Erie County is a county along the shore of

Lake Erie Lake Erie ( ) is the fourth-largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and also has the shortest avera ...

in western

New York State New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 954,236. However, in the 2023 census, the Erie County population was 946,147. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Buffalo Buffalo most commonly refers to: * True buffalo or Bubalina, a subtribe of wild cattle, including most "Old World" buffalo, such as water buffalo * Bison, a genus of wild cattle, including the American buffalo * Buffalo, New York, a city in the n ...

, which makes up about 28% of the county's population. Both the county and Lake Erie were named for the regional

Iroquoian language The Iroquoian languages () are a language family of indigenous peoples of North America. They are known for their general lack of labial consonants. The Iroquoian languages are polysynthetic and head-marking. As of 2020, almost all surviving I ...

-speaking Erie tribe of Native Americans, who lived in the area before 1654. They were later pushed out by the more powerful Iroquoian nations tribes. The county is part of the

Western New York Western New York (WNY) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all so ...

region of the state. Erie County, along with its northern neighbor

Niagara County Niagara County is in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 212,666. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word ''Onguiaahra''; meaning ''the strait'' or ''thunder of ...

, makes up the

Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area Buffalo Niagara may refer to a variety of places and things in the vicinity of Buffalo, New York, and Niagara Falls Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the Canada–United States border ...

, the second largest in the State of New York behind

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. The county's southern part is known as the

Southtowns The Southtowns (also known as the Buffalo Southtowns, the South Towns, or Southtown) is a region of Western New York, United States, that lies within the snowbelt or ski country. It includes the southern suburbs of Buffalo, New York. This is t ...

. The county has seen one of the highest growth rates of any county in the State of New York from the 2010 to 2020 census, although, in the wake of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

, Erie County has faced some population decline, due to the harsh economic hit many businesses dealt with, leaving them to either close down completely or move to a larger city.

History

When counties were established by the English colonial authorities in the

Province of New York The Province of New York was a British proprietary colony and later a royal colony on the northeast coast of North America from 1664 to 1783. It extended from Long Island on the Atlantic, up the Hudson River and Mohawk River valleys to ...

in 1683, present-day Erie County was inhabited by the

Iroquois The Iroquois ( ), also known as the Five Nations, and later as the Six Nations from 1722 onwards; alternatively referred to by the Endonym and exonym, endonym Haudenosaunee ( ; ) are an Iroquoian languages, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Ind ...

. Significant colonization by

White Americans White Americans (sometimes also called Caucasian Americans) are Americans who identify as white people. In a more official sense, the United States Census Bureau, which collects demographic data on Americans, defines "white" as " person hav ...

did not begin until after the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

had gained independence with the end of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

in 1783. The U.S. forced the Iroquois to cede most of their lands, as many had been allies of the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

during the conflict. About 1800, the

Holland Land Company The Holland Land Company was an unincorporated syndicate of thirteen Dutch investors from Amsterdam,Kirby, C.D. (1976). ''The Early History of Gowanda and The Beautiful Land of the Cattaraugus''. Gowanda, NY: Niagara Frontier Publishing Company ...

, formed by American businessmen and their Dutch associates, extinguished aboriginal claims by purchasing the land from New York, acquired the title to the territory of what are today the eight westernmost counties of New York, surveyed their holdings, established towns and began selling lots to individuals. The state was eager to attract settlers and have homesteads and businesses developed. At this time, all of western New York was included in Ontario County. As the population increased, the state legislature created Genesee County in 1802 out of part of Ontario County. In 1808, Niagara County was created out of Genesee County. In 1821, Erie County was created out of Niagara County, encompassing all the land between

Tonawanda Creek Tonawanda Creek is a small tributary of the Niagara River in Western New York, United States. After rising in Wyoming County, the stream flows through Genesee County before forming part of the boundary between Erie County and Niagara County ...

