TLDR
- Yonkers and Hartsdale are the historic centers of Albanian life in Westchester County
- Our Lady of Shkodra parish in Hartsdale is one of the most important Albanian Catholic institutions in the U.S.
- About 8,900 Westchester residents report Albanian ancestry, about 3,500 of them in Yonkers, with further numbers in Greenburgh, New Rochelle and Eastchester (ACS 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024)
- Many families moved north from the Bronx as the community grew and prospered
- ALB Connection’s Westchester directory connects you to verified Albanian-owned businesses in the county
Where Albanians Live in Westchester
Yonkers
Yonkers is the beating heart of Albanian life in Westchester. As the state’s third-largest city and the gateway between the Bronx and the suburbs, Yonkers has long attracted Albanian families looking for more space while staying close to the city. Albanian-owned businesses, restaurants, bakeries, construction firms, and professional offices are common throughout Yonkers. The city has a walkable, urban feel that many Albanian families find familiar and comfortable.Hartsdale & Greenburgh
Hartsdale, in the town of Greenburgh, is home to Our Lady of Shkodra, one of the most significant Albanian Catholic parishes in the United States. The church has been a spiritual and cultural anchor for the Albanian Catholic community in the tri-state area for decades. The surrounding neighborhoods have a noticeable Albanian presence, with families drawn by the parish and by the area’s good schools and suburban character.Mount Vernon & New Rochelle
New Rochelle, a short drive north of the Bronx, has an estimated 900 residents of Albanian ancestry, while Mount Vernon’s estimate is only about 100 (ACS 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024, both with wide margins of error). Families who wanted a suburban setting without losing proximity to the Bronx’s Albanian businesses and institutions settled here.White Plains & Northern Westchester
Census estimates show about 200 residents of Albanian ancestry in White Plains, about 700 in the town of Eastchester (which includes Tuckahoe), and, farther north, about 500 in Mount Pleasant and about 460 in Yorktown; the estimate for Scarsdale is zero. While the Albanian presence is less concentrated here, these areas represent the community’s continued upward mobility and geographic expansion.How Westchester Became Albanian
The Albanian presence in Westchester is a direct extension of the community that built itself in the Bronx. Starting in the 1970s and 1980s, Albanian families who had established themselves in Belmont, Morris Park, and other Bronx neighborhoods began looking northward. Yonkers offered affordable housing, urban amenities, and, critically, it was just across the city line. You could live in Yonkers and still be at your cousin’s house in the Bronx in fifteen minutes. The establishment of Our Lady of Shkodra in Hartsdale gave the Westchester community its own institutional anchor. The parish drew Albanian Catholic families from across the tri-state area and made Hartsdale a destination in its own right. The 1990s and 2000s brought further growth as new immigrants from Albania and Kosovo followed family networks into Westchester. At the same time, second-generation Albanian Americans who grew up in the Bronx chose Westchester for its schools and suburban lifestyle, continuing the community’s northward migration. Today, the Westchester Albanian community is mature and well-established, with its own businesses, institutions, and social networks, while remaining tightly connected to the larger Albanian world in the Bronx and across the tri-state area.Community Life
Our Lady of Shkodra in Hartsdale is the community’s most prominent institution. The parish serves Albanian Catholic families from across Westchester, the Bronx, and beyond. It hosts religious services, cultural events, language classes, and community celebrations that draw hundreds of families throughout the year. Muslim families are served by the Albanian mosques of New York City, such as the Albanian American Islamic Center of Queens in Glendale. The food scene is a natural extension of the Bronx’s Albanian restaurant culture. Byrek shops, cafes, and Albanian-owned restaurants in Yonkers and the surrounding area serve the dishes that tie the community together, byrek me spinaq, tavë kosi, qofte, and strong Turkish coffee. Social and cultural organizations keep traditions alive for the next generation through language classes, folk dance groups, and holiday celebrations. Albanian Flag Day in November is marked with community events across the county. The Westchester community’s proximity to the Bronx means that families often move between the two areas for shopping, dining, and socializing, the county line is more of an administrative boundary than a real divide in Albanian community life.Curious how this community compares nationwide? See our guide to the Albanian population in the United States, and explore the latest sector trends in the 2026 State of Albanian-Owned Business in America report.
Hungry? Find Albanian restaurants near you, searchable by city or ZIP code.
Need legal help? Browse our directory of Albanian lawyers and attorneys in the US to find an Albanian-speaking attorney.
