I’d have to tell you I’ve worked in NYC and lived in upstate New York for awhile(near Cooperstown) The two regions might as well be two separate countries really. There is no love loss between the two. Folks upstate are not like the ‘’city folk’’.
You are right. They are VERY different. I go to the state conventions sometimes (GOP) and so get to see the political types from all over the state in action.
It is an eye-opener.
They have completely different issues locally and statewise, and are MUCH more conservative than the NYC people. The ones from the western part of the state speak with Midwestern accents, just to give you an idea. It’s a big state.
There needs to be a split. I would say the boundary would be at Orange and Dutchess Counties.