Compare towns
Lackawanna vs Buffalo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lackawanna has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Buffalo has the most people working from home (11.3%).
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 | Lackawanna | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 19,753Lowest |
276,854Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+6.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 37.9±3Highest 5% below NY |
34.3±0.5Lowest 14% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 24.6%±3Highest NY: 20.5% |
22.3%±0.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Lackawanna and Buffalo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±2Highest NY: 17.9% |
14.2%±0.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
31.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
8.5%±0.5Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $52,110±$5kHighest 39% below NY |
$50,041±$2kLowest 42% below NY |
| Lackawanna and Buffalo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $140,700±$8kLowest 67% below NY |
$164,200±$5kHighest 61% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $872±$37Lowest 46% below NY |
$1,046±$18Highest 35% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,745Highest 43% below NY |
$1,622Lowest 75% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±8.5Lowest NY: 52.1% |
52.3%±2.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Buffalo and Lackawanna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 23.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
26%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
43%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Highest 5 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minHighest 39% below NY |
20 minLowest 39% below NY |
| Work from home | 7.8%±2.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #396 of 484 in NY | #455 of 484 in NY |
| School district | LACKAWANNA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | LACKAWANNA HIGH SCHOOL | HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.