Niagara Mohawk - Economic Development

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This region is a major industrial and commercial center of Upstate New York, strategically located on Great Lakes Erie and Ontario, on the Canadian Border. The area consists of 4,974 square miles and has mean daily temperatures of 23.7F in January and 70.1F in July.

Quick Facts:

Work Force
Population
Local Utilities
Market Access
Industries
Economic Development Zones
Transportation
Education
Health Care
Quality of Life

Work Force BACK TO TOP

Labor Force - 705,800
Households- 562,966
Total Personal Income- $28.3 billion
Per Capita Income- $19,213
Median Home Sales Price- $82,870 (Erie County)

Population - 1,468,074 BACK TO TOP

Allegany County - 51,273
Village of Alfred - 4,559
Village of Wellsville - 5,380
Cattaraugus County - 85,575
City of Olean - 17,039
City of Salamanca - 6,566
Chautauqua County - 142,171
City of Dunkirk - 13,902
City of Jamestown - 34,388
Erie County - 967,617
City of Buffalo - 312,965
City of Lackawanna - 20,151
City of Tonawanda - 17,405
Niagara County - 221,618
City of Lockport - 25,706
City of Niagara Falls - 60,517
City of North Tonawanda - 32,934

Local Utilities BACK TO TOP
Niagara Mohawk offers negotiated flexible electric rates for many types of new businesses, negotiable gas transportation rates and fixed rate gas discounts.

Market Access BACK TO TOP
Western New York's prime location as a counter point of east-west and north-south trade corridors has made it a major transportation hub, linking Midwestern, Canadian and Eastern markets. About 55 percent of the U.S. population and 62 percent of the Canadian population reside within 500 miles of the region. Niagara Falls helps attract about 13 million international visitors to the area.

Industries BACK TO TOP
While service industries now predominate, Western New York is still the 16th largest manufacturing center in the nation. Manufacturers of such hard goods as transportation equipment, machinery and fabricated metal products have traditionally made their home in the region. Four Fortune 500 companies Fisher—Price (East Aurora), Delaware North (Buffalo), Mark IV Industries (Amherst) and Varity (Buffalo)—base their operations here. Other well-known manufacturers include General Motors, Dresser-Rand and the Ford Motor Company.

Western New York is a growing high-technology center, with a network of incubators, specialized technical assistance programs, and academic institutions such as the University of Buffalo, one of North America's major research universities, and the Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology at Alfred University, an integral part of the state's "Ceramics Corridor." The region is a recognized hub for the research, development, production and distribution of medical products, with 2,800 medical companies. The region features more than 30 acute-care hospitals and medical institutions.

Agriculture is an important industry in all five counties. Dairy farming is prevalent throughout, while fruit growing, including grapes, is concentrated along lakes Erie and Ontario.

Economic Development Zones BACK TO TOP

Buffalo
Jamestown
Niagara Falls
Friendship
Lackawanna
Olean/Allegany
Dunkirk/Sheridan
Tonawanda

Selected Employers BACK TO TOP

Ford Motor Co., Buffalo
Dresser-Rand, Olean and Wellsville
General Motors Corp., Buffalo, Tonawanda and Lockport
Ingram Micro, Williamsville
Marine Midland Bank Corp., Buffalo
Moog, Inc., East Aurora
Rich Products, Buffalo

Transportation BACK TO TOP
The New York State Thruway (I-90) links Western New York to Albany and points east and south, and the Southern Tier Expressway provides limited-access transport to the New York City area and points south. Five bridges link the region to Canada, over which 40 percent of U.S./Canada trade flows.

Air Service: Greater Buffalo International Airport is the region’s largest air passenger and cargo facility, with more than 200 flights per day and 3.4 million passengers per year. Air passenger service is also available from Niagara Falls, Chautauqua and Olean airports.
Rail Service: Switching, terminal and cargo-handling facilities are available through five major railroads and other lines. All counties are served by major carriers and short line railroads.
Bus Service: Mass-transit systems include the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority metro buses and the Light Rail Rapid Transit System.
Port Facilities: Gateway Metroport provides deep-water port facilities for the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. The New York State Canal System can also be accessed at several points.

Education BACK TO TOP
The labor force in Western New York, at more than 700,000 workers, is one of the most skilled and educated in the country, and a critical element in the success of the region's businesses. Almost 100,000 students are enrolled in the region's 20 two- and four-year colleges and universities.

Major Colleges and University Enrollments

Alfred University, Alfred 1,453
SUNY at Buffalo 25,357
Canisius College, Buffalo 4,859
Niagara University 3,001
St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure 2,811
State University College at Fredonia 4,889
SUNY College at Buffalo 12,014

Health Care BACK TO TOP

Buffalo General Hospital
Buffalo Mercy Hospital of Buffalo
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Buffalo Veterans Hospital
Children's Hospital of Buffalo
Millard Fillmore Hospital
Sisters Hospital, Buffalo
Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center

Quality of Life BACK TO TOP
A cost of living that is below the national average combined with a host of cultural and recreational activities make Western New York a highly desirable place in which to live and work. Housing costs are among the lowest in the Northeast. Although best known for Niagara Falls, the region's physical attributes are numerous and provide opportunities for four-season fun: more than 500 parks and playgrounds (including Allegany and Letchworth State Parks and the city of Buffalo’s Olmsted-designed parks system), the Great Lakes for swimming, boating and fishing, more than 100 golf courses and a dozen alpine and cross-country ski resorts. Spectator sports include professional football, hockey, soccer and lacrosse, Triple A baseball, and a full complement of collegiate sports. Buffalo has the largest concentration of theaters in the state outside of New York City. The region is home to a symphony, an array of art galleries and museums, historic homes, architectural treasures, the Buffalo Zoo, and the world-famous Chautauqua Institution.