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CITY

Buffalo

New York · 274,613 residents (2025 est.) · 40.379 sq mi
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#83Largest by populationof 4,896274,613
The short version

Buffalo has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $50,041. Population has declined 5% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $164,200. At a median age of 34.3, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. The poverty rate of 26.0% is well above the national figure. Households here earn about 42% less than the New York median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.3
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 53%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
276,854
−5%since 2000
from 292,648 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
6,856 / sq mi
+1%since 2009
from 6,769 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
34.3
+2%since 2000
from 33.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:274,613 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
249K271K292K314K335K1990201020202024Buffalo
2024277K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56%(16,746)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.6%(18,201)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.1%(16,978)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.4%(17,753)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.1%(22,349)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3417.8%(49,150)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.7%(35,297)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.4%(28,902)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.6%(32,199)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.1%(25,306)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.7%(10,153)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.4%(3,820)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$50,041
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $24,536 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,843
+112%since 2000
from $14,991 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
32.8%
+17.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
26.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 26.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.502
−1%since 2010
from 0.507 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade9.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services7.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance6%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration5.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical5.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade3.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$164,200
+53%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $58,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,046
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $472 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
43.0%
−0.4 ptssince 2000
from 43.5% in 2000
57.0% rent
Vacancy rate
12.6%
−6.6 ptssince 2009
from 19.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
18.9%
−9.2 ptssince 2009
from 28.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
49.3%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 53.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.3
+53%since 2009
from 2.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
77
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Buffalo on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic51.8%(151,450)
Black36.6%(107,066)
Hispanic / Latino7.5%(22,076)
Asian1.4%(4,045)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic42.4%(117,470)
Black31.3%(86,532)
Hispanic / Latino12.3%(33,987)
Asian8.7%(24,192)
Other5.3%(14,673)
Diversity Score
87
+16%since 2009
from 75 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican8.8%(24,362)
Mexican1%(2,706)
Dominican0.8%(2,320)
South American0.5%(1,348)
Central American0.4%(1,089)
Cuban0.2%(630)
Ecuadorian0.2%(585)
Salvadoran0.2%(580)
Colombian0.1%(366)
Spaniard0.1%(308)
Guatemalan0.1%(287)
Peruvian0%(119)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Venezuelan0%(116)
Honduran0%(108)
Argentine0%(101)
Chilean0%(61)
Asian origin
Bangladeshi2.5%(6,960)
Asian Indian2.2%(6,021)
Burmese1.5%(4,195)
Chinese0.6%(1,571)
Nepalese0.3%(908)
Vietnamese0.3%(734)
Kazakh0.2%(666)
Korean0.2%(461)
Filipino0.1%(367)
Pakistani0.1%(342)
Thai0.1%(158)
Laotian0.1%(148)
+ 8 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(5)
Ancestry
Irish10.6%(29,344)
German10.1%(28,068)
Italian9.7%(26,722)
Polish7.7%(21,455)
English4.1%(11,487)
American1.8%(4,968)
French1.1%(3,102)
Arab0.9%(2,630)
West Indian0.9%(2,397)
Scottish0.7%(2,038)
Dutch0.6%(1,754)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.5%(1,280)
Norwegian0.5%(1,251)
Jamaican0.4%(1,135)
Swedish0.4%(1,121)
Ukrainian0.4%(1,085)
Greek0.3%(959)
Welsh0.3%(951)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(879)
Hungarian0.3%(852)
Somali0.3%(696)
Nigerian0.2%(676)
British0.2%(572)
Ethiopian0.2%(533)
Lebanese0.2%(512)
Austrian0.1%(359)
Canadian0.1%(330)
Haitian0.1%(291)
Czech0.1%(285)
Romanian0.1%(285)
Slovak0.1%(280)
Portuguese0.1%(277)
Iraqi0.1%(265)
Ghanaian0.1%(251)
Lithuanian0.1%(243)
Finnish0.1%(240)
Serbian0.1%(240)
Swiss0.1%(238)
Palestinian0.1%(236)
Croatian0.1%(204)
Danish0.1%(177)
Brazilian0.1%(156)
Syrian0%(122)
Guyanese0%(101)
Turkish0%(87)
Bulgarian0%(85)
Egyptian0%(84)
Armenian0%(77)
Israeli0%(63)
Moroccan0%(62)
Latvian0%(56)
Slovene0%(38)
Belgian0%(33)
Kenyan0%(26)
Jordanian0%(20)
Barbadian0%(15)
Iranian0%(12)
RANKED:Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Italian population · Largest Puerto Rican population · Largest Polish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.2%
+12.9 ptssince 2000
from 18.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
87.0%
+12.4 ptssince 2000
from 74.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
14.2%
+6.4 ptssince 2000
from 7.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.9 min
+54%since 2000
from 12.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
62.8%
−3.3 ptssince 2009
from 66.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
8.1%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
11.3%
+8.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.5%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
22.6%
−6.9 ptssince 2009
from 29.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.3%
−5.8 ptssince 2011
from 13.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
60.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2011
from 59.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
16.2%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
38.9%
−25.9 ptssince 2009
from 64.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.5% in 2009
Female
52.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 52.5% in 2009
Foreign born
10.9%
+4.8 ptssince 2009
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.0%
−41.0 ptssince 2009
from 46.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2012
from 16.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.1%
−85.5 ptssince 2013
from 89.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.5%
+22.3 ptssince 2017
from 66.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
80.8%
−2.4 ptssince 2016
from 83.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
6.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2016
from 7.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married54.2%(57,418)
Married32.7%(34,645)
Widowed2.7%(2,853)
Divorced10.4%(10,980)
Women 15+
Never married51.4%(61,151)
Married29.8%(35,465)
Widowed7.1%(8,484)
Divorced11.7%(13,933)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Explore

Neighborhoods in Buffalo

Abbott McKinleyAllenBabcockBlack RockBroadway-FillmoreBryantDelaware-West FerryEmersonForestFront ParkGenesee MoselleGrant FerryGriderHamlin ParkKaisertownKenfieldKensingtonLakeviewLaSalleLeroyLovejoyMLK ParkNorth ParkRiverside ParkSchiller ParkTifftUniversityWillert ParkNeighborhoods in Buffalo
Drill deeper

Places similar to Buffalo

Toledo
Pop 263,423
Baton Rouge
Pop 222,795
Newark
Pop 323,808
Cincinnati
Pop 314,367
Places similar to Buffalo
Head to head

Compare Buffalo to nearby cities

BUFFALO VS
Kenmore
Income$77,639+55%
Home value$208,600+27%
Population14,808−95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUFFALO VS
Lackawanna
Income$52,110+4%
Home value$140,700−14%
Population19,452−93%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUFFALO VS
Cheektowaga
Income$68,613+37%
Home value$185,500+13%
Population76,056−72%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUFFALO VS
Eggertsville
Income$82,767+65%
Home value$248,100+51%
Population14,894−95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Buffalo, New York?

Buffalo, New York has about 276,854 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Buffalo, New York?

The typical household in Buffalo, New York earns about $50,041 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Buffalo, New York expensive?

In Buffalo, New York, the median home is worth about $164,200, and the typical rent is about $1,046 a month.

How educated are people in Buffalo, New York?

About 31.2% of adults age 25 and over in Buffalo, New York hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Buffalo, New York?

About 26.0% of people in Buffalo, New York live below the federal poverty line.

Has Buffalo, New York grown since 1990?

Yes, Buffalo, New York has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 51,269 residents, a change of about -16 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →