Buffalo, New York
Among the top 1% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 17% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 18% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 16% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 99% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 18% of US places
- top 2% for airport distance
- top 3% for walkability
- bottom 3% for sunny days
Buffalo is a major city in New York with about 277,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, walkability, and school quality. It rates lower on violent crime and sunny days.
Official websitebuffalony.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
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warm
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cool
cold
v.cold
56%19%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.7 in3.1 in
humid 72%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$46k21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 36% of US places
Home Value$132k39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$942better than 47% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 70% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.19%better than 39% of US places
Income Tax10.90%better than 8% of US places
Sales Tax8.53%better than 26% of US places
Estimated total tax burden17.11%better than 12% of US places
Unemployment7.0%better than 25% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation40.8 in46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall95.4 inbetter than 3% of US places
Sunny Days158 daysbetter than 3% of US places
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 71% of US places
Comfortable Days95 daysbetter than 79% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk58.1better than 61% of US places
Air Quality53 AQIbetter than 10% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime2738/100kbetter than 3% of US places
Property Crime3236/100kbetter than 6% of US places
Community
Population276,688100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.918th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6697th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9338th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1517th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)43.6%15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)32.3%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)12.3%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)7.6%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.2%64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 87% of US places
Walkability14.0/20better than 97% of US places
Airport Distance7 mibetter than 98% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.1%better than 46% of US places
Amenities Nearby23.09better than 23% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 26% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Buffalo an affordable place to live?
- Buffalo is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 36% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Buffalo?
- The median home value in Buffalo is $132k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Buffalo?
- Median household income in Buffalo is $46k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Buffalo?
- Median gross rent in Buffalo is $942 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Buffalo safe?
- Buffalo is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2738/100k (better than 3%). Property crime is 3236/100k.
- What is the weather like in Buffalo?
- Buffalo averages 71°F in July and 25°F in January, with 40.8 in of annual precipitation and about 158 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Buffalo?
- Public-school quality in Buffalo is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Buffalo?
- The average one-way commute in Buffalo is 20 min.
Other places in Erie County
Places near Buffalo
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)