Erie County, along with its northern neighbor Niagara County, makes up the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area, the second largest in the State of New York behind New York City. The county's southern part is known as the Southtowns. The county has seen one of the highest growth rates of any county in the State of New York from the 2010 to 2020 census, although, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Erie County has faced some population decline. Due to the harsh econmic hit many businesses dealt with, leaving them to either close down completely or move to a larger city.
Erie County, along with its northern neighbor Niagara County, makes up the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area, the second largest in the State of New York behind New York City. The county's southern part is known as the Southtowns. The county has seen one of the highest growth rates of any county in the State of New York from the 2010 to 2020 census, although, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Erie County has faced some population decline. Due to the harsh econmic hit many businesses dealt with, leaving them to either close down completely or move to a larger city.