Find Albanian-Owned Businesses in Westchester
Albanian entrepreneurs run businesses across Westchester County, from restaurants and bakeries to construction companies, real estate agencies, and professional practices. Top business categories in Westchester include:- Restaurants & Bakeries
- Construction & Trades
- Real Estate
- Legal Services
- Healthcare
Own an Albanian Business in Westchester?
If you run an Albanian-owned business in Westchester County, list it for free on ALB Connection. Make it easier for the community to find and support you. Add your listing today.Westchester Albanian Ancestry by City and Town
The table below gives the U.S. Census Bureau figures for people who report Albanian ancestry, from the ACS 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (Table B04006). Margins of error are at the 90 percent confidence level. They are moderate for the county and for Yonkers and wide for the smaller towns, so read the town figures as rough indications.
| Place | Residents reporting Albanian ancestry | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|
| Westchester County | 8,932 | ±1,618 |
| Yonkers | 3,517 | ±1,036 |
| Town of Greenburgh (includes Hartsdale) | 1,187 | ±746 |
| New Rochelle | 913 | ±673 |
| Town of Eastchester (includes Tuckahoe and Bronxville) | 671 | ±285 |
| Town of Mount Pleasant | 506 | ±373 |
| Town of Yorktown | 463 | ±264 |
| Town of Harrison | 291 | ±269 |
| White Plains | 207 | ±120 |
| Mount Vernon | 105 | ±134 |
| Putnam County (north of Westchester) | 1,016 | ±548 |
| The Bronx (for comparison) | 8,828 | ±1,300 |
Three things stand out. First, the county estimate has grown faster than any New York City borough’s: it was 4,876 in 2006 to 2010, 5,023 in 2011 to 2015 and 5,798 in 2015 to 2019, and it is 8,932 now. The Bronx estimate, by contrast, fell from 10,312 in 2015 to 2019 to 8,828, so the two are now level within their margins of error. Second, people reporting Albanian ancestry are about 0.9 percent of Westchester residents and about 1.7 percent of Yonkers residents. Among the five boroughs, only Staten Island has a higher share than the county. Third, the numbers reach well north of the Bronx line, into Mount Pleasant and Yorktown and on into Putnam County, while Mount Vernon and White Plains have small estimates.
Our Lady of Shkodra: A Parish History in Dates
The parish has a longer history than its building. According to histories published in the Albanian American newspapers Dielli and Illyria, the Albanian-American Catholic League was founded on June 16, 1962 on the initiative of Monsignor Zef Oroshi, the Franciscan Father Andrew Nargaj and a group of lay Catholics. In 1987 the community’s two Albanian Catholic centers were merged into a single church dedicated to Our Lady of Shkodra.
Illyria gives the dates that followed. The contract to buy the property in Hartsdale was signed on September 26, 1989. The cornerstone was laid on December 3, 1995, the first Mass in the new building was celebrated on December 25, 1998, and Cardinal John O’Connor, Archbishop of New York, consecrated the church on April 25, 1999. The parish marked the 25th anniversary of the consecration in April 2024 with a Mass led by Bishop Dodë Gjergji of Kosovo, assisted by the pastor, Father Pjetër Popaj, and visiting priests from Kosovo, Montenegro and Albania.
Today the church stands at 361 West Hartsdale Avenue. Its website lists Sunday Masses in Albanian at 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM, a daily Mass at 1:00 PM from Monday to Saturday, confessions in Albanian and English, Albanian language classes on Saturday mornings from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and Friday evening classes of the Rozafati dance group. The parish also has its own publication, Jeta Katolike (“Catholic Life”).
Albanian Heritage Month, Heritage Day and the Yonkers Flag Raising
Local government marks the community’s presence in three regular ways.
- Albanian Heritage Month in White Plains. Westchester County holds an annual flag raising outside the Michaelian Office Building each November. At the ceremony announced on November 18, 2025, County Executive Ken Jenkins called the community “an essential part of Westchester’s identity.” The Chairman of the County Board of Legislators, Vedat Gashi, said, “As an Albanian American, I am proud of my heritage and forever grateful to this country,” and Legislator Emiljana Ulaj said it was an honor to represent the Albanian community on the board.
- Albanian Heritage Day at Kensico Dam Plaza. Westchester County Parks and Our Lady of Shkodra Church sponsor a free festival in Valhalla with Albanian food, music, dancing and soccer. The 2026 edition was held on Sunday, June 7, from noon to 6 p.m., with free admission and parking.
- Yonkers City Hall. The City of Yonkers calendar lists an Albanian flag raising hosted by Mayor Mike Spano at City Hall, 40 South Broadway. The 2024 ceremony was held on Monday, November 25, three days before Independence Day on November 28.
