FACTBOX: New York and its presidential primary

(Reuters) - New York is among 24 states taking part in "Super Tuesday," the February 5 contests in which voters will choose nominees from the Democratic and Republican parties for the November U.S. presidential election.

Following are a few facts about New York and its primary:

* New York is the third most populous state with more than 19 million residents, 8.2 million of them in New York City.

* Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton represents the state in the U.S. Senate and several recent polls show her leading rival Illinois Sen. Barack Obama by an average of 20 percentage points. Among Republicans, a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll taken over the weekend shows Arizona Sen. John McCain leads former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 53 percent to 19 percent.

* The state has voted Democratic in every presidential election since 1988, though voters in the vast inland region known as upstate often support Republicans. Some 47 percent of the state's voters are registered Democrats, while 27 percent are registered as Republicans.

* Polls close at 9 P.M. EST. Democrats award delegates on a proportional basis, while for Republicans, the winner takes all.

* While New York City has boomed in recent years, other cities like Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse have struggled along with the major industrial employers there. The upstate region is one of the few in the United States to see its population decline this decade.

* The state is home to several well-regarded winemaking regions, including eastern Long Island and the Finger Lakes.

* Median household income in the state is $48,472, somewhat higher than the national median of $44,334. About 14.5 percent of the population lived below the poverty line, compared with 12.3 percent nationally. The median age is 39, one year older than the national average.

(Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Almanac of American Politics, National Association of Secretaries of State, New York Wine & Grape Foundation, Real Clear Politics)

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan)