Niagara Falls

While the city was formerly inhabited by Native Americans, Europeans who migrated to the Niagara Falls in the mid-17th century began to open businesses and develop infrastructure. Later in the 18th and 19th centuries, scientists and businessmen began harnessing the power of the Niagara River for electricity and the city began to attract manufacturers and other businesses drawn by the promise of inexpensive hydroelectric power. After the 1960s, the city and region experienced an economic decline. As industries left the region, affluent and middle-class families relocated from Niagara Falls to other metropolitan areas around the country.

Due to the loss of jobs in the region, especially in the manufacturing sector, the city has gone from over 102,000 residents in 1960 to approximately 48,000 residents in 2020, a population drop of more than 50%.