Is Buffalo, NY a Good Place to Live?
Buffalo is a large city of 276,688 in New York, with a median household income of $46,184 and a 7.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is 6% below the national average.
Strengths: Buffalo stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Buffalo is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All 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: 94.4Buffalo's overall cost of living index is 94.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Buffalo costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Buffalo, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $132,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $942 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $46,184 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeBuffalo's violent crime rate is 706.2 per 100,000 residents — 86% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Buffalo is served primarily by BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Buffalo, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 36 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 21 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.5:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 30.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 86.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Buffalo sees average highs of 32.1°F in January and 80.2°F in July, with 40.8 inches of annual precipitation and 95.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Buffalo, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 32.1°F |
| Average High — July | 80.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 95.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Buffalo, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 276,688 | — |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 19.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 46.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 33.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 7.6% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Buffalo
Buffalo, NY is covered by 17 ZIP codes: