Compare towns
Buffalo vs Pendleton vs Rochester vs Syracuse
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 kids (22.3% under 18).
Pendleton has the highest household income ($114k).
Rochester has the most renters (61.9% rent).
Syracuse has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Pendleton | Rochester | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 276,854Highest |
7,034Lowest |
208,772 |
146,384 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% NY: +4.2% |
+10%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+0.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+2.4% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 34.3±0.5 14% below NY |
46.7±4.1Highest 17% above NY |
33.7±0.5 15% below NY |
31.8±0.4Lowest 20% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±0.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±4.8 NY: 20.5% |
20.9%±0.7 NY: 20.5% |
20.5%±0.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Buffalo and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.2%±0.5 NY: 17.9% |
23%±4.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
13.1%±0.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
14.4%±0.6 NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2% NY: 40.2% |
34.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
30%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
31.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.5%±0.5 NY: 7% |
4%±2.1Lowest NY: 7% |
8.8%±0.6 NY: 7% |
16.8%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $50,041±$2k 42% below NY |
$113,750±$27kHighest 32% above NY |
$47,213±$2kLowest 45% below NY |
$47,819±$2k 44% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,200±$5k 61% below NY |
$294,300±$39kHighest 31% below NY |
$139,600±$5k 67% below NY |
$138,400±$5kLowest 67% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,046±$18 35% below NY |
$994±$119Lowest 39% below NY |
$1,081±$16Highest 33% below NY |
$1,039±$20 36% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,622Lowest 75% below NY |
$6,623Highest about the NY average |
$3,152 52% below NY |
$3,210 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.3%±2.3 NY: 52.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
53.3%±2.1 NY: 52.1% |
55.4%±2.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Syracuse and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 26% NY: 14% |
9.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
27.8% NY: 14% |
28.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43% NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
38.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
41.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1948 11 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 39% below NY |
23 minHighest 31% below NY |
19 min 41% below NY |
18 minLowest 45% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.3%±0.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
18.4%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
12.5%±1.2 NY: 14.9% |
12%±1.1 NY: 14.9% |
| Pendleton and Rochester 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 | #455 of 484 in NY | #67 of 484 in NY | #458 of 484 in NY | #472 of 484 in NY |
| School district | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | EXPLORATION ELE CS - SCIENCE-TECHNOL · ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | EDISON CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL | HENNINGER HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
14.5Highest |
8.8Lowest |
13.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.