The Central New York (CNY) region is located in the Center of New York State and covers 3,582.28 square miles. CNY includes the Syracuse Metropolitan area located in Onondaga County, and also includes Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, and Oswego counties.

Central New York is known for manufacturing, as well as being a leader in the area of advanced telecommunications systems. Central New York has a diverse economy, with sectors ranging from health care to education, advanced manufacturing, financial services and transportation. While the region has a rich manufacturing legacy, over the past decade it has developed particular strength and expertise in emerging clusters such as bio, bioprocessing and medical devices, as well as electronic and wireless devices such as sensors, radar and information technologies. 

In addition, the region is emerging as a national leader in the area of clean tech, particularly related to renewable energy and environmental systems. This is based on its unique regional asset base which included the New York Center of Excellence in Energy and Environmental Systems in Syracuse (CoE), environmental quality, biofuels and biomass, wind, fuel cells, solar, water quality and water resources, green buildings and sustainable design. 

The Central New York region is transitioning to a knowledge-based economy, bolstered by its location at the center of a corridor that has one of the highest concentrations of undergraduate and graduate students in the country. CNY is home to university research institutions, a major medical university, and numerous colleges and universities. In addition, the regional workforce is consistently rated as one of the most highly productive nationally.

General Overview
Area – 3,715.01 square miles
Population (2009) – 773,606
    Cayuga – 79,526
    Cortland – 47,996
    Madison – 69,954
    Onondaga – 454,753
    Oswego – 121,377

2009 Labor Force: 398,500
2009 Per capita income: $25,063

 

BUSINESS INFORMATION
Market Access
Central New York is strategically located at the geographic center of New York State, with access to major markets in Canada, the mid-Atlantic and New England. The area’s comprehensive multi-modal transportation system provides access to a huge industrial market. An international airport, a deep-water port, a major rail terminal and miles of interstate highways serve businesses throughout the region.

Highways
Major East-West access is provided by the New York State Thruway (I-90), which is bisected by Interstate 81, a major North-South artery that runs from the Canadian border south to Pennsylvania.

Air Service
Hancock International Airport in Syracuse is served by eight major airlines and two commuter airlines. The Oswego County Airport and many other general aviation facilities operate in the region. Syracuse boasts an Inter-modal Transportation Center that combines rail, bus and taxi services, conveniently located near the airport.

Rail Service
Rail service is provided by Amtrak and CSX and NYS&W, which operates an inter-modal transfer center in Syracuse.

Bus Service
Greyhound and Trailways provide regular bus service. Regionally, service is provided by Centro, S&O and small local carriers.

Port Facilities
The Port of Oswego provides direct access to the St. Lawrence Seaway for ocean-going vessels and the New York State Canal System can be accessed at several points in the region.

 

Hospitals
Community General Hospital
Cortland Regional Medical Center
Crouse Hospital
Oswego Hospital
St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center
SUNY Upstate Medical Center
Oneida Healthcare Center

 

Principal Industries
Manufacturing
Agribusiness
Life Sciences
Renewable energy
Back office industry

 

Colleges and Universities
More than 63,000 students are enrolled in ten four-year institutions of higher education and eight two-year schools. Syracuse University is home to the state's Center for Advanced Technology in Computer Applications and Software Engineering. The State University of New York Health Science Center and the College of Environmental Science and Forestry conduct research in their respective fields.

Bryant & Stratton College
Cayuga Community College
Cazenovia College
Colgate University
Le Moyne College
Onondaga Community College
SUNY Cortland
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
SUNY Morrisville
SUNY Oswego
Syracuse University
Wells College

 

Local Utilities
National Grid
New York State Electric & Gas

 

Top Five Central New York Employers by Size of Workforce
SUNY Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse
Syracuse University
Oneida Indian Nation
Wegmans Food Markets
SUNY Upstate Medical University

 

Fortune 500 Companies  
Bristol Myers Squibb
Lockheed Martin