West Seneca, New York
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West Seneca is a town located in Erie County, New York. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 45,920.
The Town of West Seneca is a centrally-located interior town of the county, southeast of Buffalo, New York.
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History
Because the town is on land of the former Buffalo Creek Indian Reservation, it was not open to settlement until near the mid 19th century. The Town of West Seneca, as the Town of Seneca, was formed in 1851 from parts of the Towns of Cheektowaga and Hamburg. The town changed the name to West Seneca in 1852 to avoid confusion with another location in the state (Seneca, New York in Ontario County).
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 55.4 km² (21.4 mi²). 55.3 km² (21.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.09% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 45,920 people, 18,328 households, and 12,737 families residing in the town. The population density is 829.7/km² (2,148.8/mi²). There are 18,982 housing units at an average density of 343.0/km² (888.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 98.11% White, 0.46% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.88% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 18,328 households out of which 28.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% are married couples living together, 10.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% are non-families. 26.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.47 and the average family size is 3.02.
In the town the population is spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 41 years. For every 100 females there are 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $46,278, and the median income for a family is $54,179. Males have a median income of $39,003 versus $26,846 for females. The per capita income for the town is $20,529. 4.6% of the population and 3.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 5.1% of those under the age of 18 and 4.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Communities and locations in West Seneca
- Buffalo Airpark -- A general aviation airport on the north town line.
- Buffalo Creek -- A stream flowing westward through the town. The French name for this stream was Beau Fleuve, and the name of the city of Buffalo, New York is derived from the stream. There were no buffalo living in the area in the colonial period, although they are now raised on several farms locally. The creek is called the Buffalo River as it departs the western edge of the town.
- East Seneca -- A location on Route 16 in the east part of the town.
- Ebenezer - Named after the "Ebenezers" (also called the Inspirationalists), a group of German Lutherans who purchased land and settled this area around 1843. Later, many of this communal group moved to Amana, Iowa and had abandoned their four settlements in West Seneca by 1863.
- French Quarters -- A location in the northwest part of the town.
- Gardenville -- A community on the northern border of the town shared with the Town of Lancaster.
- New Ebenezer -- A location east of Gardenville.
- West Seneca -- The hamlet of West Seneca is centrally located in the town.
- West Seneca Developmental Center -- A facility for children in the southeast part of the town.
External links
- Official website of West Seneca (http://www.westseneca.net)
- West Seneca history (http://history.rays-place.com/ny/w-seneca-ny.htm)