New York is located in North America.
New York is a state in the northeastern United States , and is the 27th-most extensive , fourth-most populous , and seventh-most densely populated U.S. state . With an estimated population of 8.55 million in 2015 , New York City is the most populous city in the United States and the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . New York City makes up over 40 % of the population of New York State .