Is New Buffalo, MI a Good Place to Live?
New Buffalo is a small town of 1,362 in Michigan, with a median household income of $61,875 and a 1.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.
Strengths: New Buffalo stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether New Buffalo is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All New Buffalo city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 97.2New Buffalo's overall cost of living index is 97.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in New Buffalo costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.
| Metric | New Buffalo, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $311,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $852 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 78.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $61,875 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeNew Buffalo's violent crime rate is 59.2 per 100,000 residents — 84% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
New Buffalo is served primarily by New Buffalo Area Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | New Buffalo, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | New Buffalo Area Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.5:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
New Buffalo sees average highs of 31.2°F in January and 82.1°F in July, with 42.5 inches of annual precipitation and 65.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | New Buffalo, MI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 31.2°F |
| Average High — July | 82.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 65.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | New Buffalo, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,362 | — |
| Median Age | 51.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 19.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 13.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 28.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in New Buffalo
New Buffalo, MI is covered by 1 ZIP code: