© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Buffalo.
About
Life in Buffalo
That matters because it means real investment is happening, neighborhoods are genuinely changing, and you're not moving to a declining place; you're moving to one with actual momentum. The cost of living is legitimately affordable: median rent sits around $1,046 a month and median home values hover near $164,200, which means you can build equity or stretch your paycheck further than in most northeastern cities. The job market isn't what it was during Buffalo's industrial heyday, but it's diversified and stable.
Buffalo at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
26.0%
Foreign-Born
10.9%
Broadband Internet
88.5%
of households
Population Growth
-1.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.9% foreign-born, most often from Bangladesh
Who lives in Buffalo: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Buffalo, the largest foreign-born group is from Bangladesh (24.7%), and 6.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.3%
of residents
65 and Older
14.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.8%
of households
Married Couples
24.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.25
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 35% below NY average
Rent, home values, and income in Buffalo
In Buffalo, rent runs 35% below the NY average, and home values are 61% below the NY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,622
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
43.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Vacant Homes
12.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $244,068 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts above NY average
Unemployment in Buffalo and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Buffalo is 0.6 percentage points higher than the NY average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Buffalo Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY metro area
Commute19.9 min avg
How Buffalo residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Buffalo, most residents drive alone to work (63%), and 81% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)
Medium hub2.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 121% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Buffalo runs 121% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
729.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,449.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Buffalo Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Erie County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Erie County, which includes Buffalo, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | Lake-Effect Snow | $6,500 |
| 2024 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $97,000 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $46,300 |
| 2022 | 19 | Winter Storm | $45.7M |
| 2021 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.4M |
| 2020 | 42 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.3M |
| 2019 | 29 | High Wind | $21.7M |
| 2018 | 22 | Winter Storm | $604,500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Erie County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Erie County, which includes Buffalo, is typically good — 233 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
233
per year
Moderate Days
121
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Erie County, county-wide
Climate78°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Buffalo has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
55°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.8"
Annual Snowfall
95.4"
Hot Days/Year
3
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
124
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
168
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 19°F | 3.35" |
| Feb | 33°F | 20°F | 2.49" |
| Mar | 42°F | 26°F | 2.89" |
| Apr | 55°F | 37°F | 3.37" |
| May | 67°F | 48°F | 3.37" |
| Jun | 76°F | 58°F | 3.37" |
| Jul | 80°F | 63°F | 3.23" |
| Aug | 79°F | 62°F | 3.23" |
| Sep | 72°F | 55°F | 4.10" |
| Oct | 60°F | 44°F | 4.03" |
| Nov | 48°F | 34°F | 3.50" |
| Dec | 37°F | 26°F | 3.75" |
Healthcare7 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Buffalo
Buffalo has 7 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
7
within city limits
Uninsured
4.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Upstate New York VA Healthcare System (western Ny VA Healthcare System)
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available
Kaleida Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Kaleida Health · 100 High Street
- Hospital campus: Golisano Children’s Hospital of Buffalo · 1010 Main St, Buffalo
- Hospital campus: DeGraff Medical Park · 445 Tremont St, North Tonawanda
Sisters of Charity Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Erie County Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Kenmore Mercy Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Kenmore
Western Ny Childrens Psychiatric Center
Psychiatric · ER available · 8 mi away · West Seneca
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education10.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Buffalo
Buffalo's student/teacher ratio is 10.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 31.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
81
within city limits
Private Schools
14
within city limits
College Degree Rate
31.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Buffalo
Public · 2-year · 6,099 students · in-state tuition $6,100 · 33% graduate · median earnings $46,497 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 5,097 students · in-state tuition $8,533 · 47% graduate · median earnings $55,028 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,685 students · in-state tuition $35,880 · 68% graduate · median earnings $63,820 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,258 students · in-state tuition $35,980 · 70% graduate · median earnings $74,104 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 2-year · 984 students · in-state tuition $21,480 · 60% graduate · median earnings $62,554 (10 yrs after entry)
Bryant & Stratton College-Buffalo
Private nonprofit · 2-year · 743 students · in-state tuition $19,220 · 40% graduate · median earnings $37,469 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 603 students · in-state tuition $28,670 · 38% graduate · median earnings $38,993 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, 1 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Buffalo
Buffalo has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site (1 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
National Historic Site
1 mi awayPublic Libraries in Buffalo
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library System
1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo
East Clinton Branch Library
1929 East Clinton Street, Buffalo
Elaine M. Panty Branch Library
820 Tonawanda Street, Buffalo
Frank E. Merriweather, Jr. Library
1324 Jefferson Ave., Buffalo
IsaíAs GonzáLez-Soto Branch Library
280 Porter Avenue, Buffalo
J. P. Dudley Branch Library
2010 South Park Avenue, Buffalo
James L. Crane Branch Library
633 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo
Leroy R. Coles, Jr. Branch Library
1187 East Delavan Avenue, Buffalo
North Park Branch Library
975 Hertel Avenue, Buffalo
Cities Near Buffalo
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Buffalo?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Buffalo FAQ
Is Buffalo, New York affordable?⌄
Buffalo's median rent is $1,046/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $50,041/year. Median home value is $164,200.
Is Buffalo, New York safe?⌄
Buffalo's violent crime rate was 729 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3449 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Buffalo, New York?⌄
Buffalo has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Buffalo, New York?⌄
The cost of living in Buffalo is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,046/month and median household income is $50,041/year. The median home value is $164,200. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Buffalo, New York?⌄
The average commute in Buffalo is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from