What it's like to live in Lockport
Lockport is a small city in New York with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lockport deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, cold winters, and heavy snowfall.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 80" per year
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Lockport compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lockport
Based on Lockport's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,890
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $37,800 a year
- 39% of Lockport renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$27,980
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $13,990
- Homes cost 2.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 33% below US
$945/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $945 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $139,900. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $139,900 · 39% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 44% above US
574 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2429/100k · Lockport Police Department · 2020 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.6 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 20°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 32% below US
25% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 25%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site (21 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lockport's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($945/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget.
Other places near Lockport
All New York guides →Moving to North Tonawanda →
12 mi away · pop. 30,198
Rent $934/mo · Income $66,961
Compare with Lockport →Moving to Eggertsville →
15 mi away · pop. 14,894
Rent $886/mo · Income $82,767
Compare with Lockport →Not sure Lockport is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.