Western New York
Amherst, New York
Amherst is a town in Erie County, in New York's Western New York region, home to about 130,000 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
- Town
- County
- Erie
- Region
- Western New York
- Population (2020)
- 129,595
Local Almanac
Notes in and around Amherst
Short, sourced notes tied to this place, its county, or nearby communities.
This place · 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 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
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
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
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
Clarence reaches into early Erie County
Clarence's early town footprint helps explain nearby frontier farmstead history and the Hull Family Home story.
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 ->Nearby · Home & Property
North Tonawanda building permits start with the inspector and forms pages
North Tonawanda owners can use the building inspector and forms pages to confirm permit paperwork before starting work.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
The Riviera Theatre gives North Tonawanda a showplace on Webster Street
North Tonawanda’s Riviera Theatre ties Main Street scale, performance, and preservation together.
Read this note ->Property tax snapshot
Roughly $20–$23 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 $5,890–$6,767 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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