Buffalo vs Niagara Falls
Buffalo, New York versus Niagara Falls, New York: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Buffalo and Niagara Falls score about the same overall (42 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Buffalo | Niagara Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $46k | $46k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $47k |
| Home Value | $132k | $95k |
| Monthly Rent | $942 | $763 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.19% | 2.70% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 17.11% | 19.30% |
| Unemployment | 7.0% | 9.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8 in | 34.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 95.4 in | 72.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 158 days | 185 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 95 days | 91 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 58.1 | 9.0 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2738/100k | 2921/100k |
| Property Crime | 3236/100k | 2880/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 276,688 | 48,502 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 40.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.66 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+15 | Even |
| White (%) | 43.6% | 64.1% |
| Black (%) | 32.3% | 17.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.3% | 7.3% |
| Asian (%) | 7.6% | 2.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 9.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 14.0/20 | 12.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 7 mi | 18 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.1% | 81.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 23.09 | 74.22 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Buffalo or Niagara Falls more affordable?
- Niagara Falls has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Buffalo's $49k and Niagara Falls's $47k. Median rent is $942 in Buffalo versus $763 in Niagara Falls.
- Is Buffalo or Niagara Falls safer?
- Buffalo has the lower violent crime rate. Buffalo reports 2738/100k and Niagara Falls reports 2921/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Buffalo or Niagara Falls?
- The median home value is $132k in Buffalo and $95k in Niagara Falls, so homes are more affordable in Niagara Falls.