196 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,300 in 1860, 977 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2010 and 4 maps from 1923 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1830East Otto is settled
Each edition grades its towns against each other only.

East Otto’s average trip to work is 33 minutes, where New York’s towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Among 759 New York towns, just 1 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than East Otto. The biggest place to walk is East Otto State Forest, 1,182 acres with 4.3 miles of trail. East Otto has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where East Otto beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 1,300 in 1860, 977 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2010 and 4 maps from 1923 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in East Otto, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in East Otto.
Most working residents leave East Otto for work: only 1% work in town. At $65,000, East Otto’s median household income is below both New York’s towns ($82,000) and U.S. towns ($80,000). The top destinations are Concord (13%), Ellicottville (8%) and Little Valley (5%).
| East Otto | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
East Otto has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. East Otto’s July high is 79°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 15 flood insurance claims have been paid out in East Otto.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
East Otto beats the New York average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 16% of East Otto adults smoke cigarettes.
| East Otto | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 34% | 35% |
| What stands out | East Otto | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.2% | 14.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.5% | 6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| East Otto | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 7.7% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. East Otto State Forest | 4.3 mi | 1,182 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
| East Otto | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $875 a month | $1,101 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 81% | 75% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around East Otto. Close and well known come first.
Big draw25 mi Stadium & arenaHighmark Stadium
Big draw25 mi Stadium & arenaRalph Wilson Stadium
20 mi WaterfallEternal Flame Falls
33 mi Stadium & arenaKeyBank Center
33 mi MuseumUSS The Sullivans
33 mi Stadium & arenaSahlen FieldHighmark Stadium: James161723, CC0 · 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 · Sahlen Field: Quintinsoloviev, CC BY-SA 4.0
None within 15 miles of East Otto; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 East Otto residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
Where East Otto’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in New York, United States
East Otto is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 977 at the 2020 census. The town, along with neighboring Otto, is named after an agent of the Holland Land Company, Jacob Otto. The town of East Otto is on the northern border of the county.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
East Otto has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Gilbert A. Pierce and Benjamin F. Rice.