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CITY · 2020 ACS

Buffalo

New York · 278,349 residents · 40.379 sq mi
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The short version

Buffalo has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $39,677. Population has declined 5% since 2000. Median home value has risen by half since 2000, reaching $101,000. At a median age of 33.4, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. The poverty rate of 28.3% is well above the national figure. Households here earn about 44% less than the New York median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 33.4
US median: 38.8
Average education
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
278,349
−5%since 2000
from 292,648 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
33.4
−1%since 2000
from 33.6 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
249K271K292K314K335K1990201020202024Buffalo
2024277K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56.3%(17,521)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.6%(18,297)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.5%(18,009)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.1%(19,695)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.5%(23,701)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3417.4%(48,520)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.1%(33,574)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.6%(29,468)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6412.2%(33,907)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 748.1%(22,493)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843.3%(9,317)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.4%(3,847)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$39,677
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $24,536 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,654
+71%since 2000
from $14,991 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
25.0%
+9.3 ptssince 2009
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
28.3%
+1.7 ptssince 2000
from 26.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information10.3%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade8%
US avg: 10%
Other services7.3%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration5.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Finance & insurance5%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical4.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Wholesale trade3.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing2%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food2%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.2%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$101,000
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $58,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$801
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $472 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
37.7%
−5.8 ptssince 2000
from 43.5% in 2000
62.3% rent
Afford Score
2.5
+19%since 2009
from 2.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
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%
2020
White, non-Hispanic39%(108,652)
Black35.6%(99,102)
Hispanic / Latino12.8%(35,643)
Asian7.6%(21,119)
Other4%(11,017)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican9.2%(23,453)
Mexican0.9%(2,194)
Dominican0.7%(1,710)
South American0.5%(1,299)
Cuban0.4%(976)
Colombian0.2%(455)
Ecuadorian0.2%(452)
Peruvian0.1%(250)
Salvadoran0.1%(199)
Spaniard0.1%(179)
Guatemalan0%(104)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Honduran0%(84)
Chilean0%(34)
Bolivian0%(19)
Argentine0%(11)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.5%(3,762)
Burmese1.1%(2,891)
Bangladeshi0.8%(1,925)
Chinese0.7%(1,736)
Nepalese0.5%(1,246)
Thai0.3%(816)
Vietnamese0.3%(795)
Pakistani0.3%(679)
Korean0.1%(369)
Laotian0.1%(339)
Filipino0.1%(338)
Bhutanese0.1%(285)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Japanese0.1%(142)
Taiwanese0%(62)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(10)
Ancestry
Irish11.4%(29,167)
Italian10.8%(27,522)
German10.6%(27,209)
Polish8.8%(22,538)
English4.1%(10,556)
French1.5%(3,791)
American1.5%(3,746)
West Indian0.9%(2,257)
Russian0.6%(1,605)
Dutch0.6%(1,595)
Scottish0.6%(1,471)
+ 49 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.5%(1,346)
Ukrainian0.5%(1,215)
French Canadian0.4%(1,106)
Jamaican0.4%(1,086)
Welsh0.4%(943)
Arab0.4%(922)
Iraqi0.4%(916)
Greek0.3%(864)
Somali0.3%(850)
Norwegian0.3%(787)
Swedish0.3%(737)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(647)
Ethiopian0.3%(644)
Lebanese0.2%(595)
Canadian0.2%(504)
British0.2%(462)
Finnish0.1%(376)
Haitian0.1%(361)
Austrian0.1%(349)
Portuguese0.1%(349)
Nigerian0.1%(283)
Kenyan0.1%(264)
Swiss0.1%(259)
Czech0.1%(253)
Lithuanian0.1%(241)
Croatian0.1%(220)
Serbian0.1%(206)
Syrian0.1%(203)
Ghanaian0.1%(199)
Slovak0.1%(191)
Bulgarian0.1%(169)
Palestinian0.1%(163)
Guyanese0.1%(158)
Egyptian0.1%(150)
Armenian0.1%(148)
Latvian0.1%(133)
Turkish0%(121)
Danish0%(116)
Romanian0%(114)
Israeli0%(113)
Iranian0%(53)
Brazilian0%(39)
Barbadian0%(39)
Belgian0%(37)
Moroccan0%(18)
Slovene0%(13)
RANKED:Largest Irish population · Largest Italian population · Largest German population · Largest Puerto Rican population · Largest Polish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
28.6%
+10.3 ptssince 2000
from 18.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
85.7%
+11.1 ptssince 2000
from 74.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
12.1%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 7.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.0 min
+54%since 2000
from 12.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
67.9%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 66.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
26.3%
−3.2 ptssince 2009
from 29.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.6%
−5.5 ptssince 2011
from 13.0% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
59.4%
−0.5 ptssince 2011
from 59.9% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
36.0%
−28.8 ptssince 2009
from 64.8% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 47.5% in 2009
Female
52.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 52.5% in 2009
Foreign born
10.4%
+4.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
4.3%
−85.3 ptssince 2013
from 89.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Marital status (2024)
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+96%
Home value$208,600+107%
Population14,808−95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUFFALO VS
Lackawanna
Income$52,110+31%
Home value$140,700+39%
Population19,452−93%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUFFALO VS
Cheektowaga
Income$68,613+73%
Home value$185,500+84%
Population76,056−72%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUFFALO VS
Eggertsville
Income$82,767+109%
Home value$248,100+146%
Population14,894−95%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Buffalo, New York?

Buffalo, New York has about 278,349 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Buffalo, New York earns about $39,677 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 $101,000, and the typical rent is about $801 a month.

How educated are people in Buffalo, New York?

About 28.6% 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 28.3% 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 49,774 residents, a change of about -15 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 →