Livability Awards
Located in the state of New York, Buffalo is a highly populated city with a population of 258,989 people. In Buffalo, there are 6,413 people per square mile, which is well above the national population density average. Individuals of White (48%) and Black or African American (37%) backgrounds make up a significant portion of the population of the city. Buffalo could be a great place for young adults and students as the average age of 33 years old is below the nation’s average. Buffalo is not known to have a high population (over 15 years old) of married people. At only 47% married, this city falls well below the national average.
Are you trying to ascertain if living in Buffalo is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a positive experience before moving to any new city in New York, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like amenities, crime, education, housing, you can easily compare the best places to live in Buffalo and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare Buffalo to New York and the national average.
The livability score in Buffalo is 63/100 and the city is ranked in the 29th percentile of all cities across America. If we take a closer look at each of the categories on their own, we see that Buffalo ranks well for amenities (A+) and cost of living (A-). Regrettably for Buffalo, there are some categories for which it does not score well, this includes: crime (F), weather (D-), education (F) and employment (F).
Conveniently located amenities and interesting attractions are a great way to continuously enjoy Buffalo on a regular basis. Knowing that there are an abundance of amenities and things to do can ensure that you always have access to nearby grocery stores, restaurants and coffee shops. Some of the interesting things to do and attractions include: Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin D. Martin House Complex, The Buffalo Zoo, and Spirit of Buffalo - Buffalo Sailing Adventures.
Jobs are always a hot topic for anyone looking to relocate to a new area. Your chances of finding new employment in Buffalo is actually far better than most areas. With a low unemployment rate of 0.45%, finding work should be much easier than the average city.
Assuming that Buffalo meets all of your requirements, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Buffalo. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Buffalo are simply unattainable. Median real estate prices in Buffalo come in at $72,600, which is 74.6% lower than the New York average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Buffalo, the home price to income ratio is 2.2, which is 53.2% lower than the New York average. Purchasing your new home can come with many financial benefits, some of which are more lucrative than others. Perhaps the most notable benefit could be the appreciation of your new home. Home appreciation rates are a good way to generate tax-free equity on a long term basis. The year over year appreciation rates in Buffalo were 14%, and the 5 year appreciation rates came in at 10.2%.
| Statistic | Buffalo | New York | National |
| Average one way commute | 21min | 33min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 67.1% | 53.0% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 10.9% | 6.7% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 11.6% | 28.0% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 1.1% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 5.8% | 6.3% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 2.5% | 4.0% | 4.6% |
| Airports (within 30 miles of city center) | 1 (1) | 12 | 354 |
| Amtrak train stations (within 30 miles of city center) | 0 (2) | 23 | 711 |
| Walk | Bike | Compact | Car | S.U.V. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | |||||
| Duration | |||||
| Cost/Month |
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