and

Cattaraugus Creek Cattaraugus Creek is a stream, approximately long, in western New York in the United States.Town of Clarence Clarence is a town and affluent suburb located in the northeastern part of Erie County, New York, United States, northeast of Buffalo. The population was 32,950 according to the 2020 census estimate. This represents an increase of 7.4% from the ...

and the Town of Willink. Clarence and Willink comprised the northern and southern portions of Erie county, respectively. Clarence is still a distinct town, but Willink was quickly subdivided into other towns. When Erie County was established in 1821, it consisted of the towns of Amherst, Aurora, Boston, Clarence, Collins, Concord, Eden, Evans, Hamburg, Holland, Sardinia and Wales. The county has a number of houses and other properties listed on the

National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, New York This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, New York. This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Erie County, New York, Uni ...

. In 1861, the hamlet of

Town Line ''Town Line'' is the first EP by American rock musician Aaron Lewis, and is his first solo release. An extended play consisting of country songs, it was released on March 1, 2011, on Stroudavarious Records. As of the chart dated September 3, 2 ...

in the Town of

Lancaster Lancaster may refer to: Lands and titles *The County Palatine of Lancaster, a synonym for Lancashire *Duchy of Lancaster, one of only two British royal duchies *Duke of Lancaster *Earl of Lancaster *House of Lancaster, a British royal dynasty ...

voted 85–40 to secede from the Union. Town Line never sought admission into the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederate States (C.S.), the Confederacy, or Dixieland, was an List of historical unrecognized states and dependencies, unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United State ...

and there is no evidence that men from the community ever fought for the Confederacy. Some reporting from that time indicates the vote was a joke. On January 24, 1946, as part of a nationally reported event, Town Line voted to officially return to the Union after 85 years of Union secession.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which (85%) is land and (15%) is water. Erie County is in the western portion of upstate New York, bordering on the

lake A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from ...

of the same name. Part of the industrial area that has included Buffalo, it is the most populous county in upstate New York outside of the New York City metropolitan area. The county also lies on the international border between the United States and Canada, bordering the Province of

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

. The northern border of the county is Tonawanda Creek. Part of the southern border is Cattaraugus Creek. Other major streams include Buffalo Creek ( Buffalo River),

Cayuga Creek Cayuga Creek is a small stream in western New York, United States, with stretches in both Erie County and Wyoming County. The creek enters Buffalo Creek in the northwest corner of the Town of West Seneca in Erie County, just upstream from the ...

Cazenovia Creek Cazenovia Creek is a creek in Western New York, United States. It is a tributary of the Buffalo River, which empties into Lake Erie. Cazenovia Creek and its watershed are entirely within Erie County. Course Cazenovia Creek is formed from its two ...

Scajaquada Creek Scajaquada Creek ( ) is a stream in Erie County, New York, United States. The name is derived from Philip Kenjockety, a Native American described as the oldest resident of the region upon his death in 1808. The creek lends its name to the Sca ...

, Eighteen Mile Creek and

Ellicott Creek Ellicott Creek is a stream in Western New York, United States. It is a tributary of Tonawanda Creek, which in turn flows into the Niagara River. Course Ellicott Creek originates in southwest corner of Genesee County, just northeast of Darien La ...

. The county's northern half, including Buffalo and its suburbs, is known as the Northtowns and is relatively flat and rises gently up from the lake. The southern half, known as the Southtowns, is much hillier. It has the northwesternmost foothills of the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

. The highest elevation in the county is a hill in the Town of Sardinia that tops out at around above sea level. The lowest ground is about , on Grand Island at the Niagara River. The

Onondaga Escarpment The Onondaga Limestone is a group of hard limestones and dolomites of Devonian age that forms geographic features in some areas in which it outcrops; in others, especially its Southern Ontario portion, the formation can be less prominent as a lo ...

runs through the northern part of Erie County.

Rivers, streams and lakes

* Buffalo River *

Cattaraugus Creek Cattaraugus Creek is a stream, approximately long, in western New York in the United States.Cayuga Creek Cayuga Creek is a small stream in western New York, United States, with stretches in both Erie County and Wyoming County. The creek enters Buffalo Creek in the northwest corner of the Town of West Seneca in Erie County, just upstream from the ...

* Eighteen Mile Creek *

Niagara River The Niagara River ( ) flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, forming part of the border between Ontario, Canada, to the west, and New York, United States, to the east. The origin of the river's name is debated. Iroquoian scholar Bruce T ...

Adjacent counties and municipality

- north * Genesee County - northeast * Wyoming County - southeast *

Cattaraugus County Cattaraugus County (locally known as Catt County) is a county in Western New York, with one side bordering Pennsylvania. As of the United States 2020 census, the population was 77,042. The county seat is Little Valley. The county was created ...

- south * Chautauqua County - southwest * Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada - northwest

Major highways

Interstate 90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain states, Mountain West, Great Pla ...

(

New York State Thruway The New York State Thruway (officially the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway and colloquially "the Thruway") is a system of controlled-access toll roads spanning within the U.S. state of New York. It is operated by the New York State Thruway ...

) * Interstate 190 (Niagara Thruway) * Interstate 290 (Youngmann Expressway) *

Interstate 990 Interstate 990 (I-990) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within the town of Amherst in Erie County, New York, in the United States. It runs in a roughly north–south direction for through the southwestern and central pa ...

(Lockport Expressway) * US 20

U.S. Route 20 U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major coast-to-coast route. ...

(Southwestern Boulevard/Transit Road/Broadway) * U.S. Route 20A (Big Tree Road) * US 62

U.S. Route 62 U.S. Route 62 or U.S. Highway 62 (US 62) is an east–west United States Highway in the southern and northeastern United States. It runs from the Mexican border at El Paso, Texas, to Niagara Falls, New York, near the Canadian b ...

(South Park Avenue/Bailey Avenue/Niagara Falls Boulevard) * US 219

U.S. Route 219 (Southern Expressway) * NY-5

New York State Route 5 New York State Route 5 (NY 5) is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Sy ...

(Hamburg Turnpike/Buffalo Skyway/Main Street) * NY-16

New York State Route 16 New York State Route 16 (NY 16) is a state highway in western New York, in the United States. It runs from the Pennsylvania state line, where it is one of the highest highways in the state in elevation, to downtown Buffalo. NY ...

(Seneca Street) * NY-33

New York State Route 33 New York State Route 33 (NY 33) is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. The route extends for just under from NY 5 in Buffalo in the west to NY 31 in Rochester in the east. It is the on ...

(Kensington Expressway/Genesee Street) * NY-39

New York State Route 39 New York State Route 39 (NY 39) is an east–west state highway in the western New York, western portion of New York (state), New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 in New York, U.S ...

New York State Route 78 New York State Route 78 (NY 78) is a state highway in western New York in the United States. While it is signed north–south, the southern portion runs in an east–west direction across Wyoming and Erie counties, from its beginn ...

(Transit Road) * NY-179

New York State Route 179 New York State Route 179 (NY 179) is a short long state highway located south of Buffalo in Erie County, New York, in the United States. It is known as Milestrip Road for most of its length. A small section between U.S. Route&nbs ...

(Milestrip Expressway/Road) * NY-198

New York State Route 198 New York State Route 198 (NY 198) is an expressway located entirely within the city of Buffalo, New York, in the United States. It is named the Scajaquada Expressway ( ) for Scajaquada Creek, which it covers as it heads across northe ...

(Scajaquada Expressway) * NY-263

New York State Route 263 New York State Route 263 (NY 263) is a state highway located entirely within the town of Amherst in Erie County, New York, in the United States. It extends from just north of the northeast corner of the city of Buffalo in a roughly ...

(Grover Cleveland Highway/Millersport Highway) * NY-240

New York State Route 240 New York State Route 240 (NY 240) is a state highway in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 242 in the Ellicottville community of Ashford Junction in northern ...

