Population 19,817 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lackawanna
Household size in Lackawanna
| Period | Lackawanna | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.27 | 2.41 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.38 | 2.39 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 2.33 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.49 | 2.33 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.22 | −0.08 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Lackawanna run a little small, averaging 2.49 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Even so, the typical household here is bigger than in the Buffalo area as a whole, where it has 2.33 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.27, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Lackawanna
| Period | Lackawanna | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8 | 40.4 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.0 | 41.2 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.7 | 41.9 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.7 | 42.0 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −4.1 | +1.6 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.7, Lackawanna is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 39.8, even as the national median rose. Of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people, only 39 are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Lackawanna
| Period | Lackawanna | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 11.7% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 12.1% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 24.0% | 11.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +9.7 pts | −0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly a quarter of households in Lackawanna (24.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 9.7 points, even as the national share fell. Of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people, only three have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Lackawanna
Renters in Lackawanna
| Period | Lackawanna | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7% | 32.9% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.8% | 33.8% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.9% | 34.3% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 43.7% | 33.2% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | +0.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Lackawanna than nationally: 43.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Just over half of owners (53.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the southeast.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Lackawanna
| Period | Lackawanna | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.1% | 10.6% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.8% | 10.3% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 10.0% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 8.4% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −2.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Lackawanna is close to the national rate: 10.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Buffalo area as a whole (8.4%). Vacancy is down 3.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Lackawanna
| Period | Lackawanna | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1946 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1945 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1948 | 1958 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1954 | 1960 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Lackawanna is a place of older homes: half were built before 1954, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1946 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Lackawanna
| Period | Lackawanna | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $579 | $728 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $615 | $783 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $666 | $873 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $835 | $1,126 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$256 | +$398 | +$698 | +$606 |
The median renter in Lackawanna pays $835 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $256 a month from 2006–10, a 44% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.5% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Lackawanna
Bachelor's degrees in Lackawanna
| Period | Lackawanna | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 27.6% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.9% | 29.6% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 32.3% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.5% | 35.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +8.0 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Lackawanna have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 18.5%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.8 points, mirroring the country. Of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people, only 15 have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Lackawanna
| Period | Lackawanna | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.6% | 88.2% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.7% | 89.8% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.7% | 91.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.0% | 91.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.4 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Lackawanna never finished high school, more than nationally: 86.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 7.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Lackawanna has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of New York cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Lackawanna
| Period | Lackawanna | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 8.0% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 5.4% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Lackawanna: 10.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only three of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. Unemployment has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Lackawanna compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lackawanna | 2.49 | 35.7 | 24.0% | 43.7% | 10.3% | 1954 | $835 | 18.5% | 86.0% | 10.2% |
| Blasdell | 2.09 | 44.0 | 12.7% | 38.8% | 8.0% | 1943 | $716 | 24.0% | 92.7% | 10.1% |
| West Seneca | 2.27 | 44.5 | 8.8% | 23.2% | 6.6% | 1966 | $1,074 | 34.4% | 94.5% | 4.7% |
| Orchard Park | 2.35 | 48.0 | 5.8% | 26.6% | 4.4% | 1976 | $1,371 | 52.4% | 97.6% | 4.2% |
| Sloan | 2.49 | 39.9 | 16.8% | 32.1% | 16.6% | 1947 | $1,172 | 18.0% | 90.5% | 1.9% |
| Hamburg | 2.24 | 47.2 | 8.3% | 22.8% | 4.6% | 1972 | $1,184 | 39.7% | 95.0% | 5.0% |
| Cheektowaga | 2.20 | 41.6 | 9.8% | 29.1% | 6.0% | 1960 | $1,017 | 30.4% | 92.8% | 3.7% |
| Wanakah | 2.47 | 45.2 | 6.6% | 1.9% | 1.0% | 1965 | $1,110 | 42.7% | 97.8% | 2.9% |
| Buffalo area | 2.33 | 42.0 | 11.5% | 33.2% | 8.4% | 1960 | $1,126 | 35.6% | 91.9% | 5.4% |
| DePew | 2.28 | 43.5 | 7.2% | 26.6% | 5.5% | 1968 | $1,090 | 30.6% | 93.1% | 3.1% |
| Lakeview | 2.81 | 41.5 | 6.9% | 1.3% | 3.0% | 1985 | $1,081 | 50.4% | 96.5% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Nogueras, PR · Orocovis, PR · Orinda, CA · Oregon, OH · Ontario, OR · Olivehurst, CA · Old Hickory, TN · Northdale, FL · North Massapequa, NY · North Bay Shore, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Lackawanna. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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