Rail | Pittsburgh, Bethel Park | 3 | 27,975,600 |
| 12 | NJ Transit Tram | New York/Philadelphia | Light Rail | Trenton/Camden/Newark/Jersey City | 3 | 23,700,000 |
| 13 | Buffalo Metro Rail | Buffalo | Light Rail | Buffalo | 1 | 1,890,200 |
| 14 | Hartford Line | Hartford | Commuter Rail | New Haven, Hartford, Springfield | 1 | 750,000[64] |
| 15 | Shore Line East | New Haven | Commuter Rail | New Haven, New London | 1 | 660,500 |
Major stations

- 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Served by all SEPTA Regional Lines, Amtrak, NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line, it is the third busiest Amtrak station and 11th busiest train station in North America with over 4 million passengers in 2019.
- Pennsylvania Station in New York City. Served by some Northern NJ Transit lines, some Long Island Railroad trains (was all until January 2023) and Amtrak trains. It is the busiest train station in North America, with over 10 million passengers in 2019, along with 27 million passengers from NJ Transit and 69 million from Long Island Rail in 2017.
- Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Served by Metro North and some Long Island Rail trains (starting in January 2023). It had over 67 million annual passengers in 2017 and was the third busiest train station in North America.
- Union Station in New Haven. Served by New Haven Line, Hartford Line, and Shoreline East along side Amtrak. It had 350,000 annual Amtrak passengers in 2017.
- South Station in Boston. Served by southern MBTA commuter lines and Amtrak, it was the 7th busiest train station in North America in 2017, with nearly 29 million passengers.
- North Station in Boston. Served by northern MBTA commuter lines and the Downeaster (Amtrak). It had 6 million MBTA users in 2012 and 152,000 Amtrak passengers in 2021.
Airports

The following table includes all airports categorized by the FAA as large or medium hubs[65] located in the Northeastern states[66][67]
| National
Rank |
Metro area served | Airport code | Airport name | Largest airline[68] | Annual
Passengers[69] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | New York | JFK | John F. Kennedy International Airport | JetBlue (39%) | 15,273,342 |
| 14 | New York | EWR | Newark Liberty International Airport | United (53%) | 14,514,049 |
| 19 | Boston | BOS | Logan International Airport | JetBlue (30%) | 10,909,817 |
| 21 | Philadelphia | PHL | Philadelphia International Airport | American (44%) | 9,820,222 |
| 25 | New York | LGA | LaGuardia Airport | Delta (21%) | 7,827,307 |
| 48 | Pittsburgh | PIT | Pittsburgh International Airport | Southwest (26%) | 3,069,259 |
| 54 | Hartford | BDL | Bradley International Airport | American (17%) | 2,273,259 |
Road
Many major highways cross the Northeast, connecting it to the rest of the nation.
| Number | Length (mi)[70] | Length (km) | Southern or western terminus | Northern or eastern terminus | Formed | Removed | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 435.66 | 701.13 | I-71 in Westfield Center, Ohio | I-295 at Bellmawr, New Jersey | 1964 | current | Serves two northeastern states:Pennsylvania, New Jersey Associated routes: I-176, I-276, I-376, I-476, I-676 | ||
| 146.28 | 235.41 | I-81 at Jonestown, Pennsylvania | Canal Street in New York City | 1957 | current | Serves three northeastern states: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York Associated routes: I-278, I-478, I-678, I-878 | ||
| 343.46 | 552.75 | I-77 in Charleston, West Virginia | PA 5 in Erie, Pennsylvania | 1967 | current | Serves Pennsylvania Associated routes: I-279, I-579 | ||
| 2899.59 | 4,666.44 | US 101 in San Francisco, California | I-95 in Teaneck, New Jersey | 1956 | current | Serves 2 northeastern states: Pennsylvania and New Jersey Associated routes: I-180, I-380, I-280 | ||
| 855.02 | 1,376.02 | I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee | Canadian border at Wellesley Island, New York | 1961 | current | Serves two northeastern states: Pennsylvania, New York Associated routes:I-481 and I-781 | ||
