1st Advantage MortgageChautauqua County households have a median income of $58,351 and median rent of $812 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Chautauqua County at a glance
- How much Chautauqua County households make
- How Chautauqua County residents earn a living
- Chautauqua County housing compared with New York
- Chautauqua County and the counties next door
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Chautauqua County
- What a median Chautauqua County budget can carry
- Before borrowing in Chautauqua County
- People and households in Chautauqua County
- Who licenses lenders for Chautauqua County residents
- A Chautauqua County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Chautauqua County at a glance
Chautauqua County is home to about 125,544 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 23rd most populous of 62 county-level areas in New York. Land area is 1,060 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 118 per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Chautauqua County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 24 places in the county (15 incorporated, 9 census-designated); the largest is Jamestown, with about 28,188 residents, or 22% of the county.
How much Chautauqua County households make
The median household income in Chautauqua County is $58,351; statewide it is $85,974, so Chautauqua County runs 32% below New York as a whole. In the state ranking that is 61st of 62.
| Income band | Share in Chautauqua County | Difference from New York |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 29.9% | +7.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.3% | +10.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 21.6% | -5.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.3% | -12.8 pts |
Some 30% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 26% have six-figure incomes. 17.4% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 14.0%). None of these numbers decides a Chautauqua County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
How Chautauqua County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Chautauqua County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 29% of workers, followed by manufacturing (16%). Manufacturing stands out: 16% of workers here, versus 6% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Chautauqua County averages 5.9% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 6.4%). About 75% drive to work alone and 10% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 11.1% of the total (29.2% statewide).
| Where residents work | Chautauqua County | Difference from New York |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.4% | 0.0 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.5% | +9.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.6% | +2.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.2% | 0.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.5% | -6.8 pts |
| Public administration | 5.7% | +1.0 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Chautauqua County housing compared with New York
A typical Chautauqua County rental runs $812 a month including utilities, which is 50% below New York. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 50% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $127,900, about 2.2 times the median household income. Owners occupy 69% of homes. The median home was built in 1953, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Housing | Chautauqua County | New York statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $812/mo | $1,621/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $127,900 | $423,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 69% | 54% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 50% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 33% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 6.4% | 2.1% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 20% | 10% | n/a |
Chautauqua County and the counties next door
Warren County is closest, 33 miles from center to center; the sixth, Forest County, is 55 miles off. 5 of the six report a higher median household income than Chautauqua County; Erie County is highest at $72,839 and Forest County lowest at $52,191. The list crosses into Pennsylvania, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chautauqua County | - | $58,351 | $812/mo | 69% |
| Warren County, PA | 33 mi | $60,480 | $755/mo | 79% |
| Erie County, PA | 38 mi | $63,354 | $904/mo | 68% |
| Cattaraugus County, NY | 38 mi | $59,540 | $770/mo | 75% |
| Erie County, NY | 45 mi | $72,839 | $1,090/mo | 66% |
| McKean County, PA | 55 mi | $62,905 | $809/mo | 78% |
| Forest County, PA | 55 mi | $52,191 | $817/mo | 78% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Chautauqua County
24 Census places fall mainly inside Chautauqua County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 74,955 residents, leaving about 40% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Incomes vary by place: $75,536 at the median in Frewsburg, $43,523 in Jamestown. Median rent ranges from $486 in Sinclairville to $1,154 in Lakewood. This guide covers each of the 24 places and the rural areas around them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamestown | city | 28,188 | $43,523 | $759 | 17 mi |
| Dunkirk | city | 12,549 | $53,299 | $866 | 13 mi |
| Fredonia | village | 9,467 | $50,433 | $878 | 10 mi |
| Westfield | village | 3,185 | $46,774 | $650 | 9 mi |
| Lakewood | village | 2,957 | $67,557 | $1,154 | 15 mi |
| Silver Creek | village | 2,604 | $63,854 | $967 | 20 mi |
| Jamestown West | CDP | 2,424 | $54,250 | $892 | 16 mi |
| Falconer | village | 2,149 | $60,056 | $745 | 17 mi |
| Frewsburg | CDP | 1,792 | $75,536 | $824 | 22 mi |
| Brocton | village | 1,404 | $58,500 | $753 | 6 mi |
| Celoron | village | 1,397 | $51,964 | $917 | 15 mi |
| Mayville | village | 1,268 | $68,611 | $631 | 6 mi |
| Ripley | CDP | 920 | $52,614 | $642 | 16 mi |
| Forestville | CDP | 721 | n/a | $1,070 | 16 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
What a median Chautauqua County budget can carry
How much room does a median Chautauqua County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Median income divided by twelve: $4,863 before taxes
- Housing at the median rent of $812 uses 17%
- Under a 43% cap, $2,091 total minus rent leaves $1,279
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Chautauqua County's.
Before borrowing in Chautauqua County
Where the Chautauqua County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Renters under pressure. When 50% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Chautauqua County borrower sees (free reports).
- Consolidating cards in Chautauqua County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
People and households in Chautauqua County
Degree holders: 25% of adults over 25. 5.3% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Chautauqua County | All of New York | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 39.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.1% | 40.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.3% | 12.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.3% | 5.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 11.1% | 29.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 14.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.4% | 14.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.9% | 6.4% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 48.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 30.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 10.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.6% |
| 60+ min | 5.1% |
Who licenses lenders for Chautauqua County residents
Before sharing details with a lender, a Chautauqua County resident can confirm its license with the New York State Department of Financial Services. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. More on New York: New York personal loans.
A Chautauqua County borrower's checklist
Before you apply, wherever you live in Chautauqua County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Only work with lenders licensed for New York borrowers.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the New York guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chautauqua County a high-income county?
Its $58,351 median ranks 61st of 62 New York counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Chautauqua County?
$812 a month at the median, about 17% of median household income.
I live in a small Chautauqua County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Jamestown, Dunkirk, Fredonia, Westfield, Lakewood and 19 more.
Will a Chautauqua County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming New York as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Is there a Chautauqua County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In New York it is the New York State Department of Financial Services.