Western New York
Sunset Bay, New York
Sunset Bay is a hamlet — a community without a village government of its own — in Chautauqua County, part of New York's Western New York region, with about 470 residents at 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
- Hamlet (CDP)
- County
- Chautauqua
- Region
- Western New York
- Population (2020)
- 470
Local Almanac
Notes in and around Sunset Bay
Short, sourced notes tied to this place, its county, or nearby communities.
Nearby · History & Culture
Hanover Meets Lake Erie and Silver Creek
Hanover's identity stretches from Silver Creek and Lake Erie to farms, manufacturing, grape-season events, boat launches, and Sunset Bay.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Sheridan keeps the Lake Erie plain practical
Sheridan sits on the practical Lake Erie plain, with farms, roads, local government, and a town identity outside Dunkirk.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Brant Keeps Local Memory in a Town Hall Room
Brant and Farnham keep local history close to home through a Town Hall historical room, old community photos, booklets, and public Monday visits.
Read this note ->Chautauqua County · History & Culture
Westfield Is Grapes, Portage, and Barcelona Light
Westfield's story connects the Portage Trail, Concord grapes, Welch's grape juice, Barcelona Harbor, and a rare natural-gas lighthouse.
Read this note ->Chautauqua County · History & Culture
Busti Turns at the Grist Mill
Busti's local identity is preserved through the 1839 grist mill, museum campus, miller's house, and Apple Harvest Festival.
Read this note ->Chautauqua County · History & Culture
Ellicott Runs Through Falconer and Lake Edges
Ellicott's identity mixes Chautauqua Lake shoreline, villages such as Falconer and Celoron, Holland Land Company history, and old manufacturing roots.
Read this note ->Chautauqua County · Home & Property
Chautauqua Well and Septic Sales Need a Survey
Chautauqua County property transfers with private water or onsite wastewater should plan early for the county Water Sewage Survey.
Read this note ->Chautauqua County · History & Culture
Harmony's Story Sits in an Old Rural Campus
Harmony's local-history hook is a hands-on rural campus in Ashville, with old buildings, trails, records, and a shared story with North Harmony.
Read this note ->Chautauqua County · History & Culture
Dunkirk Follows Rail Freight to Lake Erie
Dunkirk's identity ties Lake Erie harbor shelter, railroad growth, locomotive production, and the Point Gratiot lighthouse story.
Read this note ->Property tax snapshot
About $15–$39 per $1,000 in Chautauqua County
Combined full-value rate — county + town/city + school district, per $1,000 of market value (FY2025). On a $300,000 home that's about $4,374–$11,655 a year before the STAR break. A hamlet has no government of its own — it's taxed at the rates of the town it sits in.
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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