Westchester County is New York's largest suburban county and immediately borders New York City to the north. With roughly 1 million residents, Westchester generates the highest court filing volume of any New York county outside the five NYC boroughs. The county's cities — Yonkers, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, White Plains, and Yonkers — range from working-class urban to affluent suburban in character, creating a diverse records landscape within a single county jurisdiction.
The most important practical consideration for Westchester searches: a significant portion of Westchester residents are former NYC residents who relocated from the Bronx, Manhattan, or Queens. Their meaningful records history is split between Westchester County and one or more NYC borough-county systems. A Westchester-only search for someone who lived in the Bronx for 20 years before moving to Yonkers will miss that entire prior record history. For the broader New York context, see our New York state guide.
Key takeaways
- Westchester County (pop. est. 1,004,457 — U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS) is the largest suburban county in New York and generates the highest court filing volume outside the five NYC boroughs.
- Many Westchester residents have prior NYC borough records — particularly Bronx County — that predate their Westchester residency and will not appear in Westchester-only OCA searches.
- Westchester County OCA cases are searched through the same iapps.courts.state.ny.us portal as NYC boroughs, with Westchester County selected.
- Yonkers is immediately adjacent to the Bronx — the two communities share demographics, commuting patterns, and address-history patterns more than almost any other county-to-county pairing in New York.
Westchester County quick facts
- Population estimate (2023): approximately 1,004,457 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS)
- County seat: White Plains
- Largest city: Yonkers
- State: New York
- Primary court: Westchester County Supreme Court (9th Judicial District)
Population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
How record searches work in Westchester County
Westchester County searches use the OCA e-Courts portal at iapps.courts.state.ny.us with Westchester County selected. The portal covers Supreme Court civil and criminal cases for the 9th Judicial District. Westchester's City Courts (Yonkers City Court, Mount Vernon City Court, White Plains City Court, New Rochelle City Court) handle misdemeanors and local matters and are accessible through their own OCA portal selections.
For any subject believed to have prior NYC residence, supplementing the Westchester search with Bronx County OCA is standard. DOCCS provides free statewide state prison history that covers both Westchester and any prior NYC boroughs simultaneously. The Westchester County Clerk maintains property records and civil court filings with online access through the county's e-filing system. Our guide on finding someone by name and city covers how to use Yonkers or White Plains as a city anchor.
Types of records available in Westchester County
- Supreme Court records — felonies, major civil matters — OCA e-Courts, Westchester County selected
- City Court records — Yonkers, Mount Vernon, White Plains, New Rochelle — separate OCA City Court portal selections
- Property records — Westchester County Clerk's Office online portal
- Vital records — Westchester County Department of Health for marriage and death records; individual city and town clerks for some marriage records
- State prison history — DOCCS free online lookup
- Cross-borough NYC records — Bronx County OCA as standard supplement
Crime statistics and public-safety context
Westchester County as a whole has crime rates well below the New York State average, reflecting its affluent suburban character. However, its cities diverge significantly from the county average — Yonkers and Mount Vernon have crime rates substantially higher than White Plains or Scarsdale. The county's diversity of community types means the city of residence matters as much as the county for interpreting records context. Source: Westchester County District Attorney's Office and FBI UCR 2022.
Major cities in Westchester County
Yonkers
Yonkers (est. 211,569 — U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS) is the county's largest city and borders the Bronx directly to the north. Yonkers is the most urban of Westchester's cities with demographics and character more similar to the Bronx than to most suburban Westchester communities. Yonkers City Court handles misdemeanor and local matters separately from Westchester County Supreme Court. Many Yonkers residents have prior Bronx addresses — Bronx County OCA is always worth checking alongside Westchester for Yonkers searches.
Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon (est. 68,381 — U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS) is in the southwest corner of Westchester, bordering the Bronx and adjacent to Yonkers. Mount Vernon has a majority Black population and is one of the more densely urban Westchester communities. Mount Vernon City Court handles local misdemeanor matters separately from the county Supreme Court system. Prior Bronx County records are commonly relevant for Mount Vernon residents.
White Plains
White Plains (est. 57,866 — U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS) is the Westchester County seat and the location of the Westchester County Supreme Court and County Clerk's Office. White Plains is a mix of government, financial services, and healthcare employment with a more diverse population than most Westchester suburbs. The county courthouse and all county-level record offices are located here.
New Rochelle
New Rochelle (est. 79,726 — U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS) is on the Long Island Sound coast in southeastern Westchester. New Rochelle has a significant Italian-American and Latino community and a diverse economic profile. New Rochelle City Court handles local misdemeanor matters. New Rochelle's proximity to the Bronx means prior Bronx address histories are common for longer-term New Rochelle residents.
Common search scenarios
Searching by name in Westchester
Run OCA e-Courts with Westchester County selected first. For any subject with likely prior NYC residence — particularly anyone under 60 who may have grown up or previously lived in the Bronx — run Bronx County OCA simultaneously. DOCCS handles state prison history for both counties in one free search.
Checking court records
Westchester County Supreme Court through OCA → Yonkers/Mount Vernon/White Plains/New Rochelle City Court for misdemeanor history → DOCCS for state prison history → Bronx County OCA for prior NYC records. See our court record search guide for national context.
Property and civil records
The Westchester County Clerk's Office maintains an online records search that covers property records, deeds, mortgages, judgments, and lis pendens filings — among the better-maintained county clerk portals in New York State. Property records are particularly useful in Westchester for confirming current residence when court history is limited.
Start Here: Enter Any Name To View Records
Best sites to review first
Before navigating Westchester County's OCA portal and the NYC cross-borough supplement, these are the two services I recommend reviewing first.
| Service | Why people use it | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Instant Checkmate | Useful for establishing prior NYC address history — particularly Bronx addresses — before committing to Westchester-only OCA searches that would miss prior borough records. | Quick first-pass searches |
| TruthFinder | Useful for broader address history context spanning both Westchester County and NYC boroughs — standard for subjects who relocated from the Bronx, Manhattan, or Queens. | Expanded public-record context |
Frequently asked questions
Does Westchester County have an online court records search?
Yes, through the OCA e-Courts portal at iapps.courts.state.ny.us with Westchester County selected. This covers Westchester County Supreme Court civil and criminal cases. Westchester's city courts (Yonkers, Mount Vernon, White Plains, New Rochelle) each require separate OCA portal selections. Note that records sealed under New York's Clean Slate Act (effective November 2024) will not appear in OCA searches.
Can you look up marriage or divorce records in Westchester County?
Yes. Marriage licenses in Westchester County are issued by the Westchester County Department of Health and by individual city and town clerks. Divorce case indexes are accessible through OCA e-Courts with Westchester County selected at no cost. The New York State Department of Health maintains a statewide upstate marriage index from 1880 forward (NYC records are held separately by NYC DOHMH). Westchester County generates New York's highest marriage and divorce filing volume outside the five NYC boroughs.
Can I use these searches for jobs, housing, or insurance decisions?
No. The services discussed on this page are not consumer reporting agencies and the information here is not a consumer report. They should not be used for employment, tenant screening, insurance underwriting, credit, or any other purpose regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Other New York county guides
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