Living in Akron, NY: Village, Schools & Akron Falls Park

Last updated October 28, 2026 · By Michael McGreevy, Licensed Realtor

The short answer: Akron is a village of 2,888 people (2020 Census) on about 2 square miles inside the Town of Newstead, in the northeastern corner of Erie County and roughly 21 miles northeast of downtown Buffalo as the crow flies. Newstead (8,689 people) borders Clarence to the west, and the village is its business center. Nearly all of Newstead uses the 14001 ZIP code and most of it is in the Akron Central School District, but village, ZIP and school lines differ, so check every address.

Akron at a Glance

The Village vs. the Town

Newstead was split from Clarence in 1823 as the Town of Erie and, after mail kept going to Erie, Pennsylvania, renamed in 1831. Akron began in 1829, when Jonathan Russell built a house and general store at what is now the corner of Clinton and Main streets; the name means "high place." The village incorporated on September 19, 1849, and cement and gypsum sustained it for more than a century.

The village is the compact center, with the village offices at 21 Main St and its own police department. Akron also runs its own utilities: a municipal electric system franchised to serve the village, a water system with its waterworks in Bennington, and a sewage treatment plant. Village taxes are billed June 1, on top of town, county and school taxes.

Outside the village, Newstead is rural: the Town says more than 40% of its land is farmland, the Onondaga Escarpment splits it in two, and part of the Tonawanda Reservation lies in its northeastern corner. Per the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey, 79.7% of homes in the town are owner-occupied (58.3% in the village), and owners estimated a median home value of $235,500 in the town and $207,000 in the village. Those are survey estimates, not sale prices; ask Michael about recent sales on the streets you like.

Akron Central Schools

The Akron Central School District had 1,178 K-12 students in 2024-25 (NYSED). Centralized in 1949, it has three schools on one campus at 47 Bloomingdale Ave in the village (NCES, 2024-25):

• Akron Elementary School: pre-K to grade 5, 561 students
• Akron Middle School: grades 6-8, 260 students
• Akron High School: grades 9-12, 389 students

Based on 2020 Census school district boundaries, Akron Central covers about 79% of Newstead's land and all of the village; about 18% of the town is in the Clarence Central School District and about 3% in Alden Central. Confirm the district with Akron Central before you make an offer.

Parks, Trails & Things to Do

• Akron Falls Park: a 284-acre Erie County park at 44 Parkview Dr. Its centerpiece is the 80-foot Akron Falls, two cataracts on Murder Creek along the Onondaga Escarpment. Built as a village park in the early 1930s and run by the county since 1947, it has trails, fishing, tennis and basketball courts, playgrounds and picnic shelters, plus sledding, skating and cross-country skiing in winter.
• Akron-Newstead Bike Path: starts at Cedar Street (Route 93) and Eckerson Avenue and runs about 4.6 miles southwest along the old West Shore railroad line into Clarence. A Peanut Line branch runs about 2.2 miles northwest to Clarence's trail, and a 2020 section reaches Buell Street in the village.
• Russell Park: the village park named for founder Jonathan Russell, across from Maple Lawn Cemetery, which he established.

Akron or Clarence?

Clarence borders Newstead to the west, and the bike path links the two. Akron offers a small village with its own utilities, Akron Central's single campus and Akron Falls Park. Clarence has no villages (so no village tax), Clarence Central schools and about 13.5 miles of town trails, and our Clarence Center & East Amherst guide covers its northern hamlets. Michael can tour both with you; start with the Neighborhood Guide or Clarence homes for sale.

Tips for Buying or Selling in Akron

1. Confirm village or town. The tax bill or Erie County parcel record shows whether a home is inside the Village of Akron.
2. Verify the school district for the exact address. Don't rely on the ZIP code.
3. Read every tax bill: village (if applicable), town and county, and school.
4. Ask about village utilities. Village electric and water bills go out monthly and are due the 20th, and unpaid water charges are added to the village tax bill, so settle them at closing.
5. Test the commute. Town residents average a 24.4-minute trip to work (27.1 minutes in the village; ACS 2020-2024), but your route matters.

Living in Akron FAQ

Thinking about Akron? Get a free home value, read the buyer's guide or the relocation guide, or contact Michael. Michael McGreevy · 8685 Sheridan Dr., Williamsville, NY 14221 · (716) 713-2957 · Michael@mcgreevyrealestate.com. More local guides are on the blog, including Living in Lancaster, NY.