| 85.03 | 136.84 | President Street and Fayette Street in Baltimore, Maryland | I-81 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | 1959 | current | Serves Pennsylvania Associated route: I-283 | ||
| 232.71 | 374.51 | I-81 in Scranton, Pennsylvania | I-90 in Sturbridge, Massachusetts | 1963 | current | Serves four states: Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts Associated routes: I-384, I-684 | ||
| 223.39 | 359.51 | I-90 near North East, Pennsylvania | NY 17/NY 79 in Windsor, New York | 1999 | current | Unfinished in New York Serves two northeastern states: Pennsylvania, New York Associated routes: none | ||
| 333.49 | 536.70 | I-278 in New York City | A-15 at Canadian border in Champlain, New York | 1957 | current | New York only Associated routes: I-287, I-587, I-787 | ||
| 117.75 | 189.50 | I-81 in Binghamton, New York | I-90 in Schenectady, New York | 1968 | current | New York only Associated routes: none | ||
| 191.12 | 307.58 | I-93/SR 3A in Bow, New Hampshire | Route 133/Future A-35 at Canadian border in Highgate, Vermont | 1960 | current | Serves two northeastern states: New Hampshire, Vermont Associated route: I-189 | ||
| 3020.44 | 4,860.93 | SR 519/4th Avenue/Edgar Martinez Drive in Seattle, Washington | MA 1A in Boston, Massachusetts | 1956 | current | Serves three northeastern states: Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts Associated routes: I-190 (New York), I-290 (New York), I-390, I-490, I-590, I-690, I-790, I-890, I-990, I-190 (Massachusetts), I-290 (Massachusetts) Longest Interstate highway in the US | ||
| 290.37 | 467.31 | I-95 in New Haven, Connecticut | A-55 at Canadian border in Derby Line, Vermont | 1958 | current | Serves three northeastern states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont Associated routes: I-291, I-391, I-691 | ||
| 189.95 | 305.69 | I-95/US 1 in Canton, Massachusetts | I-91 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont | 1957 | current | Serves three northeastern states: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont Associated routes: I-293, I-393 | ||
| 1919.31 | 3,088.83 | US 1 in Miami, Florida | NB 95 at Canadian border in Houlton, Maine | 1957 | current | Serves eight northeastern states:Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine Associated routes: I-195, I-295, I-395, I-495, I-595, I-695, I-795, I-895 Longest primary north-south Interstate highway | ||
| 98.34 | 158.26 | I-70/I-76 in Bedford, Pennsylvania | I-86/NY 17 in Painted Post, New York | 1998 | current | Unfinished in Pennsylvania Serves two northeastern states: Pennsylvania, New York Associated routes: none | ||

Many other minor highways exist in the Northeast, connecting cities. Major US Routes which run through the Northeast include US 1, US 2, US 3, US 4, US 5, US 6, US 7, US 9, US 11, US 13, US 15, US 19, US 20, US 22, US 30, US 40, US 44, US 46, US 62, US 130, US 201, US 202, US 206, US 209, US 219, US 220, US 222, US 224, US 302, US 322, US 422, US 522.
The Northeast has the highest amount of tolled roads/bridges in the nation with only two states in the Northeast having no tolls, Connecticut and Vermont. Notable turnpikes include the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76/I-276/I-95), New Jersey Turnpike (partially I-95), New York Thruway (I-87/I-90), Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90), Maine Turnpike (I-95), PA Turnpike Northeast Extension (I-476). The northeast also contains many tolled and non-tolled parkways, many of which are in New York City metro. Major parkways include the Garden State Parkway, Taconic State Parkway, Hutchinson River Parkway, Saw Mill River Parkway, Lake Ontario State Parkway, Niagara Scenic Parkway, Belt Parkway, Grand Central Parkway, Northern State Parkway.
Major crossings

- Delaware Memorial Bridge (I-295, NJ Turnpike) - Crosses the Delaware River between Delaware and New Jersey, the southern most fixed crossing on the river. Eastbound span opened in 1951, westbound span opened in 1968.
