Central New York
Van Buren, New York
Van Buren is a town in Onondaga County, in New York's Central New York region, home to about 14,500 people as of the 2020 census.
Whether you're moving in or you've been here for years, the checks that matter most are the school district, the assessment and STAR, and — outside the cities — the well, the septic, and the flood map.
- Type
- Town
- County
- Onondaga
- Region
- Central New York
- Population (2020)
- 14,367
Local Almanac
Notes in and around Van Buren
Short, sourced notes tied to this place, its county, or nearby communities.
This place · History & Culture
Van Buren Follows the Seneca River
Van Buren's river edge links Baldwinsville, early settlement routes, McHarrie's Rifts, and canal-era movement.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Elbridge Explains Itself Through Creeks, Canal Villages, and Route 5
Elbridge has a two-village pattern shaped by Skaneateles Creek, Jordan canal commerce, Route 5, and a glacial drumlin landscape.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Baldwinsville Begins at the Seneca River Crossing
Baldwinsville's village story starts with the Seneca River, shallow rifts near Paper Mill Point, and the McHarrie family's 1794 arrival.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Camillus Crosses Nine Mile Creek by Canal
Camillus's local story keeps the Erie Canal close to Nine Mile Creek through Sims' Store, the aqueduct, and canal park trails.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Lysander Bends With the Seneca River
Lysander's town story follows the Seneca River, Baldwinsville, and the canal water corridor at Onondaga County's northwest corner.
Read this note ->Nearby · History & Culture
Camillus Keeps Its Canal Story at Nine Mile Creek
Camillus keeps Erie Canal history close through Sims Store Museum, the 1842 Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct, town park access, and the wider Old Erie Canal corridor.
Read this note ->Nearby · Money & Taxes
Elbridge Owners Can Check Bills Online Before Calling the Tax Office
Elbridge's official site says property tax bills can be viewed and paid online, with assessment-roll access also linked.
Read this note ->Nearby · The Outdoors
Lysander Has a Boardwalk-and-Wetlands Side at Beaver Lake
Beaver Lake Nature Center gives Lysander a wetlands, trails, and environmental-education identity beyond the Baldwinsville road map.
Read this note ->Nearby · The Outdoors
Old Erie Canal Trail Planning Needs the State Park Page
Central New York canal outings should start with the Old Erie Canal State Historic Park page before assuming access or trail conditions.
Read this note ->Property tax snapshot
Roughly $24–$24 per $1,000
Combined full-value rate — county + town/city + school district, per $1,000 of market value (FY2025). On a $300,000 home that's about $7,074–$7,190 a year before the STAR break.
A planning estimate, not a bill. Your exact rate depends on your school district and any village. Confirm with the assessor.
Statewide links
Statewide starting points.
Good to know
- • Your assessed value usually isn't your market value — ask for the equalization rate.
- • Register for STAR; new applicants generally receive a credit instead of an automatic exemption on the bill.
- • Outside the cities, check the well, the septic, and the FEMA flood map before you buy.
Nearby
Nearby places
Tax rates: NYS Dept of Taxation & Finance (ORPTS), Real Property Tax Rates and Levy Data by Municipality, data.ny.gov dataset iq85-sdzs. (FY2025). Population: U.S. Census 2020. Reviewed June 2026. Source data ->
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