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Living in
Lockport.
About
Life in Lockport
Living in Lockport means settling into a working-class community about 17 miles north of the Buffalo area, where the Erie Canal literally runs through town—a geographic quirk that shapes the city's identity more than most people realize. The cost of living is genuinely affordable: median home values hover around $139,900 and median rent sits at $945 a month, which gives you real breathing room if you're coming from pricier regions, though the median household income of $62,410 suggests most locals are building modest, stable lives rather than accumulating wealth quickly. The job market is steady but not booming—unemployment runs around 4.5%, and most employment comes from county government work (Lockport is the Niagara County seat), healthcare, and small manufacturing tied to the region's industrial past; if you're not finding local work in your field, you're looking at a 23-minute commute into Buffalo or other surrounding areas.
Lockport at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.2%
Foreign-Born
3.8%
Broadband Internet
88.9%
of households
Population Growth
-3.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Lockport: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lockport, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (26.6%), and 2.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.5%
of residents
65 and Older
16.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.0%
of households
Married Couples
34.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.21
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 42% below NY average
Rent, home values, and income in Lockport
In Lockport, rent runs 42% below the NY average, and home values are 67% below the NY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,022
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
58.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1941
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $271,281 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NY
Unemployment in Lockport and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Lockport is close to the NY average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Lockport 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
Commute23.6 min avg
How Lockport residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lockport, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 61% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG)
Regional airport · few flights68k passengers boarded in 2025
- 16 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 44% above national average
Crime rates for 2020
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2020. It's compared with the national rate for 2020.
Violent crime in Lockport runs 44% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
573.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (399 national, 2020)
Property Crime Rate
2,429.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,955 national, 2020)
Lockport Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 4 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
83.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Niagara County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Niagara County, which includes Lockport, the most common type is high wind, with 4 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | High Wind | $5,500 |
| 2024 | 8 | High Wind | $41,000 |
| 2023 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,500 |
| 2022 | 9 | Winter Storm | $102,000 |
| 2021 | 9 | High Wind | $430,000 |
| 2020 | 19 | Frost/Freeze | $52,000 |
| 2019 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $9.9M |
| 2018 | 8 | High Wind | $147,000 |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Niagara County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Niagara County, which includes Lockport, is typically good — 328 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
328
per year
Moderate Days
24
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Niagara County, county-wide
Climate80°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lockport has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.9"
Annual Snowfall
79.8"
Hot Days/Year
7
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
136
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
182
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 18°F | 2.94" |
| Feb | 35°F | 19°F | 2.25" |
| Mar | 44°F | 26°F | 2.65" |
| Apr | 56°F | 36°F | 3.36" |
| May | 69°F | 48°F | 3.05" |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 3.43" |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 3.76" |
| Aug | 80°F | 61°F | 3.21" |
| Sep | 74°F | 54°F | 3.54" |
| Oct | 61°F | 43°F | 3.70" |
| Nov | 49°F | 34°F | 3.05" |
| Dec | 38°F | 24°F | 2.92" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lockport
Uninsured
4.5%
of residents
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Education12.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lockport
Lockport's student/teacher ratio is 12.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 24.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, 21 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lockport
Lockport has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site (21 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
National Historic Site
21 mi awayWomen's Rights National Historical Park
National Historical Park
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Lockport
Lockport Public Library
23 East Avenue, Lockport
Cities Near Lockport
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lockport?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lockport FAQ
Is Lockport, New York affordable?⌄
Lockport's median rent is $945/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $62,410/year. Median home value is $139,900.
Is Lockport, New York safe?⌄
Lockport's violent crime rate was 574 per 100,000 residents in 2020, which is above the national average of 399/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2429 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lockport, New York?⌄
Lockport has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lockport, New York?⌄
The cost of living in Lockport is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $945/month and median household income is $62,410/year. The median home value is $139,900. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lockport, New York?⌄
The average commute in Lockport is 24 minutes, which is about 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