Compare towns

Buffalo vs Ramapo

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 affordable homes ($164k median).
Ramapo has the most expensive homes ($653k 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.

MeasureBuffaloRamapo
People
Population
276,854Highest
152,401Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.5%Lowest
NY: +4.2%
+17.6%Highest
NY: +4.2%
Median age
34.3±0.5Highest
14% below NY
25.1±0.5Lowest
37% below NY
Kids under 18
22.3%±0.6Lowest
NY: 20.5%
39.8%±0.9Highest
NY: 20.5%
Age 65+
14.2%±0.5Highest
NY: 17.9%
10.9%±0.6Lowest
NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
31.2%Highest
NY: 40.2%
30.4%Lowest
NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
8.5%±0.5Highest
NY: 7%
5.2%±0.4Lowest
NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$50,041±$2kLowest
42% below NY
$82,463±$4kHighest
4% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$164,200±$5kLowest
61% below NY
$653,100±$18kHighest
54% above NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,046±$18Lowest
35% below NY
$1,787±$53Highest
10% above NY
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,622Lowest
75% below NY
$10,000+Highest
at least 52% above NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.3%±2.3Lowest
NY: 52.1%
66.5%±3.9Highest
NY: 52.1%
Below poverty line
26%Lowest
NY: 14%
26.5%Highest
NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
43%Lowest
NY: 54.3%
54.2%Highest
NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
21 yrs older than NY
1974Highest
15 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 minLowest
39% below NY
26 minHighest
20% below NY
Work from home
11.3%±0.8
NY: 14.9%
11.3%±1
NY: 14.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #455 of 484 in NY #385 of 484 in NY
School district BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT EAST RAMAPO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (SPRING VALLEY) · SUFFERN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL RAMAPO HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5Lowest
13.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.