Very many upstate NY towns had peak population back in the 1960s
Some peaked around 1900!
Without NY City and a couple other large democrat plantations the state would probably become red and vote the democrats out.
Atlanta has a new apartment complex opening every week. Go through the parking garage. It is almost all rust belt licenses plates in the new apartment buildings. Look at the window decals and bumper stickers.
These people are not from NYC. They are from Rochester, Buffalo and Akron, Toledo, Flint, Detroit Chicago.
What is amazing is that most of them do not wonder why there are no jobs in rust belt cities and there are jobs in Red states TN, NC, GA, FL, TX.
Even more amazing is that Republicans, Conservatives, AFP, Tea Party, Heritage, etal are not asking these people to think about why there is a job difference.