Warsaw is a town in Wyoming County, in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 5,316 at the 2020 census. It is located approximately 37 miles east southeast of Buffalo and approximately 37 miles southwest of Rochester. The town may have been named after Warsaw, Poland. The Town of Warsaw is centrally located in the county and contains a village, also called Warsaw. The village is the county seat of Wyoming County.

History

The Town of Warsaw was founded in 1803 from the Town of Batavia (in Genesee County). In 1812, part of Warsaw was used to form the new town of Town of Middlebury. Again in 1814, Warsaw was reduced to form the Town of Gainesville.

Abolitionism

In the decades before the American Civil War, Warsaw was a center of abolitionist sentiment and activity. Warsaw's local anti-slavery society was formed in 1833, the same year as the American Anti-Slavery Society. Several homes and churches are documented to have participated in the Underground Railroad. In November 1839 the anti-slavery Liberty Party was formed in a meeting at Warsaw's Presbyterian Church. The area sent abolitionists Seth M. Gates and Augustus Frank to serve in the United States Congress. An anti-slavery newspaper called The American Citizen was published in Warsaw.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 35.5 sqmi, of which 35.4 sqmi is land and 0.1 square mile (0.1 km2) (0.14%) is water. Oatka Creek flows northward through the Wyoming Valley in the town. U.S. Route 20A crosses the town.

Climate

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,423 people, 2,113 households, and 1,354 families residing in the town. The population density was 153.1 PD/sqmi. There were 2,232 housing units at an average density of 63.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.29% White, 0.39% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.09% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population. There were 2,113 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males. The median income for a household in the town was $37,699, and the median income for a family was $42,647. Males had a median income of $31,672 versus $21,691 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,279. About 8.5% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The Town of Warsaw is governed by a town council elected by popular vote.

Communities and locations in the Town of Warsaw

Education

Most of the town is in Warsaw Central School District. Other parts of the town are in Wyoming Central School District, Perry Central School District, and Letchworth Central School District.

Notable people