Buffalo, NY
Census place 3611000 · pop 276,854
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
4003 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
770 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
43.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
26.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.50 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$50,041 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
32.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
19.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
16.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
38.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
88.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.8% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
0.99% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
43 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
31.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
85/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,414/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+7.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
20 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$164,200 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
Frequently asked
- Is Buffalo, NY a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Buffalo scores 40/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost and its weakest is property crime rate. New York overall ranks #48 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Buffalo, NY?
- Buffalo reports 770 violent crimes per 100k and 4003 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Buffalo, NY expensive to live in?
- Buffalo has a median home value of $164,200 and typical rent around $1,414/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Buffalo, NY?
- Its weakest measured area is property crime rate (4003/100k) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Buffalo, NY best at?
- Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($164,200) — 81/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Birthplace of the Buffalo wing, invented at the Anchor Bar in 1964.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.