(Orchard Park Road/Harlem Road) * NY-277

New York State Route 277 New York State Route 277 (NY 277) is a state highway in New York (state), New York in the United States. This highway is also called Union Road, along with other names. NY 277 is a major north–south road east of Buffalo, N ...

(Union Road) * NY-324

New York State Route 324 New York State Route 324 (NY 324) is an east–west state highway located in the western portion of New York in the United States. Officially, NY 324 begins at NY 384 in Niagara Falls and overlaps Interstate 190 (I- ...

(Grand Island Boulevard/Sheridan Drive) * NY-354

New York State Route 354 (Clinton Street) * NY-400

New York State Route 400 (Aurora Expressway)

Erie County routes

National protected area

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site preserves the Ansley Wilcox House, at 641 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, New York. Here, after the assassination of William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office as President of the ...

State protected areas

Amherst State Park Amherst State Park is an park in Erie County, New York, United States. The park is located northeast of Buffalo, partially in the Village of Williamsville with the balance located in the Town of Amherst. The park is managed by the Town of ...

, Town of Amherst * Beaver Island State Park, Town of Grand Island *

Buckhorn Island State Park Buckhorn Island State Park is an state park located in Erie County, New York in the Town of Grand Island. The park is on the northern end of the island of Grand Island. Park description Buckhorn Island State Park is primarily an exhibit of N ...

, Town of Grand Island * Buffalo Harbor State Park, City of Buffalo *

Evangola State Park Evangola State Park is a state park in southern Erie County, New York, United States. The park is located west of the Village of Farnham, at the border of the Town of Brant and the Town of Evans. The park, which opened in 1954, fronts on L ...

, Towns of Brant and Evans * Great Baehre Swamp Wildlife Management Area, Town of Amherst * Hampton Brook Woods Wildlife Management Area, Village of Hamburg * Knox Farm State Park, Town of East Aurora * Motor Island Wildlife Management Area, Town of Grand Island * Onondaga Escarpment Unique Area, Town of Akron * Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve, Town of Cheektowaga * Spicer Creek Wildlife Management Area, Town of Grand Island * Strawberry Island State Park, Town of Townawanda * Tillman Road Wildlife Management Area, Town of Clarence * Woodlawn Beach State Park, Town of Hamburg *

Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area Zoar may refer to: * Zoara, a city mentioned in Genesis as part of the Biblical Pentapolis Places ;Canada * Zoar, Newfoundland and Labrador ;England * Zoar, Cornwall ;South Africa * Zoar, Western Cape ;United States * Zoar, Delaware * Zoar ...

, Town of Collins

Demographics

As of the

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

, there were 954,236 people living in the county. The population density was . There were 438,747 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 77.8

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 13.9%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.8% Native American, 5.0% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 2.4% from other races and 5.4% from two or more races. 6.4% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. 19.6% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

, 17.2%

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...

, 14.9%

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

, 11.7% Irish and 5.0%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

ancestry according to Census 2000. 91.1% spoke

, 3%

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

and 1.6%

as their first language. ErieCountyPopulation 2

There were 380,873 households, out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 36.1% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% older than 65. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males. The median income for a household in the county was $38,567 and the median income for a family was $49,490. Males had a median income of $38,703 versus $26,510 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $20,357. About 9.2% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 17.3% of those under 18 and 7.8% of those older than 65.