- Walt Whitman Bridge (I-76) - Crosses the Delaware River, connecting southern Philadelphia to southern New Jersey suburbs. Opened in 1957.
- Benjamín Franklin Bridge (I-676) - Connects downtown Philadelphia with Camden, New Jersey and southern New Jersey. Opened in 1926.
- Delaware River Turnpike Toll Bridge (I-95, PA Turnpike) - Connects the PA Turnpike to the NJ Turnpike. I-95 was only designated in 2018, formerly was I-276. Opened in 1956.
- Newark Bay Bridge (I-76, NJ Turnpike) - Crosses Newark Bay, connecting Newark to Jersey City and Bayonne. Opened in 1956.
- Bayonne Bridge (NJ 440/NY 440) - Crosses Arthur Kill, connecting Bayonne to Staten Island, New York. Opened in 1931, raised in 2017.
- Verrazzano Narrows Bridge (I-278) - Crosses New York Harbor to connect Staten Island to Brooklyn, double decked. Opened in 1964.
- Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel (I-478) - Crosses underneath the East River to connect Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn. Opened in 1950.
- Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge - The bridges cross the East River to connect Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn. Opened in 1883, 1909, and 1903.
- PATH Hudson Tubes - Carries the PATH metro trains underneath the Hudson River to connect Newark, Jersey City, and Hoboken to Lower and Midtown Manhattan. The tubes opened up in 1908/1909.
- Holland Tunnel (I-78) - Crosses underneath the Hudson River, connects road traffic from Jersey City and Newark to Lower Manhattan. Opened in 1927.
- Queens-Midtown Tunnel (I-495) - Crosses underneath the East River, connecting the Long Island Expressway to Manhattan. Opened in 1940.
- North River Tunnels (NJ Transit, Amtrak) Carries the Northeast Corridor underneath the Hudson River, connecting rail traffic from New Jersey to Pennsylvania Station and New England. Opened in 1910.
- Lincoln Tunnel (NJ 495) - Crosses underneath the Hudson River to connect New Jersey to Midtown Manhattan. Opened in 1937.
- Queensboro Bridge (NY 25) - Connects Midtown Manhattan to Long Island City. Opened in 1909.
- Triborough Bridge (I-278) - Crosses the East River and Harlem River, provides road connections to Upper Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. Also crosses and connects Randalls Island. Opened in 1936.
- Hell Gate Bridge (Amtrak) - Crosses the East River and Bronx Kill, provides a rail connection from Pennsylvania Station to the Bronx and Connecticut. Opened in 1917.
- George Washington Bridge (I-95) - Crosses the Hudson River, connecting New York and New England to New Jersey and cross-country I-80. One of the busiest crossings in the United States. Double Decked. Opened in 1931.
- Alexander Hamilton Bridge (I-95) - Crosses the Harlem River, connecting Manhattan and the GW Bridge to the Cross Bronx Expressway. Opened in 1963.
- Whitestone Bridge (I-678) - Crosses the East River, connecting South Bronx to Queens. Opened in 1939.
The Zakim Bridge carrying traffic on Intestate 93 from Boston across the Charles River. - Throgs Neck Bridge (I-295) Crosses the East River, connecting the Bronx and New England to the Queens and Long Island, northern most crossing of the East River. (no fixed crossings are in Long Island Sound) Opened in 1961.
- Tappan Zee Bridge (I-87, I-287) - Crosses the Hudson River, carrying NY Thruway and suburban traffic from Rockland and Westchester counties. Alternative to GW Bridge. Current span opened in 2017, former span opened in 1955.
- Newburgh-Beacon Bridge (I-84) - Crosses the Hudson River, carrying traffic from Pennsylvania and southeastern New York across the river to New England. Opened in 1963.
- Q Bridge (I-95) - Crosses the Quinnipiac River, carrying New Haven traffic along with traffic heading to New England or New York. Current span opened in 2012, original span opened in 1958.
- Baldwin Bridge (I-95) - Crosses the Connecticut River, carrying cross-state traffic and connecting Old Saybrook to New London. Opened in 1948.
