Northeastern United States

Northeastern United States
The Northeast, The East Coast, The American Northeast
A map of the Northeastern United States as defined by the Census Bureau
Subregions
CountryUnited States
States
Area
  Region
181,324 sq mi (469,630 km2)
  Land162,257 sq mi (420,240 km2)
  Water19,067 sq mi (49,380 km2)  9.51%
  Urban
74,800 sq mi (194,000 km2)
Highest elevation
(Mount Washington, New Hampshire)
6,288 ft (1,916.66 m)
Lowest elevation
(Atlantic Ocean)
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Region
57,609,148
  Density320/sq mi (120/km2)
Demonym(s)Northeasterner, Yankee
GDP
  Region$5.1 trillion (2022)
  Per capita$88,600 (2022)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
  Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Largest settlementNew York City

The Northeastern United States (also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. Located on the Atlantic coast of North America, the region borders Canada to its north, the Southern United States to its south, the Midwestern United States to its west, and the Atlantic Ocean to its east.

The Northeast is one of the four regions defined by the U.S. Census Bureau for the collection and analysis of statistics. The Census Bureau defines the region as including the six New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, and three lower North-Eastern states of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Some expanded definitions of the region include Mid-Atlantic locations such as Delaware, Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

The region is the base for the Northeast megalopolis, which includes many of the nation's largest metropolitan areas, including Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia. The megalopolis makes up 67% of the region's total population of 57,609,148. The gross domestic product of the region was $5.1 trillion as of 2022 and contains some of the most developed states based on the Human Development Index, with every state above the national average. It is also the most densely populated region in the United States, with 320 people per square mile (120 people/km2). The U.S. Census Bureau defines the Northeast United States as having a total area of 181,324 sq mi (469,630 km2), making it the smallest region of the United States by total area.