West Valley, New York Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 489, West Valley's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

West Valley is a small community located in New York, within Cattaraugus County. The total population is 489. It ranks as the 1066th most populous out of 1,289 Census-designated places in New York.

Age Demographics

The median age in West Valley is 56.9 years. This is 43% higher than the state median of 39.8 years. 22.7% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in West Valley is $70,357. This is 18% lower than the state median of $85,974. It is also 13% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.4%. This is 26% lower than the state poverty rate of 14.0%. The survey records no unemployed residents in West Valley, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $126,700. Housing costs are 70% lower than the state median of $423,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, West Valley is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 88.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 63% higher than the state average of 54.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

West Valley has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 11.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (87.5% vs 52.8%).

Education

11.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 70% lower than the state rate of 40.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for West Valley, 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.