Town Hall · Buffalo

Buffalo, NY town hall & government

Buffalo spent $1.7 billion in the year to June 30, 2022, about $6,591 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Buffalo's government.

Town budget

Where Buffalo's money goes

Spent
$1.7 billion
fiscal year to June 30, 2022
Per resident
$6,591
typical New York cities: $1,580
Long-term debt
$377.7 million
$1,484 per resident
Schools
$962.1 million57%
Sewer & trash
$121.6 million7%
Police
$94.5 million6%
Roads & transportation
$81.1 million5%
Fire
$71.8 million4%
Administration & buildings
$34.9 million2%
Interest on debt
$30.7 million2%
Water & other utilities
$25.6 million2%
Parks & libraries
$16.9 million1%
Paid to other governments
$11.4 million1%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$9.6 million1%
Health & welfare
$1.5 million<1%
Other
$215.5 million13%

Buffalo runs its own schools, so school spending is part of its budget. Comparisons are with other New York cities.

Where the money comes from

  • From the state 68%
  • From other local governments 8%
  • Fees & charges 7%
  • Property taxes 5%
  • From the federal government 4%
  • Utility sales 3%
  • Interest, fines & other 2%
  • Sales taxes 1%
  • Other taxes & licenses 1%
Town workforce · Census estimate

Who works for Buffalo

Full-time staff
8,353
1,022 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$80,200
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
728
and 714 full-time firefighters
Schools
5,410 full-time859 part
Police
913 full-time107 part
Fire
753 full-time
Sewer & trash
352 full-time
Administration & buildings
255 full-time36 part
Housing & development
174 full-time1 part
Water & other utilities
110 full-time
Courts, inspections & corrections
65 full-time4 part
Roads & transportation
59 full-time8 part
Parks & libraries
46 full-time5 part
Health & welfare
37 full-time2 part
Other
179 full-time

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Buffalo didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.

Property tax

What homeowners in Buffalo pay

Typical tax bill
$1,622
a year · New York typical $6,582
Effective rate
0.99%
of home value · New York 1.55%
Typical home value
$164,200
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Buffalo's government

🏛️ Official websitebuffalony.gov ↗

Town hall & decisions in Buffalo →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Buffalo

Buffalo is represented in Congress by Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand and Representative Timothy M. Kennedy. Kathy Hochul is governor.

All of Buffalo's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Buffalo

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