Governor Hopeful Needs a New York Geography Lesson

Former Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon should brush up on Empire State geography if she really expects to do well in the next election. She may have some good ideas, but her campaign for Governor of New York may already be in trouble.

During an interview with the New York Times, Nixon was discussing Upstate New York and said: "I don't think the Hudson Valley is upstate. Once you get to Ithaca, by around there, you're starting to get upstate."

Now, we're not ENTIRELY certain where Upstate and Downstate New York begins and ends. But we're pretty sure Upstate begins LONG before you reach Ithaca, which is roughly four hours from Manhattan.

The Upstate-Downstate conundrum is kind of a moving target. If you're in New York City, you probably think the Hudson Valley would be considered UPstate. If you live in Central New York, you probably think the Hudson Valley is DOWNstate.

Here's what we DO know: Buffalo and Rochester are WESTERN New York. Syracuse, Utica-Rome, Ithaca, Binghamton are all CENTRAL New York. Watertown, Lake Placid, and Canton are NORTHERN New York or The North Country.

But, are all those ALSO considered Upstate? The Adirondacks begin in Central New York and end in Northern New York, right?

We also know for sure: New York City and Long Island are definitely Downstate. Albany is definitely Upstate. And Mid-State is our fine correctional facility in Marcy.

The biggest questions: Where does Central New York end and Downstate begin? Where exactly is the Upstate-Downstate line?