Compare towns
Buffalo vs Lysander vs Cheektowaga
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buffalo has the most renters (57% rent).
Lysander has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Buffalo | Lysander | Cheektowaga |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 276,854Highest |
23,086Lowest |
88,989 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+6% NY: +4.2% |
+1.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 34.3±0.5Lowest 14% below NY |
43.6±1.9Highest 10% above NY |
39.5±1.1 about the NY average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±0.6 NY: 20.5% |
24.4%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
18.9%±1.1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Lysander and Buffalo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.2%±0.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.9 NY: 17.9% |
19.7%±1.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Cheektowaga and Lysander are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2% NY: 40.2% |
47.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
28.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.5%±0.5Highest NY: 7% |
3.6%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
7.5%±0.9 NY: 7% |
| Buffalo and Cheektowaga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $50,041±$2kLowest 42% below NY |
$107,984±$5kHighest 26% above NY |
$69,239±$2k 19% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,200±$5kLowest 61% below NY |
$288,400±$18kHighest 32% below NY |
$185,000±$4k 56% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,046±$18Lowest 35% below NY |
$1,130±$100Highest 30% below NY |
$1,067±$20 34% below NY |
| Lysander and Cheektowaga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,622Lowest 75% below NY |
$6,748Highest about the NY average |
$4,578 30% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.3%±2.3 NY: 52.1% |
54.5%±10.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
48.8%±4.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Lysander and Buffalo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26%Highest NY: 14% |
5.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.9% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.5%Highest NY: 54.3% |
71.5% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY |
1960 1 yr newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 39% below NY |
24 minHighest 26% below NY |
20 min 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.3%±0.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
16.6%±3.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.4%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #455 of 484 in NY | #158 of 484 in NY | #315 of 484 in NY |
| School district | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BALDWINSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CHEEKTOWAGA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CLEVELAND HILL UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL | CHARLES W BAKER HIGH SCHOOL | CHEEKTOWAGA HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
15.4Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.