2020 census

County government and politics

Prior to 1936, Erie County predominantly backed Republican Party candidates, with only four Democratic Party candidates winning the county in a presidential election -

James Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was the 15th president of the United States, serving from 1857 to 1861. He also served as the United States Secretary of State, secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and represented Pennsylvan ...

in 1856,

George B. McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 24th governor of New Jersey and as Commanding General of the United States Army from November 1861 to March 186 ...

in 1864,

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, serving from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. He was the first U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms and the first Hist ...

in 1892 and

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

in 1912. However, starting with the 1936 election, it has turned predominantly Democratic since then, with only two Republicans carrying the county in a presidential election-- Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956 and Richard Nixon in 1972, with Nixon being the most recent. In 2016, like many other counties in the Rust Belt, Donald Trump expanded the Republican vote share thanks to his appeal to working-class whites and Ethnic-Catholic voters, keeping the margin in single digits for the first time since 1984. Four years later, in 2020, Joe Biden won 267,270 votes in Erie County, more than Barack Obama in 2008. Biden's margin of victory, however, was smaller than Obama's 2008 victory within the county and Trump's margin, though declining, was still higher than any Republican since 1988 (aside from his 2016 margin).

Erie County executives

Elected officials

County legislature

As of 2024, there are seven Democrats, three Republicans, and one Conservative in the county legislature.

Education

School districts

School districts include: * Akron Central School District * Alden Central School District * Amherst Central School District * Attica Central School District * Buffalo City School District * Cheektowaga Central School District * Cheektowaga-Maryvale Union Free School District * Cheektowaga-Sloan Union Free School District * Clarence Central School District * Cleveland Hill Union Free School District * Depew Union Free School District * East Aurora Union Free School District * Eden Central School District * Evans-Brant Central School District (Lake Shore) a.k.a. Lake Shore Central School District * Frontier Central School District * Grand Island Central School District * Gowanda Central School District * Hamburg Central School District * Holland Central School District * Iroquois Central School District * Kenmore-Tonawanda Union Free School District * Lackawanna City School District * Lancaster Central School District * North Collins Central School District * Orchard Park Central School District * Springville-Griffith Institute Central School District * Sweet Home Central School District * Tonawanda City School District * West Seneca Central School District * Williamsville Central School District * Yorkshire-Pioneer Central School District "Special act" school districts * Randolph Academy Union Free School District - In 2011 it took the territory of another special act district, Hopevale Union Free School District As of the 2010 U.S. Census, some parts of this county were not in a defined school district, with some undefined land and some undefined water.

Higher education

* Buffalo State College * Canisius College * Daemen College * D'Youville University * Erie Community College * Hilbert College * Medaille College * Trocaire College * University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo * Villa Maria College * Bryant & Stratton College

Attractions and recreation

Erie County is home to three professional teams—the National Football League, NFL's Buffalo Bills, the National Hockey League, NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the National Lacrosse League, NLL's Buffalo Bandits, along with NCAA Division I, Division I's Buffalo Bulls and MILB's Buffalo Bisons. The city of Buffalo also features the Buffalo Zoo, The Buffalo History Museum, Burchfield-Penney Art Center and Albright-Knox Art Gallery (all located within a mile of each other in the Delaware Park-Front Park System, Delaware Park System), Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens and Buffalo Museum of Science, the Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House Complex in addition to tourist districts such as Canalside and Larkinville. The Erie County Fair, held every August in the Hamburg, New York, Town of Hamburg from 1820 to 2024 (the 2020 event, like much everything else across the country, was cancelled due to the

), is one of the largest county fairs in the United States.

Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry

The Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry was established in 1925 with four parks spanning . As of 2003, the county managed 38 properties, totaling approximately of land. Management objectives include providing and maintaining recreational space and the conservation of the county's natural and historic resources. A 2003 Master Plan identified several broad categories of parks operated by the county, including heritage parks, waterfront parks, conservation parks, special purpose parks and forest management areas.

