Population 2,389 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Falls
Household size in West Falls
| Period | West Falls | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.41 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.39 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.55 | 2.33 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.33 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.08 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in West Falls has 2.54 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Locally, though, the typical household here is bigger than in the wider Buffalo area, where it has 2.33 people.
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 West Falls
| Period | West Falls | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.4 | 40.4 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.2 | 41.2 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.5 | 41.9 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.1 | 42.0 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.7 | +1.6 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
West Falls skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 43.4 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 West Falls
| Period | West Falls | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 11.7% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 12.1% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 11.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.4% of households in West Falls, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 West Falls
Renters in West Falls
| Period | West Falls | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 32.9% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 33.8% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.6% | 34.3% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 33.2% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | +0.3 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 9.8% of households in West Falls rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. More than four in ten owners (44.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%.
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 West Falls
| Period | West Falls | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.4% | 10.6% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.8% | 10.3% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 10.0% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 8.4% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | −2.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in West Falls than nationally: 11.7%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
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 West Falls
| Period | West Falls | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1957 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1958 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1958 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1960 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +3 | +5 | +6 |
West Falls is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Locally, though, homes here are newer than in the wider Buffalo area, where the median home dates to 1960.
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 West Falls
| Period | West Falls | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $939 | $728 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $838 | $783 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $713 | $873 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $871 | $1,126 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | −$68 | +$398 | +$698 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Falls costs $871 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 42.3% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 West Falls
Bachelor's degrees in West Falls
| Period | West Falls | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.8% | 27.6% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.5% | 29.6% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.5% | 32.3% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.8% | 35.6% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +8.0 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in West Falls than nationally: 38.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
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 West Falls
| Period | West Falls | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.2% | 88.2% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.7% | 89.8% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.3% | 91.2% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.7% | 91.9% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in West Falls: 95.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 West Falls
| Period | West Falls | Buffalo area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.2% | 8.0% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.4% | 5.4% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Falls has been low: just 2.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
West Falls 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Falls | 2.54 | 49.1 | 5.4% | 9.8% | 11.7% | 1969 | $871 | 38.8% | 95.7% | 2.4% |
| Taylorshire | 2.58 | 45.9 | 8.7% | 18.5% | 9.1% | 1983 | $997 | 41.3% | 91.7% | 7.4% |
| Colden | 2.24 | 42.9 | 7.1% | 44.3% | 4.5% | 1973 | $1,241 | 38.5% | 98.4% | 3.1% |
| East Aurora | 2.36 | 50.3 | 6.3% | 13.8% | 5.8% | 1961 | $1,071 | 47.3% | 96.7% | 3.9% |
| Boston | 2.37 | 48.5 | 7.3% | 11.0% | 8.5% | 1967 | $1,253 | 36.3% | 99.0% | 3.5% |
| Orchard Park | 2.35 | 48.0 | 5.8% | 26.6% | 4.4% | 1976 | $1,371 | 52.4% | 97.6% | 4.2% |
| South Wales | 2.50 | 46.0 | 6.7% | 8.3% | 3.4% | 1969 | $1,001 | 32.1% | 96.4% | 2.7% |
| Glenwood | 2.36 | 47.8 | 3.2% | 9.5% | 6.3% | 1970 | $754 | 34.9% | 96.4% | 1.0% |
| Holland | 2.24 | 50.8 | 7.6% | 12.8% | 6.4% | 1968 | $811 | 23.1% | 94.0% | 3.7% |
| Hamburg | 2.24 | 47.2 | 8.3% | 22.8% | 4.6% | 1972 | $1,184 | 39.7% | 95.0% | 5.0% |
| Elma | 2.57 | 44.3 | 7.3% | 12.2% | 4.8% | 1972 | $1,168 | 44.2% | 97.6% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Westover, AL · Ararat, VA · Breckenridge, MI · Brookneal, VA · Campbell, NY · Carrolltown, PA · Cass Lake, MN · Clinton, KY · Solon Springs, WI · Tiger, GA
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 West Falls. 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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