- Jamestown/Newport Pell Bridges (RI 138) - Crosses Narraganset Bay, connecting Newport, Rhode Island to the rest of the state. Jamestown Bridge opened in 1992, Newport Pell opened in 1969.
- Charter Oak Bridge (CT 15/US 5) - Crosses the Connecticut River, connecting southern Hartford and I-91 northbound to East Hartford and I-84 eastbound. Opened in 1991.
- Bulkeley Bridge (I-84) - Crosses the Connecticut River, connecting Hartford area traffic across the river. The oldest interstate crossing in the US. Opened in 1908.
The Rainbow Bridge, connecting New York to Canada nearby Niagara Falls. - Ted Williams Tunnel (I-90) - Crosses underneath Boston Harbor. Connects the Mass Pike and I-93 to East Boston and Logan Airport. Opened in 1995/2003.
- Zakim Bridge (I-93) - Crosses the Charles River, carrying Boston traffic to the northern Massachusetts and Maine/New Hampshire. Opened in 2003.
- Piscataqua River Bridge (I-95) - Crosses the Piscataqua River, carrying traffic from New Hampshire and Massachusetts to Maine. Opened in 1972.
- Peace Bridge (QEW/I-190) - Crosses the Niagara River, carrying traffic from Buffalo, New York into Ontario. Opened in 1927.
- Rainbow Bridge (NY 384/NY 104) - Crosses the Niagara River, carrying traffic from Niagara Falls, New York into Niagara Falls, Ontario. Opened in 1941.
- Lewiston-Queenston Bridge (I-190) Crosses the Niagara River, carrying traffic from Buffalo, New York into Ontario. Opened in 1962.
History


The Northeast has been a place for many firsts in transportation in the USA, from the first commercial railroad in the US in Milton, Massachusetts (Granite Railway), first rapid transit system (MBTA Green Line),[72] the first limited access road was the Bronx River Parkway, opened in 1922,[73] New York is also where the first urban freeway was built in the late-1930s.[74] (FDR Drive) The northeast would also be home to some of the first major freeway revolts in Greenwich Village,[75] and would see the first major highway teardown (Miller Highway) in the 1970s.[76]
Before European settlement, most of the Northeast was loosely connected by Native American trails, some of which would be incorporated into early-European settlement roads and turnpikes. One major early road was the Boston Post Road, connecting New York City and Boston along the Connecticut and Rhode Island coasts.[77] Later these roads would be included in the King's Highway, spanning most of the east coast. Smaller turnpikes would also connect cities across the northeast. These roads would prove essential to moving goods across the English colonies in the 18th century and would later play a large part in the American Revolution.[78]
The region would a boom in canals built in the early-19th century, with a major canal being the Erie Canal, opened in 1825, connecting the Great Lakes to the Hudson River and Atlantic Ocean through Western New York.[79] The first railroads would be built in the late-1820s and would explode in mileage in the mid to late 19th century.[80] Places like Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Newark, and Pittsburgh would become large water and rail hubs during the Industrial Revolution and would see tremendous booms in population and use.[81]
Many large rivers in the northeast like the Hudson and Delaware would be slowly crossed with bridges starting in the 1800s, with the first fixed crossing of the Hudson River south of Albany being the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge, opened in 1889.[82] The Delair Bridge, which would connect Philadelphia with New Jersey was opened six years later in 1896.[83] The first crossing of the Hudson River into New York City would be the series of Hudson River PATH tunnels, being opened in 1908 and 1909.[84] The first major vehicle tunnel would be the Holland Tunnel, opened up in 1927.[85]
The start of highway construction would be the Bronx River Parkway and Long Island Motor Parkway, both of which started construction in the early-1900s.[86] The rise of Robert Moses in New York would see the construction of many major road bridges and highways crossing the city and metro area. East River Drive (eventually renamed FDR Drive), was built along the corresponding river in Manhattan.[87] The mid-20th century would see the rise of urban and suburban freeways and the decline of passenger and freight rail, with many lesser used tracks being abandoned or torn up during this time.[88] It would also see the original Pennsylvania Station demolished in Midtown Manhattan during the mid-1960s.[89] The construction of the Cross-Bronx Expressway in New York, Central Artery in Boston, and the Vine Street Expressway in Philadelphia tore up many ethnic and minority neighborhoods in the name of urban renewal.[90][91][92][93] Many other highways were proposed during this era, like the Lower Manhattan Expressway and the Inner Belt in Boston, which were not built due to fierce highway revolts and rising costs.[75][93][94] After the major highway revolts and rise of environmental concerns, new highway and interstate projects were mostly cancelled or shortened in the Northeast by the 1990s.
