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While the Empire State is best known for the bright lights and urban allure of New York City, it only takes a half hour and a few miles travel away from the Big Apple to discover New York's spectacular natural wonders.

These include acres of farmland, mountains, lakes and forests, along with the world's most famous "honeymoon capital" at Niagara Falls.

The state's diverse economy is led by New York City's central role as headquarters to some of the world's leading corporations. However, New York is also a leader in hi-tech, clothing & fashion, manufacturing and agriculture. In addition, its growing wine industry includes 212 wineries situated on 30,000 acres of upstate and Long Island vineyards.

• Demographics : (New York Census Data)
  Major cities: Albany (capital), New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, Syracuse
  Population : 19,011,378
  White : 67.9%
  Black, African American : 15.9%
  Hispanic : 15.1%
  High school graduates : 79.1%
  Bachelor's degree or higher : 27.4%
  Average household income: $43,393
  
  
• Crime : see New York State Criminal Justice Statistics
  
  
• Cost of Living: Sperling's Best Places - New York - Compared to the rest of the country, New York's cost of living is 26.57% higher than the national average.
  
  
• Property Taxes : New York Tax Climate - Although New York is one of the 13 states that collect no state-level property taxes, New York's per capita property tax collections equaled $1,677 for all levels of government in FY2004, ranking it 4th nationally or one of the highest in the U.S.
  
  
• Housing & Real Estate Overview : also see Zillow - New York Real Estate
  Home ownership rate : 53%
  Average home price : $284,300
  Average travel time to work : 31.7 minutes
  
  
• Schools : see New York State Education Department
  
  
• Weather : Due to its size and topography, New York State features diverse climate conditions ranging from cooler lake and mountain regions to the more extreme heat and humidity experienced downstate. During the winter months, arctic blasts from Canada can bring temperatures down below freezing with record-breaking lake effect snows in the Buffalo area, while nor'easters often pose a threat of blizzard conditions in the southeast and New York City.

More about moving to New York around the Web:

Moving to New York - Wired New York Forum - Busy message boards with tips & advice on rentals, co-op & condo apartments, cost of living, and guides to neighborhoods in Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.

neighborhoods > Village Voice - Up-close looks at New York City neighborhoods with facts on how to get there, local hangouts, bars & restaurants, typical apartment rents, crime statistics.

Around Westchester.com - Comprehensive information on New York City's suburban bedroom community with facts, information & links to community guides, real estate agents and local resources in towns & cities throughout the county.

LongIsland.com - One-stop browsing for local and business news, real estate listings, schools and daycare centers, guides to towns in Nassau and Suffolk counties, shopping and malls, tourist attractions.

Rochester, NY - Moving Here - Demographic data, information on cost of living, median home prices, community guides, local colleges, elementary & secondary schools, maps, photos, related links.

Buffalo.com - Everything Buffalo - The latest news from Buffalo, the Niagara area annd towns & cities throughout Western New York including current employment, real estate and apartment listings, tourist attractions, photos.

Syracuse Relocation Kit - Online guide to local and area communities, demographic data, job listings, related links.

New York Real Estate, Apartments & Job Classifieds:

• New York City : Times | Village Voice
• Long Island : Newsday
• White Plains : Journal News
• Albany : Times Union
• Buffalo : News
• Rochester : Democrat and Chronicle
• Syracuse : Syracuse.com

also see -> New York Beaches | New York Eviction Laws

New York Fall Foliage | New York Taxes | New York Tourist Attractions

Christmas in New York