Western New York
Grand Island, New York
Grand Island is a town in Erie County, in New York's Western New York region, home to about 21,500 people as of the 2020 census.
Whether you're moving in or you've been here for years, the checks that matter most are the school district, the assessment and STAR, and — outside the cities — the well, the septic, and the flood map.
- Type
- Town
- County
- Erie
- Region
- Western New York
- Population (2020)
- 21,389
Local Almanac
Notes in and around Grand Island
Short, sourced notes tied to this place, its county, or nearby communities.
This place · History & Culture
Grand Island Lives in the River
Grand Island's identity is shaped by the Niagara River, island parks, neighborhood life, and Beaver Island State Park at the south end.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Kenmore Is Buffalo's Early Suburb
Kenmore's village identity grew from streetcar-era suburb building, incorporation, named roads, and a shared municipal building with Tonawanda.
Read this note ->Nearby · Home & Property
Town of Niagara Permit Questions Start at Building Inspection
Town of Niagara residents should route building, contractor, pool, complaint, and right-of-way questions through the town's Building Inspection Office.
Read this note ->Nearby · The Outdoors
The poncho boat that's been running for 150 years
The Maid of the Mist carries visitors into the spray below Horseshoe Falls, turning Niagara from a postcard view into a loud, wet, close-up river ride.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Wheatfield Keeps Bergholz Close
Wheatfield's Bergholz story ties Prussian Lutheran migration, church life, and a preserved cabin to local identity.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Niagara the Town Still Carries the Fort Schlosser Frontier Name
The Town of Niagara's old Fort Schlosser name explains its frontier edge beside Niagara Falls, Lewiston, and Wheatfield.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Tonawanda Meets Canal, River, and Harbor
Tonawanda's identity sits at the Erie Canal, Niagara River, Ellicott Creek, and the shared Gateway Harbor waterfront.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
The state park designed to keep Niagara Falls public
Niagara Falls State Park opened in 1885 after a public-preservation push helped keep the falls open instead of boxed in by mills, fences, and fee-takers.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Tonawanda Follows Moving Water
Tonawanda's town story is shaped by Tonawanda Creek, the Erie Canal, and settlement tied to western New York waterways.
Read this note ->Property tax snapshot
Roughly $21–$21 per $1,000
Combined full-value rate — county + town/city + school district, per $1,000 of market value (FY2025). On a $300,000 home that's about $6,191–$6,191 a year before the STAR break.
A planning estimate, not a bill. Your exact rate depends on your school district and any village. Confirm with the assessor.
Statewide links
Statewide starting points.
Good to know
- • Your assessed value usually isn't your market value — ask for the equalization rate.
- • Register for STAR; new applicants generally receive a credit instead of an automatic exemption on the bill.
- • Outside the cities, check the well, the septic, and the FEMA flood map before you buy.
Nearby
Nearby places
Tax rates: NYS Dept of Taxation & Finance (ORPTS), Real Property Tax Rates and Levy Data by Municipality, data.ny.gov dataset iq85-sdzs. (FY2025). Population: U.S. Census 2020. Reviewed June 2026. Source data ->
Page feedback
Send a page note
Send a note about this page. The page address will be included automatically.
Page feedback
Send a note
This is for fixing the site: wrong details, unclear wording, broken links, outdated information, or useful local context.