Heritage parks

Erie County's heritage parks include the five original county parks that were established during the 1920s and 1930s. These parks are examples of multiple-use sites with significant scenic, natural and historic features. Each park has unique man-made structures of historical character, many constructed as part of the Works Progress Administration movement in the 1930s. * Akron Falls Park (established in 1933, acquired by Erie County in 1947) * Chestnut Ridge Park (established by Erie County in 1926) * Como Lake Park (established in 1923, acquired by Erie County in 1926) * Ellicott Creek Park (established by Erie County in 1926) * Emery Park (established by Erie County in 1925)

Waterfront parks

Waterfront parks include the significant scenic sites and recreational trail systems along the county's

shoreline. * Bennett Beach Park * Isle View Park * Riverwalk Park * Wendt Beach Park

Conservation parks

These largely-undeveloped parks are managed primarily for conservation of the natural environment and passive nature-based outdoor recreation activities. These lands are intended to generally remain in a natural state. * Boston Forest * Eighteen Mile Creek Park * Franklin Gulf Park * Scoby Power Plant and Dam, Scoby Dam Park * Sgt. Mark A. Rademacher Memorial Park (commonly known as Hunters Creek Park)

Special purpose parks

Special purpose parks have unique characteristics that provide specific recreational functions within the county's park system. * Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens * Elma Meadows Golf Course * Grover Cleveland Golf Course * Sprague Brook Park

Forest management areas

Forest management areas are managed by the Erie County Bureau of Forestry, which was established in 1927. These areas include several thousand acres of mostly-coniferous plantation style forest, much of which was planted on abandoned farmland by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. These areas are located mostly in the rural southern portion of the county. These lands have limited recreation potential, mostly in the form of trails. Management of these lands is focused on natural resource conservation, in addition to potential commercial resource extraction of timber products or maple syrup.

Communities

† - County seat ‡ - Not wholly in this county

Cities

*Lackawanna, New York, Lackawanna *Tonawanda, New York, Tonawanda

Towns

* Alden (town), New York, Alden * Amherst, New York, Amherst * Aurora, Erie County, New York, Aurora * Boston, New York, Boston * Brant, New York, Brant * Cheektowaga (town), New York, Cheektowaga * Clarence, New York, Clarence * Colden, New York, Colden * Collins, New York, Collins * Concord, New York, Concord * Eden, New York, Eden * Elma, New York, Elma * Evans, New York, Evans * Grand Island, New York, Grand Island * Hamburg (town), New York, Hamburg * Holland (town), New York, Holland * Lancaster (town), New York, Lancaster * Marilla, New York, Marilla * Newstead, New York, Newstead * North Collins (town), New York, North Collins * Orchard Park (town), New York, Orchard Park * Sardinia, New York, Sardinia * Tonawanda (town), New York, Tonawanda * Wales, New York, Wales * West Seneca, New York, West Seneca

Villages

*Akron, New York, Akron *Alden (village), New York, Alden *Angola, New York, Angola *Blasdell, New York, Blasdell *Depew, New York, Depew *East Aurora, New York, East Aurora *Farnham, New York, Farnham *Hamburg (village), New York, Hamburg *Kenmore, New York, Kenmore *Lancaster (village), New York, Lancaster *North Collins (village), New York, North Collins *Orchard Park (village), New York, Orchard Park *Sloan, New York, Sloan *Springville, New York, Springville *Williamsville, New York, Williamsville *Gowanda, New York, Gowanda (partly located in Erie and Cattaraugus counties)

