Compare towns
Amherst vs Pendleton vs Penfield vs Buffalo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most expensive homes ($312k median).
Pendleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Penfield has the most people working from home (23.2%).
Buffalo has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Amherst | Pendleton | Penfield | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 130,546 |
7,034Lowest |
38,965 |
276,854Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+10%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+8.8% NY: +4.2% |
+6.5% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39.1±0.8 about the NY average |
46.7±4.1Highest 17% above NY |
45±1.6 13% above NY |
34.3±0.5Lowest 14% below NY |
| Pendleton and Penfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±4.8 NY: 20.5% |
23%±2.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
22.3%±0.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Penfield and Buffalo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±0.9 NY: 17.9% |
23%±4.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.3%±1.5 NY: 17.9% |
14.2%±0.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Pendleton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.3% NY: 40.2% |
34.9% NY: 40.2% |
58%Highest NY: 40.2% |
31.2%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
4%±2.1 NY: 7% |
2.9%±0.6Lowest NY: 7% |
8.5%±0.5 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,483±$2k 9% above NY |
$113,750±$27k 32% above NY |
$119,154±$5kHighest 39% above NY |
$50,041±$2kLowest 42% below NY |
| Penfield and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,600±$7kHighest 26% below NY |
$294,300±$39k 31% below NY |
$291,500±$12k 31% below NY |
$164,200±$5kLowest 61% below NY |
| Amherst and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$45 14% below NY |
$994±$119Lowest 39% below NY |
$1,473±$120Highest 9% below NY |
$1,046±$18 35% below NY |
| Penfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,935 10% below NY |
$6,623 about the NY average |
$7,223Highest 10% above NY |
$1,622Lowest 75% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±4.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±6.7 NY: 52.1% |
52.3%±2.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Amherst and Buffalo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% NY: 14% |
9.4% NY: 14% |
5.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
26%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9% NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
80.8% NY: 54.3% |
43%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
1978 19 yrs newer than NY |
1981Highest 22 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 39% below NY |
23 minHighest 31% below NY |
20 min 39% below NY |
20 minLowest 39% below NY |
| Work from home | 15.9%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
18.4%±6.6 NY: 14.9% |
23.2%±3Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.3%±0.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Penfield and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #72 of 484 in NY | #67 of 484 in NY | #21 of 484 in NY | #455 of 484 in NY |
| School district | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | PENFIELD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · WEBSTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | PENFIELD SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
14.5Highest |
12.2 |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.