Upstate New York generally refers to the region of New York State beyond New York City. There is some debate as to what exact region the term refers to, as described on wikipedia. Buffalo is considered to be part of Western New York.

Residents of New York State who do not live near NYC may, when asked where they are from, respond "Upstate New York" rather than "New York" to avoid confusion of whether or not they live in New York City.

See Also:

• Central New York
• Western New York