Ariel View of Upstate New York town

Living In & Moving To Cheektowaga, NY | (2020) ULTIMATE Guide With Tips

Positioned just 15 minutes from Buffalo and Lake Erie, you’ll find the tranquil town of Cheektowaga, NY. Originally part of the Iroquois Nation’s lands, the town’s name means “Land of the Crabapples” in the Iroquois language. Cheektowaga is the second-largest Buffalo suburb and is known for its convenient location, natural beauty, and tight-knit, welcoming community. Interested in relocating to Cheektowaga? Here’s what you need to know.

Who Lives in Cheektowaga?

Cheektowaga is home to a population of about 75,000 people as of 2019. Among residents, the median age is 42.5, with an even distribution of folks between 25-65. Just over half the locals here are married, and 37% of the population is made up of families with kids under 18. Cheektowaga demographics tell us the city is also fairly diverse; although 83% of residents are white, 11% are Black, 2% are Asian and 3% are Hispanic.

Most everyone living in Cheektowaga was born in New York, many in Western New York specifically. However about 7% of the population was born in another state, and 5% were born outside of the U.S. English is the primary language spoken in Cheektowaga. Most Cheeektowagans make their money from a salaried position, although 37% of locals also receive social security benefits, and 5% of residents are self-employed.

Cheektowaga Cost of Living

Beautiful home during fall.

The overall cost of living in Cheektowaga is very affordable, as is the case with much of central and western New York. Locals here pay less than average for everything from groceries to healthcare, while having access to some of the best hospitals in the region, and of course, the favored grocer, Wegmans.  Here are a few examples of what the cost of living looks like in Cheektowaga:

  • A meal at a restaurant averages $15.
  • Milk here costs about $2.23 per gallon.
  • Utilities cost less than $200 for most residents.
  • Movie tickets cost around $12.

But housing is really where the cost of living is the most affordable. The median home price here is just over $100,000, about 65% less than the New York median of $286,300. That’s not to bring into the picture home prices in New York City themselves, where the median is a stunning $671,400. Renting in Cheektowaga is also more affordable than national prices; an apartment here costs, on average, $905 per month, compared with a national average of $1,467 per month!

The Best Neighborhoods in Cheektowaga

Choosing a home is one thing, but finding the right neighborhood community is a whole other animal! As the second-largest suburb in the Greater Buffalo Area, Cheektowaga includes many wonderful neighborhoods to choose from. The main zip codes in Cheektowaga are 14043, 14206, 14211, 14215, 14221, 14224, 14225, 14226, and 14227. The main area code is 716.

Need help getting started in your search for Cheektowaga, NY homes for sale? Here are a few communities to check out.

  • Bellevue: This hamlet in Cheektowaga is located right next to the Reinstein Nature Preserve, and offers some of the most picturesque living in town.
  • Cleveland Hill: Often called Cleve Hill by locals, this is where you’ll find the wonderful Cleveland Hill School District, making it a convenient location for families with kids.
  • Depew: One of two villages located in Cheektowaga, Depew is home to more than 15,000 people. Among the nearly 7,000 homes in Depew, 30% are occupied by families with kids.
  • Sloan: Cheektowaga’s smaller second village, Sloan is home to about 3,600 people, and is located on the east side of town. About one-third of people living in Sloan are families with children, and the community here is close-knit. 

Cheektowaga Weather

Snowy street the morning after a storm.

Like much of the surrounding area, the weather in Cheektowaga changes drastically from season to season. Summers here are hot and muggy, with average temperatures that reach into the mid-to-high 80s. Winters are fairly cold, with an average temperature between 19 and 30 degrees in January. Because Cheektowaga is only a few miles from Lake Erie, the community is also subject to lake effect snow during the winter. These storms can produce blizzard conditions in a matter of minutes, and leave behind up to a few feet of snow at a time, so be sure to check the weather before going out, and make sure your snow shovel is ready before November hits.

Schools in Cheektowaga

The majority of Cheektowaga is served by the Cheektowaga-Sloan School District, which includes several options for families to choose from for students of all ages. There are four high schools in the area, each with their own community feel and academic focus: 

  • Maryvale High School: This high school in Cheektowaga prides itself on diversity in its student body and curriculum. Unique offerings include technology and hospitality courses.
  • Cleveland Hill High School: Cleveland High focuses on preparing students for college with a range of Advanced Placement courses available to explore.
  • John F Kennedy Senior High School: In addition to a rigorous core curriculum, JFK High School also offers online learning opportunities and plenty of academically inclined clubs such as the Future Leaders of America Club.
  • Cheektowaga Central High School: One unique offering at this school is Project Positive, an initiative that’s creating a framework for a positive learning environment for all students. 

Cheektowaga Jobs

In Cheektowaga, jobs are plentiful and growing. The median household income here is $50,698, which saw a 3.68% growth from 2016 to 2017 alone! About 38,000 residents work in Cheektowaga itself; the most popular local occupations are in administration, sales, and management, followed closely by production. Since it’s only 7 miles from Cheektowaga to Buffalo, NY, many locals here work in the city as well. The top employers in the Buffalo region include Kaleida Health, Catholic Health, M&T Bank, Wegmans, Top Markets and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. 

Things to do in Cheektowaga

 

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Looking for fun ways to spend your free time? Cheektowaga provides for some very convenient shopping including Cabela’s, Walden Galleria, Target, JCPenney and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, making sure your family’s fashionista is always well-dressed. For those who aren’t big shoppers, here are two other great ways to spend a day in Cheektowaga.

Stiglmeier Park

When the sun is shining, there’s no place better to enjoy the outdoors than Stiglmeier Park. The park includes multiple trails to explore for walkers, hikers, and bikers of all experience levels. There are also several sports courts for tennis, basketball, and baseball, as well as a picturesque pond to enjoy.

Address: 810 Losson Rd, Cheektowaga, NY 14227

Sky Zone Trampoline Park

For an amazing time with the kids, take the whole family to the Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Cheektowaga! The whole facility is filled with huge trampolines, so you can bounce and fly your way through a day of fun, practicing your jumping skills as you dunk into basketball hoops or even launching into a big foam pit! There’s also a special area for little ones, so everyone in the family can enjoy the trampolines.

Address: 425 Cayuga Rd, Cheektowaga, NY 14225

Cheektowaga’s Best Restaurants

After all that fun, it’s time to get some amazing food at one of Cheektowaga’s top restaurants. With so many to choose from, here are two you simply can’t miss:

Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill

With every rack we smoke, we'd like to think somewhere Freddy is smiling. #houseofcards

Posted by Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill – Cheektowaga, NY on Friday, March 7, 2014

Craving some delicious, smoky barbecue ribs? Then you need to go to Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill. In addition to BBQ classics, the restaurant also serves amazing wings, grilled burgers and epic milkshakes. 

The 33 Speakeasy Grill

This themed grill will make you think you’ve stepped back in time! Favorite dishes include the smothered fries, the classic alfredo, and the stuffed hot pepper chicken.

Tips for Moving to Cheektowaga

So, is Cheektowaga your next destination? Before deciding to move here, keep in mind:

  • The cost of living is highly affordable
  • Cheektowaga has great schools to choose from
  • You’ll be just a few minutes from Buffalo and Niagara!

Need help with relocating to Hceektowaga? The experts at Wayfinder Moving have your back from start to finish. Call 716-832-6683 now to get started with a free moving quote!

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