Western New York
Lackawanna, New York
Lackawanna is a city in Erie County, in New York's Western New York region, home to about 20,000 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
- City
- County
- Erie
- Region
- Western New York
- Population (2020)
- 19,949
Local Almanac
Notes in and around Lackawanna
Short, sourced notes tied to this place, its county, or nearby communities.
This place · History & Culture
Lackawanna Has Steel Work and a Basilica Side by Side
Lackawanna's local story pairs a 1903 steel plant and Bethlehem Steel with the Our Lady of Victory Basilica landmark.
Read this note ->This place · History & Culture
Lackawanna's Map Starts With Creeks, Ridge Road, and Rails
Lackawanna's identity starts before steel, with Smokes Creek, Ridge Road, railroad yards, a breakwall, and Stony Point industry.
Read this note ->Nearby · Home & Property
Orchard Park Building and Tax Checks Start Early
Orchard Park owners should check town permit rules, zoning paths, tax-map details, and the online tax bill system before work or payment deadlines.
Read this note ->Nearby · Cars & Driving
Buffalo Fruit Belt Parking Permits Are Address-Specific
Buffalo's Fruit Belt residential parking permit depends on vehicle registration, neighborhood address, and posted block rules.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
The Soup Wings That Conquered the Super Bowl
One late night in 1964, Teressa Bellissimo fried up the chicken wings meant for her soup pot and tossed them in hot sauce — and the Buffalo wing was born at the Anchor Bar.
Read this note ->Nearby · Money & Taxes
Buffalo Taxes Come in More Than One Envelope
Buffalo property owners have city tax, county tax, sewer rent, water, and user-fee dates that do not all land at the same time.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Hamburg Has Fairgrounds and Fossils
Hamburg's identity combines the Erie County Fairgrounds with Devonian fossil layers around Eighteen Mile Creek and Penn Dixie.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
West Seneca Still Carries the Ebenezer Story
West Seneca's local story carries Seneca place-name context, Buffalo Creek Reservation history, and the Ebenezer Society's communal hamlets.
Read this note ->Nearby · Cars & Driving
Buffalo Parking Tickets Have Separate Pay and Hearing Doors
Buffalo drivers should separate parking ticket payment from hearing requests, especially if a ticket is under the hearing-age limit.
Read this note ->Property tax snapshot
Roughly $26–$26 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 $7,938–$7,938 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 ->
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