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Alden
Town of Alden
Signage entering the town of Alden on U.S. Route 20 westbound.
Signage entering the town of Alden on U.S. Route 20 westbound.
Location in Erie County and the state of New York.
Location in Erie County and the state of New York.
Location of New York in the United States
Location of New York in the United States
Country United States
State New York
County Erie County
Incorporated 1823
Area
 • Total 34.51 sq mi (89.38 km2)
 • Land 34.31 sq mi (88.86 km2)
 • Water 0.20 sq mi (0.52 km2)
Elevation
863 ft (263 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 9,706 Decrease
 • Density 292.47/sq mi (112.92/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
14004
Area code(s) 716
FIPS code 36-029-01099

Alden is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. It is located in the northeast part of Erie County. Alden is east of the city of Buffalo. In 2020, about 9,706 people lived here. The town's name comes from a family name known to early settlers.

Alden also contains a village that is also called Alden.

History of Alden

The town of Alden was created on March 27, 1823. Before this, it was part of a town called Clarence. Later, in 1853, a part of Alden was used to form the new town of Marilla.

EwellFreeLibrary
The Ewell Free Library in Alden was built in 1913.

In 1856, the community of Alden became its own village. This means it got its own local government. The town became more famous in 1891 when special "black water baths" were discovered. People traveled from far away to experience these baths. They believed the water had healing powers.

Geography of Alden

Alden covers a total area of about 34.5 square miles (89.4 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a small part being water. Two important creeks flow through the town. Ellicott Creek flows westward through the northern part. Cayuga Creek flows westward through the southern part.

Alden shares its eastern border with Genesee County. Part of its southern border is shared with Wyoming County. Other towns bordering Alden include Newstead to the north, Lancaster to the west, and Marilla to the south.

Two main highways cross the town. U.S. Route 20 (also called Broadway) runs east to west in the southern part. New York State Route 33 crosses the northern part of Alden.

Alden's Climate

Alden has a type of climate called a humid continental climate. This means it has big changes in temperature throughout the year. Summers are warm to hot and often humid. Winters are cold, and sometimes very cold.

People and Population

Historical population
Census Pop.
1830 1,257
1840 1,984 57.8%
1850 2,520 27.0%
1860 2,442 −3.1%
1870 2,547 4.3%
1880 2,534 −0.5%
1890 2,304 −9.1%
1900 2,396 4.0%
1910 2,748 14.7%
1920 2,433 −11.5%
1930 4,463 83.4%
1940 4,613 3.4%
1950 4,899 6.2%
1960 7,615 55.4%
1970 9,787 28.5%
1980 10,093 3.1%
1990 10,372 2.8%
2000 10,470 0.9%
2010 10,865 3.8%
2020 9,706 −10.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

According to the census from 2017-2021, there were 9,706 people living in Alden. The town had 3,304 households. The population density was about 282.9 people per square mile.

Most of the people in Alden were White (87.3%). About 10.1% were Black or African American. Other groups included Native American (0.6%) and Asian (0.8%). About 2.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Many households (86.1%) had children under 18 living with them. About 64.3% of households were married couples living together. The average household had 2.69 people.

Looking at age groups, 19.3% of the population was under 18. About 4.7% were under 5 years old. People over 65 made up 18.5% of the population. Females made up 45.6% of the total population.

The average income for a household in Alden was $75,028. The income per person was $26,235. About 4.1% of the people lived below the poverty line.

For education, 87.9% of people over 25 had graduated from high school or higher. Also, 21.9% of people aged 25 and over had a bachelor's degree or higher.

Most households (93.0%) had a computer. A large number (88.6%) also had broadband internet access.

Famous People from Alden

Many interesting people have connections to Alden:

  • Lyman K. Bass – He was born in Alden and later became a United States congressman.
  • Josephine Penfield Cushman Bateham (1829-1901) – She was a social reformer, editor, and writer.
  • Mike Cole – He used to be a New York State Assemblyman.
  • Edmund F. Cooke – He was a former U.S. congressman.
  • Roswell F. Cottrell – He was an important advocate for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He lived in Millgrove.
  • Paul G. Gassman – He was a well-known organic chemist.
  • Charles H. Larkin – He was a pioneer politician in Wisconsin.
  • Doreen Taylor – She is a country music singer.
  • Adam Zyglis – He is a political cartoonist.

Places in Alden

Here are some of the communities and locations you can find in Alden:

  • Alden – This is the main village within the eastern part of the town.
  • Alden Center – You can find this area near Westwood Road and Sandridge Road.
  • Alden Station – This location is between Alden village and Crittenden.
  • Crittenden – This is a small community (called a hamlet) located where Genesee Street (NY-33) and Crittenden Road meet. Many businesses are in this area.
  • Dellwood – This location is on the western edge of the town.
  • Looneyville – Another hamlet found on Townline Road at Walden Avenue, north of Dellwood.
  • Millgrove – A small hamlet with some businesses and many homes. It's around the intersection of Genesee Street (NY-33) and N. Millgrove Road.
  • Peters Corners – This location is at the intersection of Genesee Street (NY-33) and South Newstead Road. It has a few scattered homes.
  • Town Line – A location on the western border of the town.
  • Town Line Station – This is also on the western town line, next to the town of Lancaster. It is north of Town Line.
  • Wende – This area is in the northwest corner of the town. Several public institutions are located here.
  • West Alden – You can find this location where Broadway and Sandridge Road meet, west of Alden village.

More About Alden

The Alden Advertiser is a local newspaper that serves the community of Alden.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Alden (Nueva York) para niños

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