Compare towns
Amherst vs Pendleton vs Salisbury vs Buffalo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Salisbury | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 130,546 |
7,034 |
1,200Lowest |
276,854Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.1±0.8 about the U.S. average |
46.7±4.1 20% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
34.3±0.5Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±0.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Buffalo and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.2%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.5%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,483±$2k 16% above U.S. |
$113,750±$27kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$50,041±$2kLowest 38% below U.S. |
| Pendleton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,600±$7kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$294,300±$39k 12% below U.S. |
$306,900±$51k 8% below U.S. |
$164,200±$5kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Amherst and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$45 about the U.S. average |
$994±$119Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,443±$984Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,046±$18 26% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,935 90% above U.S. |
$6,623Highest 112% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
$1,622Lowest 48% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.3%±2.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
26%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
43%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.9%±1.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±0.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pendleton and Amherst 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 | — | #455 of 484 in NY |
| School district | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
14.5Highest |
— | 12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.