Clarence () is a rapidly growing town and affluent outer ring suburb of Buffalo. Clarence is one of the wealthiest towns in upstate New York State and the wealthiest suburb of Buffalo. Clarence is home to various exclusive gated, and private communities, some of the most expensive multi-million dollar residential compounds in the Buffalo-Niagara Metro. Clarence is home to many Buffalo Sabres players and coaches, although most Buffalo Bills players live in the southern suburbs due to proximity to Highmark Stadium. Clarence is located in the northeastern part of Erie County, New York, United States, northeast of Buffalo. The population was 32,950 according to the 2020 census estimate. This represents an increase of 7.4% from the 2010 census figure. The Clarence census-designated place occupies the southeast part of the town and roughly corresponds to a postal district with ZIP code 14031 and 14221 in the western side which it shares with nearby Williamsville. The town is named in honor of Prince William, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews (1765–1837), the third son of King George III and later king himself, as William IV.

There are no incorporated villages within the town.

History

Early history The local Native Americans called the area Ta-Num-No-Ga-O, which means "Place of Hickory Bark". In modern Seneca, it is known as .

Clarence was the first town to be established in Erie County (1808), and many other towns, villages, and cities have been formed from parts of this original town. In 1810, the town of Buffalo, from which the city of Buffalo later originated, was separated from Clarence. Then in 1823, Newstead and Alden were formed respectively from the east and southeast parts of Clarence. Then finally in 1833, Lancaster was also formed from the town. The defunct town of Willink was also a source of new towns, primarily in the south part of the county, being completely partitioned for this purpose.

Western New York was part of the Holland Purchase. When Genesee County was established in 1802, all of the region was part of the town of Batavia, the single, original town of Genesee County. Clarence was, along with Willink, originally part of Genesee County. Clarence was split off from Willink in 1804, before Niagara County was created from part of Genesee County in 1808. Clarence (in the north) and Willink (in the south) then comprised the entire area of what would, in 1821, become Erie County.

One of the first settlers (1799) in the town was Asa Ransom, who has given his name to several locations. He settled in the southeast part of the town, now known as the Clarence Hollow. In 1807, Asa Harris, a former colonial officer from the American Revolution, established a tavern in the community of Harris Hill in the southwest part of Clarence.

Some have suggested that the town is named after a type of carriage, called a clarence. Such a carriage is pictured on a sign at the eastern edge of town. However, the name probably derives from the English Dukedom of Clarence in London, which also gave its name to the aforementioned carriage.

During the War of 1812, the press of the Buffalo Gazette was moved to Clarence, out of harm's way of the British troops.

German was a common language amongst new Clarentians in Early Clarence, most of whom moved from Germany.

Later history By the end of the 19th century, industry came to the town in the form of brick kilns, potash mining and gypsum mining. National Gypsum and Atlas Gypsum operated mines in the 20th century west of Clarence Center north of Roll Road near the intersection with Harris Hill Road. Quarries also became more commonly established at this time in history in Clarence.

One historian credits Clarence as the site of the introduction of the carrousel to the United States. These carrousels were carried by two German immigrants, who entered Clarence in 1879. These immigrants settled in the Northern part of Clarence, usually known as Wolcottsburg and the Beeman Creek Areas. Artifacts from the Clarence carrousels are now preserved in the Circus Hall of Fame in Sarasota, Florida. Including wooden horses built by the original immigrants who brought the carrousel to Clarence.

The town celebrated its bicentennial in 2008. The former Automobile Club of Buffalo clubhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash On February 12, 2009, Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed in Clarence Center around 22:20 EST. The commuter flight was operating between Newark Liberty International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport. The aircraft involved was a Bombardier Q400. There were 45 passengers and four crew members killed, as well as one victim on the ground.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.25%, is water.

The north border of the town is marked by Tonawanda Creek and is the border with Niagara County.

New York State Route 5, called Main Street locally, passes across the south part of the town. NY Route 78, Transit Road, marks the west town line. The eastern terminus of NY Route 324, Sheridan Drive, is located in Clarence at the intersection of NY-5 and Thompson Road. The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) is immediately south of the town, and runs through a small southeastern corner of Clarence.

This town is partially a suburban community, and the remainder is light industry and agriculture. Town government offices are located in Clarence Center. Clarence, Iowa, is named after the town of Clarence.

Nearby cities and towns Clarence is northeast of the city of Buffalo, west of the city of Batavia, and south of the city of Lockport.

