County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency

Why Chautauqua County?

FIND YOURSELF IN CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND ENJOY A LIFE WELL BALANCED

Take a closer look at New York’s far western region. As a predominantly rural community, Chautauqua County offers a unique blend of cultural, historic, educational, and recreational attractions coupled with an environment primely suited to start, build, or expand a business or find employment. The cost of living here is 25 percent less than the national average, and well-paying jobs with advanced manufacturers are readily available. The unemployment rate is low, while resources for training and workforce development are exceptional. This combination creates the opportunity for residents, business owners, and employees of all skill levels to live a well-rounded and fulfilling lifestyle.

The County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) is an economic development organization authorized and empowered by the State of New York to make Chautauqua County a better place to live, work, visit, and conduct business. Our team of economic development specialists and business development managers look forward to helping our communities, and your business, grow and thrive in Chautauqua County. Whether you are seeking to find a site for your business, interested in information about funding, incentives or other offerings, we can help facilitate that process for you.

Click here for a downloadable overview of Chautauqua County. For more information, please contact the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) at 716-661-8900 or visit ccida.com for assistance in making your next move.

Top & Targeted Industries

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing And Hunting

Chautauqua County has two distinct microclimates that support agriculture and food processing businesses. Along Lake Erie and the Allegheny escarpment, the microclimate supports grape and fruit farming. Atop the Allegheny Plateau, the uplands are utilized for field crops and grasslands. The county is also well known for its acreage in grapes. With more than 20,000 acres, it produces the most grape tonnage of any county in the state. Livestock in the county mainly consists of cattle and calves.
Arts, Entertainment, And Recreation

Tourism creates a $260 million economic impact in Chautauqua County, and over the past year, revenue from accommodations experienced double digit growth. The county is a four season destination and offers several opportunities for entertainment and culture with the Chautauqua Institution and National Comedy Center as featured attractions. July and August are consistently peak months for visitor revenues while significantly increased occupancy rates point to growing “shoulder seasons” in spring and fall. The snow season, typically lasting from December to early March, draws primarily hardy outdoor enthusiasts for downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
Manufacturing

Manufacturing has a strong history in Chautauqua County, from early craftsmen who built furniture and tools to today’s businesses that utilize state-of-the-art technology to provide materials used in transportation, medical supplies, packaging, and industrial tools. Today, products and services utilizing advanced technology lead the sector, and 20 percent of the county’s workforce is employed in manufacturing.
Transportation And Warehousing

Transportation and warehousing are growing industries in Chautauqua County. Notable sub-sectors in the group are truck transportation, warehousing and storage, transit, and ground passenger transportation. Employment in these areas has been increasing, indicating a rise of logistics support in the county.

Programs and Incentives

The CCIDA offers a number of financial incentives for businesses, including:

Agency Benefits
Tax-Exempt Financing
Chautauqua County Capital Resources Corporation (the Corporation)
Small Issue Manufacturing Revenue Bonds
Real Property Tax Exemption/Payment in Lieu of Tax Agreement.
Mortgage Recording Tax Exemption
Industrial Development Bonds, The Chautauqua County Revolving Loan Fund, and the AL Tech Revolving Loan Fund

For more information on these incentives please click here.

Strategically Located

As the western-most county in New York State, Chautauqua is bordered by Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the west and south, and the Seneca Nation of Indians, the greater Buffalo metropolitan area, and the Southern Tier region to the east. The county is situated within a day’s drive of most of the major population centers of the northeastern United States and the southern Canadian province of Ontario, and is well served by the transportation corridors that connect the Northeast with the Midwest. In addition to being crossed by two major interstates (I-90 and I-86), a network of state and federal highways, and rail, the county has two commercial airports and a network of well-maintained county roads.

Data Name	Value	Percent
Total Population	127,440
Median Age	42.8
Total Households	53,405
Median Household Income	$54,625
Per Capita Income	$30,718
Total Housing Units	66,350
Median Unit Value	$110,900
Median Monthly Costs Owners	$776
Median Monthly Costs Owners w/ Mortgage	$1,135
Median Monthly Costs Owners w/o Mortgage	$496
Median Contract Rent	$601
High School Graduate or Higher, Age 25+	80,176	89.68%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher, Age 25+	21,716	24.29%
Mean travel time to work	19 minutes