Cheektowaga, New York

What It Is Like to Retire in Cheektowaga

Cheektowaga, New York, a suburb of Buffalo, is located in Erie County and has a population of just over 75,000 (2010 census).  The town was named by the Erie-Seneca Indians and means "Land of Many Crabapples" due to the abundance of Hawthorn trees in the area.  Cheektowaga  was originally a farming area, but was then developed during the World War II subdivision boom.  It has a strong blue collar presence with a large Polish-American community and continues to be a progressive township. Photo of Villa Maria Motherhouse Complex, April 2010, courtesy of Wikipedia and Pubdog (public domain).

Where to Retire in Cheektowaga and Home Prices

What Is Special about Cheektowaga

Great city for sports with the NHL Buffalo Sabres and the NFL Buffalo Bills. The  Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center is a 292 acre complex of forests, parks, and wetlands along with the  the Dr. Victor Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve, offer programs each month and snowshoe and ski adventures in the winter.  Rails to Trails has over four miles of paths which connects parks, preserves and neighborhoods around Cheektowaga.  Walden Galleria, is a large shopping mall.  World famous Niagara Falls is only about  25 miles away.

What Is Not Special about Cheektowaga

Winters can be harsh; property taxes are on the high side; not a very walkable community.

Who Will Like Retirement in Cheektowaga

Retirees who like living in a college town, living by a lake, and who enjoy sports.

Local Economy Is Driven by

Construction, accommodations and food service

Climate and Physical Environment

The average low January temperature is 19 degrees, and  the average high July temperature is 80 degrees.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Cheektowaga community Symphony Orchestra; Buffalo Philharmonic; Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve; Anna M Reinstein Library

Crime

Cheektowaga violent crime is below the national average, but the crime rate for personal property is above the national average.

Medical facilities

Erie County Medical Center is four miles away in Buffalo, as is the Upstate New York VA Healthcare System.  Rosewell Park Cancer Institute is seven miles away.

Transportation

 Amtrak is two miles away; Buffalo Niagra International Airport is three miles away; Interstate 90 runs through Buffalo with a Cheektowaga exit.

Valuable Links

Town of Cheektowaga