Hamlets

* Akron Junction, New York, Akron Junction * Alden Center, New York, Alden Center * Armor, New York, Armor * Athol Springs, New York, Athol Springs * Bagdad, New York, Bagdad * Bellevue, Erie County, New York, Bellevue * Big Tree, New York, Big Tree * Blakeley, New York, Blakeley * Blossom, New York, Blossom * Boston (hamlet), New York, Boston * Bowmansville, New York, Bowmansville * Brant (hamlet), New York, Brant * Brighton, Erie County, New York, Brighton * Carnegie, New York, Carnegie * Chaffee, New York, Chaffee * Clarksburg, New York, Clarksburg * Cleveland Hill, New York, Cleveland Hill * Clifton Heights, New York, Clifton Heights * Collins Center, New York, Collins Center * Concord (hamlet), New York, Concord * Creekside, New York, Creekside * Crittenden, New York, Crittenden * Dellwood, New York, Dellwood * Derby, New York, Derby * Doyle, New York, Doyle * Duells Corner, New York, Duells Corner * Dutchtown, New York, Dutchtown * East Amherst, New York, East Amherst * East Concord, New York, East Concord * East Eden, New York, East Eden * East Elma, New York, East Elma * East Seneca, New York, East Seneca * Ebenezer, New York, Ebenezer * Eden Valley, New York, Eden Valley * Ellicott, Erie County, New York, Ellicott * Elma (hamlet), New York, Elma * Evans Center, New York, Evans Center * Ferry Village, New York, Ferry Village * Footes, New York, Footes * Forks, New York, Forks * Fowlerville, Erie County, New York, Fowlerville * Gardenville, New York, Gardenville * Getzville, New York, Getzville * Glenwood, New York, Glenwood * Green Acres Valley, New York, Green Acres * Griffins Mills, New York, Griffins Mills * Holland (hamlet), New York, Holland * Hunts Corners, New York, Hunts Corners * Jerusalem Corners, New York, Jerusalem Corners * Jewettville, New York, Jewettville * Kenilworth, Erie County, New York, Kenilworth * Lake View, New York, Lake View * Langford, New York, Langford * Lawtons, New York, Lawtons * Locksley Park, New York, Locksley Park * Looneyville, New York, Looneyville * Loveland, New York, Loveland * Marilla (hamlet), New York, Marilla * Marshfield, New York, Marshfield * Millersport, New York, Millersport * Millgrove, New York, Millgrove * Morton Corners, New York, Morton Corners * Mount Vernon, Erie County, New York, Mount Vernon * Murrays Corner, New York, Murrays Corner * New Ebenezer, New York, New Ebenezer * New Oregon, New York, New Oregon * North Bailey, New York, North Bailey * North Evans, New York, North Evans * Oakfield, Erie County, New York, Oakfield * Patchin, New York, Patchin * Peters Corners, New York, Peters Corners * Pine Hill, Erie County, New York, Pine Hill * Pinehurst, New York, Pinehurst * Pontiac, New York, Pontiac * Porterville, New York, Porterville * Protection, New York, Protection * Sand Hill, New York, Sand Hill * Sandy Beach, New York, Sandy Beach * Scranton, New York, Scranton * Sheenwater, New York, Sheenwater * Shirley, Erie County, New York, Shirley * Snyder, New York, Snyder * South Cheektowaga * South Newstead, New York, South Newstead * South Wales, New York, South Wales * Spring Brook, New York, Spring Brook * Swifts Mills, New York, Swifts Mills * Swormville, New York, Swormville * Taylor Hollow, New York, Taylor Hollow * Town Line Station, New York, Town Line Station * Walden Cliffs, New York, Walden Cliffs * Wales Hollow, New York, Wales Hollow * Water Valley, New York, Water Valley * Webster Corners, New York, Webster Corners * Wende, New York, Wende * West Alden, New York, West Alden * West Falls, New York, West Falls * Weyer, New York, Weyer * Williston, New York, Williston * Windom, New York, Windom * Wolcottsburg, New York, Wolcottsburg * Woodlawn, Erie County, New York, Woodlawn * Woodside, Erie County, New York, Woodside * Wyandale, New York, Wyandale * Zoar, New York, Zoar

Indian reservations

* Cattaraugus Reservation, Erie County, New York, Cattaraugus Reservation * Tonawanda Reservation, Erie County, New York, Tonawanda Reservation

References

External links

Erie County Bureau of Forestry Trails

Erie County Government website
(county overvie
here

The Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society

Erie County Fair

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, New York

The Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority website a New York state public-benefit corporation
{{coord, 42.75, -78.78, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-NY_source:UScensus1990 Erie County, New York, Western New York 1821 establishments in New York (state) Populated places established in 1821 Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area New York (state) placenames of Native American origin