Buffalo vs West Seneca
Buffalo, New York versus West Seneca, 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 West Seneca score about the same overall (42 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Buffalo | West Seneca |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $46k | $75k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $49k |
| Home Value | $132k | $198k |
| Monthly Rent | $942 | $999 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.19% | 2.50% |
| Income Tax | 10.90% | 10.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.53% | 8.53% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 17.11% | 20.26% |
| Unemployment | 7.0% | 4.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8 in | 41.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 95.4 in | 95.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 158 days | 158 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 95 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 58.1 | 39.4 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 99.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2738/100k | 1238/100k |
| Property Crime | 3236/100k | 1921/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 276,688 | 45,387 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 44.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.66 | 0.11 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | D+15 | D+15 |
| White (%) | 43.6% | 92.6% |
| Black (%) | 32.3% | 1.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.3% | 3.3% |
| Asian (%) | 7.6% | 0.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 2.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 14.0/20 | 11.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 7 mi | 7 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.1% | 88.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 23.09 | 46.93 |
| 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 West Seneca more affordable?
- West Seneca has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Buffalo's $49k and West Seneca's $49k. Median rent is $942 in Buffalo versus $999 in West Seneca.
- Is Buffalo or West Seneca safer?
- West Seneca has the lower violent crime rate. Buffalo reports 2738/100k and West Seneca reports 1238/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Buffalo or West Seneca?
- The median home value is $132k in Buffalo and $198k in West Seneca, so homes are more affordable in Buffalo.