Despite the lack of new major road projects in the Northeast, the region has still continued to grow in population, resulting in the rise of alternative forms of transport like HOV lanes or commuter rails. This has led to the Northeast having one of the highest transit usage percentages in North America, with the Long Island Railroad being the most used commuter rail in the continent.[95] One exception was the Big Dig, a major road project that would tear down the former elevated Central Artery (I-93) and instead tunnel it (and widen). It would also construct a new Charles River bridge and the Ted Williams Tunnel (I-90). This would end up becoming one of the costliest construction projects in the world, costing $21 billion dollars adjusted to 2020 inflation.[96] The former highway's path would become the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a large public park. The Sheridan Expressway (former I-895) was also rebuilt into a boulevard in the late-2010s.[97] Rochester, New York has torn down the Inner Loop due to low traffic and to reunify neighborhoods in downtown and to create developable space.[98]
Culture
One geographer, Wilbur Zelinsky, asserts that the Northeast region lacks a unified cultural identity,[7] but has served as a "culture hearth" for the rest of the nation.[99] Several much smaller geographical regions within the Northeast have distinct cultural identities.[7]
Landmarks
Almost half of the National Historic Landmarks maintained by the National Park Service are located in the Northeastern United States.[100]
Religion
According to a 2009 Gallup poll, the Northeastern states differ from most of the rest of the U.S. in religious affiliation, generally reflecting the descendants of immigration patterns of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with many Catholics arriving from Ireland, Italy, French Canada - Quebec, Portugal and east-central Europe. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey are the only states in the nation where Catholics outnumber Protestants and other Christian denominations. More than 20% of respondents in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont declared no religious identity.[101] Compared to other U.S. regions, the Northeast, along with the Pacific Northwest, has had the lowest regular religious service attendance and the fewest people for whom religion is an important part of their daily lives as of 2015.[102]
Sports
The Northeast region is home to numerous professional sports franchises in the "Big Four" leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB),[103] with more than 100 championships collectively among them.[104]
- New York metropolitan area: Giants, Jets (NFL), Yankees, Mets (MLB), Knicks, Nets (NBA), Rangers, Islanders, Devils (NHL)
- Philadelphia: Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB), 76ers (NBA), Flyers (NHL)
- Boston: Patriots (NFL), Red Sox (MLB), Celtics (NBA), Bruins (NHL)
- Pittsburgh: Steelers (NFL), Pirates (MLB), Penguins (NHL)
- Buffalo: Bills (NFL), Sabres (NHL)
Major League Soccer features four Northeastern teams: New England Revolution, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union. The region also has two WNBA teams: Connecticut Sun and New York Liberty.
Notable golf tournaments in the Northeastern United States include The Northern Trust, Travelers Championship, and Atlantic City LPGA Classic. The US Open, held in New York, is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments.
Notable Northeastern motorsports tracks include Watkins Glen International, Pocono Raceway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Lime Rock Park, which have hosted Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR and International Motor Sports Association races. Also, drag strips such as Englishtown, Epping and Reading have hosted NHRA national events. Belmont Park at New York hosts the Belmont Stakes horse races, which is part of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.