For passports and documents, the Consulate General of Albania is at 320 East 79th Street in Manhattan, according to the Embassy of Albania. You can find more groups in our directory of Albanian American organizations and this year’s dates on our Albanian events calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Albanians live in Westchester County?
The U.S. Census Bureau counts about 8,900 Westchester residents who report Albanian ancestry, with a margin of error of roughly 1,600 (ACS 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024, Table B04006), including about 3,500 in Yonkers (margin of error roughly 1,000). That is up from about 4,900 countywide in the 2006 to 2010 estimates. The Census undercounts Albanians because ancestry is self-reported and optional, only two ancestries per person are tabulated, many Albanians from Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro are recorded under other ancestries or under none, and later generations often stop reporting it. The community is closely connected to the Bronx, whose Census count (about 8,800) is now about the same size.
Where do Albanians live in Westchester?
Yonkers has the largest Albanian population in Westchester County. Hartsdale is an important community hub anchored by Our Lady of Shkodra parish. Census estimates also show sizable numbers in the town of Greenburgh, which includes Hartsdale (about 1,200), New Rochelle (about 900) and Eastchester (about 700), all with large margins of error.
What is Our Lady of Shkodra?
Our Lady of Shkodra is an Albanian Catholic parish in Hartsdale, Westchester County. It is one of the most important Albanian Catholic institutions in the United States, serving as a spiritual and cultural center for Albanian Catholic families across the tri-state area.
Are there Albanian restaurants in Westchester?
Yes. Yonkers and the surrounding area have Albanian-owned restaurants, bakeries, and cafes serving traditional dishes. The dining scene is an extension of the Bronx’s Albanian food culture.
How can I find Albanian businesses in Westchester?
ALB Connection maintains verified directories for Westchester County and Yonkers specifically. Search by category or location to find Albanian-owned businesses near you.
For broader demographic context, see the U.S. Census American Community Survey-based Albanian population rankings compiled by Neilsberg and Harvard Kennedy School Growth Lab’s foundational Statistical Profiling of the Albanian-Americans.
When was Our Lady of Shkodra in Hartsdale built?
According to the newspaper Illyria, the property was bought in September 1989, the cornerstone was laid on December 3, 1995, the first Mass in the new building was celebrated on Christmas Day 1998, and Cardinal John O’Connor consecrated the church on April 25, 1999. The community behind it dates to the Albanian-American Catholic League, founded in 1962.
Does Westchester County celebrate Albanian Heritage Month?
Yes. The county raises the Albanian flag outside the Michaelian Office Building in White Plains each November, and County Parks co-sponsors Albanian Heritage Day at Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla with Our Lady of Shkodra Church. The City of Yonkers also holds an Albanian flag raising at City Hall in late November.
Are there Albanian language classes in Westchester?
Yes. Our Lady of Shkodra in Hartsdale lists Albanian language classes on Saturday mornings from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM on its parish calendar, along with Friday evening classes of the Rozafati dance group. Check the parish website for registration and the current schedule.
Related community guides
Explore Albanian communities in other US cities and states:
- Albanians in New York
- Albanians in the Bronx
- Albanians in New Jersey
- Albanians in Connecticut
- Albanians in Boston
- Albanians in Philadelphia & Pennsylvania
- Albanians in Ohio
- Albanians in Chicago
- Albanians in Michigan
- Albanians in Metro Detroit
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: ACS 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024, Table B04006, People Reporting Ancestry
- Our Lady of Shkodra Albanian Catholic Church, Hartsdale: official website
- Illyria: 25-Vjetori i Shugurimit të Kishës “Zoja e Shkodrës” në Nju Jork
- Dielli: Historiku i Kishës Katolike Shqiptare “Zoja e Shkodrës” New York (April 30, 2025)
- Westchester County: Westchester County Celebrates Albanian Heritage Month With Annual Flag-Raising (November 18, 2025)
- Westchester County Parks: Albanian Heritage Day Returns to Kensico Dam Plaza on June 7
- City of Yonkers: Mayor Mike Spano hosts Albanian Flag Raising (November 25, 2024)
- Embassy of the Republic of Albania in the United States
Author: Dardanë Halimi
Dardanë Halimi is a writer and communications professional with an M.A. in Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication from James Madison University. Her work focuses on storytelling, digital content, higher education, and strategic communication, with experience writing for academic, nonprofit, and marketing organizations in both the United States and Kosovo.
