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Buffalo, NY

College town · College teaching jobs 1.6x the U.S. share

East Aurora is part of the Buffalo area. This page covers the whole metro.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Buffalo

Albany County vehicles assisting with snow removal in the aftermath of the December blizzard, Michigan Avenue, Buffalo, New York
Albany County vehicles assisting with snow removal in the aftermath of the December blizzard, Michigan Avenue, Buffalo, New York · Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Albright Knox Art Gallery
Albright Knox Art Gallery · Photo: Dave Pape, Public domain
Allentown
Allentown · Photo: Buffaboy, CC BY-SA 4.0
Amherst St Station
Amherst St Station · Photo: Buffaboy, CC BY-SA 4.0
Buffalo, NY skyline
Buffalo, NY skyline · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Buffalo State Overhead
Buffalo State Overhead · Photo: Dekema, CC BY-SA 4.0
Buffalo Wings at Airport Anchor Bar
Buffalo Central Terminal, Paderewski Drive, Broadway Fillmore, Buffalo, NY
Buffalo Central Terminal, Paderewski Drive, Broadway Fillmore, Buffalo, NY · Photo: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Buffalo City Hall, Interior, thirteenth floor, council chamber
Buffalo City Hall, Interior, thirteenth floor, council chamber · Photo: Historic American Buildings Survey, Public domain
Canalside
Canalside · Photo: Invest Buffalo Niagara, CC0
City Honors frontview
City Honors frontview · Photo: Red Alien at en.wikipedia, Public domain
Key Bank Center side view from Main Street at Prime Street, Buffalo, New York
Key Bank Center side view from Main Street at Prime Street, Buffalo, New York · Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Where it is
Buffalo
Buffalo in New York
New York in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Buffalo area.

34
grocery stores
200+
restaurants
64
coffee shops
165
parks
155
playgrounds
18
libraries
4
movie theaters
21
live theaters
16
museums
25
bookstores
15
gyms
99
bars
15
pharmacies
10
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Buffalo area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
72 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
137 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 160,771 rented homes in the Buffalo area, 95% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 50%
$1,000 to $1,499: 35%
$1,500 to $1,999: 10%
$2,000 to $2,499: 3%
$2,500 to $2,999: 1%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Buffalo area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $2,000 to $2,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $3,000 to $4,497 where landlords also ask for last month.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,000 to $1,499, that's a yearly income of about $36,000 to $53,964.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to New York: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the New York DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: New York voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

28 public school districts in this county, with about 110,293 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Buffalo City School District · Buffalo
30,124 students · 10.2 students per teacher · 60 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Kenmore-Tonawanda Union Free School District · Buffalo
6,509 students · 10.2 students per teacher · 9 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Williamsville Central School District · East Amherst
9,717 students · 11.3 students per teacher · 13 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
West Seneca Central School District · West Seneca
6,148 students · 12.2 students per teacher · 9 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Lancaster Central School District · Lancaster
5,459 students · 12.8 students per teacher · 7 schools · grades K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

New York keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$289/week
about $15,000 a year
$200/week
about $10,400 a year
Toddler (2)$275/week
about $14,300 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$255/week
about $13,300 a year
$198/week
about $10,300 a year
School-age$215/week
about $11,200 a year

For an infant at a center: $289/week here, $296 across NY, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 16% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in New York →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

13 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Buffalo. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

University at Buffalo · Buffalo
Public, 4-year · 31,889 students · $10,782 in-state, $30,572 out-of-state
Bryant & Stratton College-Online · Orchard Park
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 9,418 students · $15,855 a year
Erie Community College · Buffalo
Public, 2-year (community college) · 7,618 students · $11,300 a year
SUNY Buffalo State University · Buffalo
Public, 4-year · 6,470 students · $8,486 in-state, $18,906 out-of-state
Daemen University · Amherst
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,625 students · $33,724 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$291,683
What a typical home sells for across the Buffalo area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
22 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,683 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in NY. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
10 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
22.5 per 100,000 people a year
214 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. NY average: 8.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 13.6 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 1,768 people without housing in the Buffalo, Niagara Falls/Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming Counties area (5 counties): 1,735 in shelters and 33 outside, up from 1,549 in 2024. NY: 73.3 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$71,175
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
2.08% of home value a year
About $2,080 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 10.90%
NY's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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