Erie County Government - Official website of the Erie County, NY Government
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Erie County Overview
Geographic Size | Government | Population | Housing | Economy | Census Data
Geographic Size
Erie County is a metropolitan center located on the western border of the State covering 1,058 square miles. The County is bounded by Lake Erie to the west, Niagara County and Canada to the north, Genesee County and Wyoming County to the east, and Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties to the south. More than half the population in both countries (160,000,000 people), as well as 52 percent of the personal income ($5 trillion) created by the United States and Canada, are within 500 miles of Erie County. In addition, three-quarters of Canada's manufacturing activity and 55 percent of the United States' manufacturing activity fall within that radius. Located within the County are three cities and 25 towns, including the City of Buffalo, the second largest city in the State, which serves as the County seat.
Government
Erie County is governed under a home rule charter which provides for the separation of legislative and executive functions. The Erie County Charter was enacted as Erie County Local Law No. 1 - 1959, and was approved by referendum on November 3, 1959, and became effective when filed with the Secretary of State on November 17, 1959. The County Executive, elected to a four year term, is the chief executive officer of the County. The County Legislature, consisting of 15 members elected to two year terms, is the County's governing body. Other elected positions are Comptroller, County Clerk, District Attorney, and Sheriff.
Population
The Bureau of Census population statistics for Erie County are as follows:
| Year | Population | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1,113,491 | ||
| 1980 | 1,015,472 | ||
| 1990 | 968,532 | ||
| 2000 | 950,265 | ||
| The 2000 population of the cities and five largest towns are as follows: | |||
| Municipality | 2000 Population | ||
| Buffalo, City | 292,648 | ||
| Lackawanna, City | 19,064 | ||
| Tonawanda, City | 16,136 | ||
| Amherst, Town | 116,510 | ||
| Cheektowaga, Town | 94,019 | ||
| Tonawanda, Town | 78,155 | ||
| Hamburg, Town | 56,259 | ||
| West Seneca, Town | 45,920 | ||
Housing
The cost of purchasing a home in Erie County continues to be lower than in most other areas of the Northeastern United States. The table that follows shows the average median selling price of a home in Erie County and the percent of increase from the previous year for the years 1995 to 2004.
| Housing Costs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Average Median Selling Price | Percent Change |
| 1997 | $ 82,096 | -1.24% |
| 1998 | $ 83,841 | 2.13% |
| 1999 | $ 81,408 | -2.90% |
| 2000 | $ 79,769 | -2.01% |
| 2001 | $ 83,240 | 4.35% |
| 2002 | $ 84,288 | 1.26% |
| 2003 | $ 88,273 | 4.73% |
| 2004 | $ 92,513 | 4.80% |
| 2005 | $ 99,000 | 6.60% |
| 2006 | $ 97,900 | -1.23% |
Economy
Erie County is a major New York industrial and commercial center. The following tables illustrate the major components of employment in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).
| 2006 - Ten Largest Employers In WNY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Organization | Employees | ||
| State of New York | 16,508 | ||
| United States of America | 10,000 | ||
| Kaleida Health | 9,500 | ||
| City of Buffalo (includes schools) | 8,218 | ||
| HSBC Bank USA N.A. | 5,867 | ||
| Catholic Health Systems | 4,832 | ||
| Employer Services Corp. | 4,650 | ||
| County of Erie | 4,610 | ||
| M & T Bank | 4,422 | ||
| Catholic Diocese of Buffalo | 4,000 | ||
| Total Labor Force and Employment (In 000's) | |||
| Year | No. Employed | ||
| 1997 | 544.3 | ||
| 1998 | 545.6 | ||
| 1999 | 554.3 | ||
| 2000 | 558.3 | ||
| 2001 | 549.9 | ||
| 2002 | 548.1 | ||
| 2003 | 545.8 | ||
| 2004 | 547.5 | ||
| 2005 | 587.6 | ||
| 2006 | 581.9 | ||
Source: NYS Department of Labor - Annual Data | |||
| Annual Average Unemployment Rates 1997-2006 (a) | |||
| Erie County | New York State | United States | |
| 1997 | 5.1 | 6.4 | 4.7 |
| 1998 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 4.4 |
| 1999 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 4.0 |
| 2000 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 4.0 |
| 2001 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.7 |
| 2002 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 5.8 |
| 2003 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 6.0 |
| 2004 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.5 |
| 2005 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| 2006 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.6 |
(a) Percent of total force unemployed, by place of residence, not seasonally adjusted. | |||
Source: U.S. Rate - U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Other Rates - New York State Department of Labor, Labor Market Information | |||
| Ten Largest Taxpayers (As of December 31, 2006) | |||
| Equalized Taxable Valuation | |||
| Dist-National Fuel Gas | $ 636,428,510 | ||
| Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. | 531,421,594 | ||
| Verizon New York, Inc. | 323,169,699 | ||
| DDR MDT LLC | 247,224,564 | ||
| Benderson Development Co. | 213,125,498 | ||
| NYSEG | 206,632,061 | ||
| Pyramid Co. of Buffalo | 135,032,769 | ||
| Pennsylvania Lines LLC | 84,940,122 | ||
| Boulevard Mall LLC | 70,815,694 | ||
| Wegman's Food Market | 70,784,841 | ||
| Total | $2,519,575,352 | ||
Source: Erie County Division of Budget and Management | |||
Your information resource from the government of Erie County, New York
