Western New York
Tonawanda, New York
Tonawanda is a city in Erie County, in New York's Western New York region, home to about 15,000 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)
- 15,129
Local Almanac
Notes in and around Tonawanda
Short, sourced notes tied to this place, its county, or nearby communities.
This place · 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 ->This place · History & Culture
Tonawanda's Niawanda Park Keeps the River Public
Tonawanda's waterfront identity includes Niawanda Park, the Niagara River path, Ellicott Creek dock plans, and downtown-river connections.
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 · 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
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
Amherst Runs From Canal Mills to UB North
Amherst's identity links Erie Canal growth, Williamsville-area mills, town commerce, and the University at Buffalo North Campus.
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 ->Nearby · History & Culture
North Tonawanda made carousel work industrial
The Herschell factory gives North Tonawanda a playful but concrete manufacturing identity beyond lumber and canal freight.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
North Tonawanda Still Reads Like Lumber City
North Tonawanda's identity connects Tonawanda Creek, Erie Canal history, lumber, riverfront life, and carousel pride.
Read this note ->Property tax snapshot
Roughly $22–$24 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 $6,484–$7,263 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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