Boston (Township), 1866
Boston’s story
209 years in pictures
Census counts: 686 in 1820, a low of 686 in 1820, 7,948 in 2020. The archive holds 21 old photos and papers going back to 1866 and a map from 1984 on.
- 1817Boston is settled
BostonNY
7 bordering townsMap →
Photo: D-Day · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
7,879
2025 Census estimate · −0.8% since 2020
Median home value
$267K
Census ACS
Household income
$92K
median
Median age
51.5
years
Jobs based here
1,047
A commuter town
TownGrade
B
#333 of 745 in NY
Is Boston a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Boston grades B overall, 333rd among New York's 745 graded towns. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 86% of the country. The median household earns $92K. The catch is cost: the typical home is worth about $267K, 3.7 years of the Buffalo metro’s $72K median household income. Boston’s median age is 51.5 years, where New York’s towns sit at 42.9 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 82% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Boston Town Park, at 44 acres.
What makes Boston stand out
Where Boston beats most towns.
A commuter town
93% of working residents leave Boston for work
Where Boston’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,047jobs based in Boston
7%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Boston grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Boston is from typical.
HealthBertrand Chaffee Hospital 11.1 miles awayAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.6 of 20; 1.4% of households have no car; 0.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →SchoolsB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors4% conserved landC+Open →History3 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life4.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 55 attractions →Highmark Stadium and 44 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Boston. Close and well known come first.
Big draw9 mi Stadium & arenaHighmark Stadium
Big draw34 mi WaterfallNiagara Falls
Big draw9 mi Stadium & arenaRalph Wilson Stadium
3 mi WaterfallEternal Flame Falls
17 mi Stadium & arenaKeyBank Center
17 mi MuseumUSS The SullivansSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Highmark Stadium: James161723, CC0 · Niagara Falls: Robert F. Tobler, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ralph Wilson Stadium: User Evilarry on en.wikipedia, Public domain · Eternal Flame Falls: Mpmajewski, CC BY-SA 3.0 · KeyBank Center: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0 · USS The Sullivans: Unknown, Public domain
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Boston: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Boston, and how to reach them.
PowerNew York State Elec & Gas22.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEcwa Boston water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Boston’s trash rules yet
SchoolsEden Central School DistrictHamburg Central School DistrictOrchard Park Central School District3 districts serve Boston; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereErie County Board of ElectionsErie County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP codes14075, 14025, 14033, 1412714075 45% · 14025 33% · 14033 11% · 14127 6%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Boston.
Boston gets more snow than nearly all U.S. towns, has less food insecurity than most of New York and sends most of its workers to Buffalo and beyond.
HealthA
For health, Boston earns an A
Its widest gap with New York is food insecurity: 8.5% of its 13,910 adults worry about having enough food, against 17.2% statewide.
28% of adults feel lonely in Boston. Boston beats the New York average on 14 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 84% of adults had a checkup this year in Boston.
86%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Boston | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 84% | 81% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. New York
14 better15 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Boston | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.5% | 17.2% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.3% | 7.7% |
Bertrand Chaffee Hospital
11.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
74th
percentile among NY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB+
Public schools in Boston beat 74% of New York districts
Its public schools are run by the Hamburg Central School District. Its one school is below.
74%of NY districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Valley Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 212 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
#359for trails in NY
| Boston | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 3.5% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
3.5%
conserved · 803 of 22,788 acres
12 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Boston Town Park | 0.1 mi | 44 |
| 2. North Boston Stadium | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Most working residents commute out of Boston
Boston has 1,047 jobs for its 3,788 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 23.7 minutes, against 32.6 across New York.
Most working residents leave Boston for work: only 7% work in town. Since 2013, Boston has added 311 jobs, to 1,047 in 2023. 4.9% of Boston residents live below the poverty line.
7%work in town
| Boston | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $92,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.5% | 10% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Boston7%
Buffalo19%
Hamburg12%
Orchard Park9%
Amherst9%
16 mi
median commute distance
1,047
jobs based in Boston
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 18% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than New York overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 49% of residents (39% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 14% of residents (23% statewide). 32% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 40% across New York.
51.5median age · NY 39.8
| Boston | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 15% | 20% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 20% | 18% |
BostonNew YorkUnited States
Ages · share of residents
23%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school35%
Some college18%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.5 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.
| Boston | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.4% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.2% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.2% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.7% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.2% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.3% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 22.9% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.6% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.6% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.1% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 35.4% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.7% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.8% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.4% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.6% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Climate
Boston has snowy winters and pleasant summers
The Colden 1w weather station records that 168 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 100% of U.S. towns.
Boston has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Boston’s July high is 79°F.
168″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–34°
Spring34–55°
Summer57–78°
Fall41–59°
Oct 11
typical first frost
May 7
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade C−
The median home in Boston sells for about $385K
The median rent in Boston is $1,347 a month.
$385Kmedian sale price
| Boston | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,347 a month | $1,098 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 80% | 75% | 73% |
4
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Boston faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 13 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Boston.
50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
13
paid flood claims since 1978
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Boston
19pages on Boston
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Boston
Hilbert CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Hamburg7.8 mi$33,740 tuitionTrocaire CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Buffalo13.7 mi$20,640 tuition
About 2 of every 100 Boston residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
Famous people from Boston
3 notable people were born in Boston.
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About Boston
Town in New York, United States
Boston is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 7,948 at the 2020 census. The town is named after Boston, Massachusetts. Boston is an interior town of the county and one of the county's "Southtowns". Boston is southeast of Buffalo.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1817
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 922 ft
- ZIP code
- 14025
- Area code
- 716
Boston’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Boston.
North Collins next door grades lower for schools (C+ to Boston’s B+) and higher for cost of living (B to C−).
Orchard ParkColdenEdenHamburgConcordNorth BostonNorth CollinsBoston
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | #333 | B | C− | — | B+ | A |
| Orchard Park | #189 | A− | D | B | A− | A |
| Colden | #359 | B− | B− | — | B− | A− |
| Eden | #117 | A | C | A | B+ | A− |
| Hamburg | #220 | B+ | C | B− | B | A |
| Concord | #301 | B | B− | — | B | B+ |
| North Boston | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| North Collins | #311 | B | B | — | C+ | B− |
Boston, Colden, Concord and North Collins report no FBI crime data of their own. North Boston isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Boston with a neighbor →
Questions about Boston
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Boston, NY a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Boston grades B overall, better than 58% of U.S. towns and #333 of 745 in New York. It grades A for health and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Boston, NY expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $267,000, 49% below the New York typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
What is Boston, NY known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Ellen Beach Yaw and Eugene Cary.