Guide Rankings Geography Updated June 3, 2026

Mid-Atlantic States

Aerial view of the Chesapeake Bay shoreline with tidal marshes, bridges, and the Maryland coast

Mid-Atlantic States

Ranking - Geography

The Chesapeake Bay bisects Maryland and Virginia — both of which are in the common-usage Mid-Atlantic but outside the U.S. Census Bureau's official 3-state Middle Atlantic division.

Quick Answer

Mid-Atlantic States

  1. 1

    The U.S. Census Bureau defines the Mid-Atlantic as 3 states: New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Common usage adds Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia — giving 6 states — and sometimes West Virginia, for 7. No single federal authority uses all 7.

  2. 2

    The Census definition follows a strict geographic division called the 'Middle Atlantic' — one of nine Census divisions. The common-usage definition roughly matches the colonial-era Middle Colonies (NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD), which were the five original colonies between New England and the South.

  3. 3

    New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania are simultaneously classified as both Mid-Atlantic and Northeast by the Census Bureau — the Bureau places all three in the Middle Atlantic division within its broader Northeast region. This overlap is the primary source of confusion between 'Mid-Atlantic' and 'Northeast' in everyday use.

Map

Mid-Atlantic States Map

Mid-Atlantic
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
No data
New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania (darkest) are the only 3 states in the Census Bureau's official Middle Atlantic division. Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (medium) are in nearly all common-usage definitions. West Virginia (lightest) is the most debated.
Mid-Atlantic States Map
Rank State Mid-Atlantic
1 New York 3
2 Pennsylvania 3
3 Virginia 2
4 West Virginia 1
5 Maryland 2
6 New Jersey 3
7 Delaware 2

New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania (darkest) are the only 3 states in the Census Bureau's official Middle Atlantic division. Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (medium) are in nearly all common-usage definitions. West Virginia (lightest) is the most debated.

Mid-Atlantic States Table

Download this table as a PDF

Clean, print-ready version of Mid-Atlantic States.

States in the Mid-Atlantic

Aerial view of the Chesapeake Bay with tidal marshes and Maryland's eastern shore
The Chesapeake Bay defines the geography of Maryland and Virginia — both in the common-usage Mid-Atlantic but outside the Census Bureau's official 3-state Middle Atlantic division.

The answer depends on the source. The U.S. Census Bureau's official definition is 3 states: New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania — grouped as the 'Middle Atlantic' division. The common-usage definition adds Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, giving 6 states. West Virginia appears in some definitions and not others. Washington D.C. is frequently included in practical discussions of the region despite being a federal district, not a state.

The 3-state Census definition is the most authoritative but the least intuitive — it excludes Maryland and Delaware, which geographically and culturally sit between Pennsylvania and the South. The 6-state definition (NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA) matches the colonial-era Middle Colonies most closely and is used by National Geographic, most travel organizations, and major media style guides.

Census Definition vs Common Usage

Philadelphia skyline viewed from across the Delaware River with the Benjamin Franklin Bridge
Philadelphia sits on the border of Pennsylvania and New Jersey — both Census-defined Mid-Atlantic states. The Delaware River here also marks the boundary between the Census Middle Atlantic and South Atlantic divisions.

The U.S. Census Bureau divides the country into 4 regions and 9 divisions. Its 'Middle Atlantic' division contains exactly 3 states — New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia are in the Census 'South Atlantic' division, alongside Georgia, Florida, the Carolinas, and West Virginia. This places Baltimore and Philadelphia in different Census divisions despite their cities being 96 miles apart.

The historical basis for a broader definition is the colonial Middle Colonies: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland — the five colonies between New England and the South. This 5-state colonial grouping is the oldest geographic anchor for 'Mid-Atlantic.' Virginia and West Virginia were Southern Colonies, which is why their inclusion in the Mid-Atlantic is contested. Most non-Census federal agencies with Mid-Atlantic regional offices — including the EPA Region 3 and FEMA Region 3 — use a broader definition that includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Mid-Atlantic vs Northeast

The Census Bureau places New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania in both the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast simultaneously — the three states are the 'Middle Atlantic' division within the larger 'Northeast' Census region. This means New York City is officially in the Northeast at the regional level and the Mid-Atlantic at the division level. Neither label is wrong; they operate at different geographic scales.

In common usage, 'Northeast' typically means New England (the 6 states: CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) plus New York, while 'Mid-Atlantic' typically means New York south through Virginia. The overlap is New York — claimed by both terms. New England states are almost never called Mid-Atlantic. Virginia and Maryland are almost never called Northeast. The ambiguity is concentrated in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, which credibly fit either label.

Quick Answers

What states are in the Mid-Atlantic?
It depends on the definition. The U.S. Census Bureau defines the Mid-Atlantic (officially called the 'Middle Atlantic' division) as 3 states: New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Common usage expands this to 6 states by adding Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. West Virginia is sometimes included, making it 7.
How many states are in the Mid-Atlantic?
3 states per the U.S. Census Bureau (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania), or 6 states in the most common broader definition (adding Delaware, Maryland, Virginia), or 7 if West Virginia is included. No single federal standard uses all 7.
Is Maryland in the Mid-Atlantic?
Yes, in common usage. Maryland is included in nearly every non-Census definition of the Mid-Atlantic. However, the U.S. Census Bureau places Maryland in its South Atlantic division, not the Middle Atlantic. The EPA, FEMA, and most travel and media organizations use broader definitions that include Maryland.
Is Virginia in the Mid-Atlantic?
Northern Virginia is widely considered Mid-Atlantic because of its ties to Washington D.C. and the Baltimore-Washington corridor. The rest of Virginia — central, southern, and western — is more commonly grouped with the South. The Census Bureau places all of Virginia in its South Atlantic division, not the Mid-Atlantic.
What is the difference between the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast?
The U.S. Census places New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania in both — they are in the Northeast region and the Middle Atlantic division simultaneously. In everyday usage, 'Northeast' usually means New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) plus New York, while 'Mid-Atlantic' means New York south through Virginia. The labels overlap most at New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, which credibly fit either.
Is Washington D.C. in the Mid-Atlantic?
Washington D.C. is frequently included in practical discussions of the Mid-Atlantic region but is not a state. It is a federal district carved from Maryland in 1790. Most Mid-Atlantic regional offices — including EPA Region 3 and FEMA Region 3 — include D.C. in their jurisdiction. The Census Bureau places D.C. in its South Atlantic division.

Methodology

How we researched this list

Uses the Census Bureau's Middle Atlantic division plus the broader common-usage definition (DE, MD, VA, sometimes WV).

Sources

Information is cross-referenced with official state archives.
Found an error? Report it here.

You Might Also Like