The region has also been noted for the prevalence of the traditionally Northeastern sports of ice hockey and lacrosse.[105]
Health
The rate of potentially preventable hospitalizations in the Northeastern United States fell from 2005 to 2011 for overall conditions, acute conditions, and chronic conditions.[106]
Politics
The Northeastern United States tended to vote Republican in federal elections through the first half of the 20th century, but the region has since the 1990s shifted to become the most Democratic in the nation.[47] Results from a 2008 Gallup poll indicated that eight of the top ten Democratic states were located in the region, with every Northeastern state having a Democratic Party affiliation advantage of at least ten points.[107] The following table demonstrates Democratic support in the Northeast as compared to the remainder of the nation.[108]
| Year | % President vote | % Senate seats | % House seats | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | Remainder | Northeast | Remainder | Northeast | Remainder | |
| 2000 | 57.6 | 47.5 | 60.0 | 46.3 | 59.6 | 45.7 |
| 2002 | 60.0 | 45.0 | 58.3 | 44.7 | ||
| 2004 | 57.1 | 47.3 | 60.0 | 40.0 | 59.5 | 43.0 |
| 2006 | 75.0 | 45.0 | 73.8 | 48.3 | ||
| 2008 | 60.7 | 52.0 | 80.0 | 52.5 | 81.0 | 52.9 |
| 2010 | 75.0 | 47.5 | 67.9 | 38.5 | ||
The following table of United States presidential election results since 1920 illustrates that over the past seven presidential elections, only three Northeastern states supported a Republican candidate (New Hampshire voted for George W. Bush in 2000; Pennsylvania and Maine's 2nd congressional district voted for Donald Trump in 2016).[109] 2004 is so far the only election in U.S. history in which the winner did not win any northeastern state. Bolded entries indicate that party's candidate also won the general election.
| State | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| ME | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D (R ME-02) |
D (R ME-02) |
| MA | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| NH | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | D | D | D | D | D |
| NJ | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| NY | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| PA | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | D |
| RI | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | R | D | D | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| VT | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
The following table shows the breakdown of party affiliation of governors, attorneys general, state legislative houses and U.S. congressional delegation for the Northeastern states, as of May 2020. (Demographics reflect registration-by-party figures from that state's registered voter statistics.)
| State | Governor | Attorney general | Upper House majority | Lower House majority | Senior U.S. senator | Junior U.S. senator | U.S. House delegation | Demographics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 23-13 |
Democratic 92-59 |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 5-0 |
Democratic 36-21 |
| ME | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 21-14 |
Democratic 89-57-5 |
Republican | Independent | Democratic 2-0 |
Democratic 32-27 |
| MA | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 34-6 |
Democratic 127-32 |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 9-0 |
Democratic 35-11 |
| NH | Republican | Republican | Republican 14-10 |
Republican 213-187 |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 2-0 |
Republican 30-27 |
| NJ | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 24-16 |
Democratic 52-28 |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 10-2 |
Democratic 32-21 |
| NY | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 40-23 |
Democratic 106-43-1 |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 23-6 |
Democratic 49-24 |
| PA | Democratic | Democratic | Republican 28-22 |
Democratic 102-101 |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 9-8 |
Democratic 46-39 |
| RI | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 33-5 |
Democratic 66-9 |
Democratic | Democratic | Democratic 2-0 |
Democratic 42-11 |
| VT | Republican | Democratic | Democratic 22-6-2 |
Democratic 95-43-7-5 |
Democratic | Independent | Democratic 1-0 |
Democratic 47-31 |
See also
Notes
- The term "East Coast" almost exclusively refers to the Northeastern megalopolis. As stated in numerous dictionaries and encyclopedias, including both the Oxford English Dictionary and the American Heritage Dictionary, the 'East Coast' primarily refers to the region between Washington D.C. and Boston.[3][4][5] Historically, the term has always connoted the Northeast.
- The U.S. Census Bureau reorganized its administrative units, and its regional offices do not cover the Census regions (the northeasternmost regional office headquartered in New York covers New England, New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico).[29]
- Based on U.S. Census Bureau population projections to 2030 (and assuming constant land area) the population density for the South Atlantic division will increase significantly to 294.6/mi2, New England's density will increase to 249.2/mi2 and the East North Central division will increase only slightly to 200.2/mi2. The division with the 5th highest density is projected to be the East South Central division at 111.6/mi2.[61]
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