The following towns border Clarence: Town of Amherst - west Town of Lockport, Niagara County - north Town of Royalton, Niagara County - northeast Town of Newstead - east Town of Lancaster - south

Major highways Interstate 90 (New York State Thruway) passes through the southeasternmost corner of Clarence before entering the town of Lancaster, where it travels east–west just south of the Clarence border. A service area on the Thruway (westbound) is named for Clarence. New York State Route 5 (Main Street) is an east–west highway that passes through the southern half of town from Amherst to Newstead. New York State Route 78 (Transit Road) is a north–south highway that marks the west town line. New York State Route 324 (Sheridan Drive) is an east–west highway through the town from the Amherst town line to its eastern terminus at Main Street (NY 5).

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 26,123 people, 9,154 households, and 7,204 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 9,497 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 71.33% White, 1.38% Asian, 29.12% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.

There were 9,154 households, out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.3% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $88,003, and the median income for a family was $107,998. Males had a median income of $58,538 versus $31,140 for females. The per capita income for the town was $32,717. About 1.0% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Politics and government

Politics

+ Clarence town vote by party in presidential elections Year Republican Democratic Third Parties202454.07% 11,17942.11% 8,7063.81% 7872020 52.65% 11,07444.85% 9,4342.50% 524201657.74% 10,59435.82% 6,5726.44% 1,181201262.11% 10,51335.96% 6,0871.93% 324200857.60% 9,82340.19% 6,8552.21% 375200460.29% 9,94037.20% 6,0702.51% 304

Government Clarence elects a four member Town Council, as well as a Town Supervisor. All offices serve 4 year terms. Town Council Members Title Name Party District Last Elected Councilmember Peter DiCostanzo (R) At-Large 2025 Councilmember Paul Shear (R) At-Large 2025 Councilmember Robert A. Altieri (R) At-Large 2023 Councilmember Daniel Michnik (R) At-Large 2023

+List of Clarence Town Supervisors up until 1954Name of SupervisorTerm ServedJonas Williams1808Samuel Hill Jr.1809-1811James Cronk1812-1813Simeon Fillmore1814-1816Otis R. Hopkins1817-1822Simeon Fillmore1823-1825Otis R. Hopkins1826-1828Benjamin Bivins1829John Brown1830-1832Benjamin Bivins1833-1835Levi Goodrich1836Amos Wright1837Thomas Durboraw1838-1841Archibald Thompson1842O. Woeben1843Archibald Thompson1844Orsamus Warren1845Thomas Durboraw 1846Archibald Thompson1847Orsamus Warren1848-1849Thomas Durboraw1850Archibald Thompson1851James D. Warren1852-1855H. S. Cunningham 1856-1859David Woodward1860-1864Livingston Wiltse1865Jacob Eshelman1866-1872Livingston Wiltse1873James Magoffin1874John Kraus1875-1878Lyman Parker1879-1880Livingston Wiltse1881-1885Jacob Humbert1886-1889Theodore Krehbiel1890-1919John Lapp1919-1939Karl T. Krehbiel1940-1954

Communities and locations

Communities Principal locations or settlements in the town are: Beeman Creek Park is an undeveloped county park in the northeast part of the town. Clarence (also called "Clarence Hollow", or just "The Hollow") is in the southeast and is a census-designated place. This is an extensive community of homes and businesses. The Clarence Historical Society is located on Main Street in this community. Part of the community is within a small valley which is traversed by Ransom Creek. The seat of the town government is in the Clarence postal zone, just south of the hamlet of Clarence Center. During the time of its founding, Clarence village was called "Pine Grove" and later "Ransomville." There was also a stop on the West Shore Railroad from 1884 to 1960. The stop on the West Shore Railroad was named the "Clarence Station." Clarence Aerodrome (D51) is a small, grass-strip airport in the northwest part of the town. This is a private general aviation airport. It was known earlier as "Steffan Airport". Clarence Center (formerly "Van Tines Corners") lies near the middle of the town. It is a small hamlet (and census-designated place) with the most densely populated neighborhood situated around the intersection of Goodrich Road and Clarence Center Road. Clarence Center is also a postal ZIP code 14032, covering most of the north part of the town. East Amherst (formerly "Transit Station") is an unincorporated community, or hamlet, on the west side of the town that is mostly in the town of Amherst. East Amherst is also a postal zone (ZIP code 14051). Escarpment Sanctuary is a small nature preserve located on Greiner Road that is losing land to the upscale Spaulding Lake development. Gunnville is a former railroad station in the south part of the town, now only remembered as the source of the name for Gunnville Road. Harris Hill is an extensive community (a census-designated place) in the southwest corner of the town, built on a low hill of the same name. This location was also called "Shimerville" after a former post office, now only remembered as the source of the name for Shimerville Road.