Tonawanda Town, New York Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Tonawanda Town is a mid-sized community located in New York, within Erie County. The total population is 56,806. It ranks as the 14th most populous out of 1,289 Census-designated places in New York.

Age Demographics

The median age in Tonawanda Town is 42.3 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 39.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Tonawanda Town is $77,679. This is 10% lower than the state median of $85,974. It is also 4% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.0%. This is 28% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The unemployment rate is 3.5%. This is 46% lower than the state rate of 6.4%. The median home value is $215,200. Housing costs are 49% lower than the state median of $423,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Tonawanda Town is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 34% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Tonawanda Town is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (83.6% vs 52.8%). The Black or African American population (4.2%) is well below the state average of 13.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (5.4%) is well below the state average of 19.8%. The Asian population (3.0%) is well below the state average of 9.0%.

Education

39.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 2% lower than the state rate of 40.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 95.6%. Notably, 16.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Tonawanda Town, New York is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against New York state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,289 Census-designated places in New York. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.