Compare towns
Buffalo vs Pendleton 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).
Syracuse has the most affordable homes ($138k 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 | Buffalo | Pendleton | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 276,854Highest |
7,034Lowest |
146,384 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% NY: +4.2% |
+10%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+2.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 34.3±0.5 14% below NY |
46.7±4.1Highest 17% above 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% |
20.5%±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%±0.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
23%±4.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
14.4%±0.6 NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
34.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
31.2%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.5%±0.5 NY: 7% |
4%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$47,819±$2kLowest 44% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,200±$5k 61% below NY |
$294,300±$39kHighest 31% below NY |
$138,400±$5kLowest 67% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,046±$18Highest 35% below NY |
$994±$119Lowest 39% below NY |
$1,039±$20 36% below NY |
| Buffalo and Syracuse 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 |
$6,623Highest about the NY average |
$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% |
55.4%±2.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Syracuse and Buffalo 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% |
28.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43% NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
41.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1948 11 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 39% below NY |
23 minHighest 31% 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%±1.1 NY: 14.9% |
| Pendleton and Syracuse 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 | #472 of 484 in NY |
| School district | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | STARPOINT CENTRAL 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 | HENNINGER HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
14.5Highest |
13.3 |
| 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.