Estimated 2004 population: 19,227,088

Change from 2000: +250,631

2004 housing units: 7,819,359

Housing units change from 2000-2004: +131,529

Top New York Cities

Albany | Buffalo | Catskill | Hampton Bays | Kingston | New York | Poughkeepsie | Schenectady | Syracuse | Utica | White Plains | Yonkers

2006 New York Housing Trends

For the first time since 1997, New York’s real estate home appreciation rate of 12.6 percent in the fourth quarter 2005 was below the national average of 13 percent. After reaching a record high in the third quarter, appreciation eased in Glen Falls, but slightly increased in other parts of the Hudson Valley, Long Island, and New York City metro area.

While the state's average house appreciation rate remained in double digits, other indicators of housing activity have eased. The inventory of unsold homes has increased between 10 percent and 20 percent in Westchester and parts of the Hudson Valley, 10 percent in Buffalo almost 30 percent in Rochester.

A slowdown in home sales and higher inventory levels could portend an easing in appreciation rates in 2006. However, in contrast to the state’s early 1990s housing downturn, recent employment growth remains firm in many areas in the state, which should support housing markets. Moreover, construction related employment has been a less significant driver to New York’s job growth during the past five years than the nation.

New York Economy

Schenectady, Albany, and New York City, once the major industrial cities of the lower Mohawk and the Hudson, continue their long-time manufacturing decline. Except in the mountain regions, the areas betweencities are rich agriculturally. The Finger Lakes region has orchards producing apples, one of New York's leading crops; vineyards here and on Long Island make the state famous for its wines.

The state produces other, diverse crops, especially grapes, strawberries, cherries, pears, onions, and potatoes (grown especially on E Long Island); maple syrup is extracted, and New York is the third leading U.S. producer of dairy goods. New York's mineral resources include crushed stone, cement, salt, and zinc.

The state has a complex system of railroads, air routes, and modern highways, notably the New York State Thruway. The New York State Canal System, an improvement of the old Erie Canal, is now mainly used for recreational travel; the Hudson and some other rivers still carry freight. Ocean shipping is handled by the port of New York City and, to a much lesser extent, by Buffalo. Hydroelectricity for N New York is produced by the St. Lawrence power project and by the Niagara power project, which began producing in 1961.

In spite of significant decline, New York has retained some important manufacturing industries, and, by virtue of New York City, it has strengthened is position as a commercial and financial leader.

Although the largest percentage of the state's jobs lie in the service sector, its manufactures are extremely diverse and include printed materials, apparel, food products, machinery, chemicals, paper, electrical equipment (notably at Schenectady), computer equipment (Poughkeepsie), optical instruments and cameras (Rochester), sporting goods, and transportation equipment.

Printing and publishing, mass communications, advertising, and entertainment are among New York City's notable industries. Long Island has aircraft plants (although these have declined sharply since the 1970s) and Brookhaven National Laboratory, a research center. Many corporate headquarters and research facilities have relocated in Westchester co., N of New York City.

Some commercial fishing is pursued in Lakes Erie and Ontario and in the waters around Long Island. The state has c.18,775,000 acres (7,294,000 hectares) of forest, but forestry is no longer a major industry.

Top New York Attractions

Central Park, New York City
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Broadway, New York City
Coney Island, Brooklyn
Statue of Liberty, New York City
Empire State Building, New York City
Ellis Island, New York City
American Museum of Natural History, New York City
Times Square, New York City
Museum of Modern Art, New York City