Residential comparison · 13 facts
Buffalo, NY vs Rochester, NY
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Buffalo needs about $83,500 in Rochester to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Rochester, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $86,500 in Buffalo.
A few differences
- Rochester is lower on property tax rate (1.6% vs 1.9%).
- Rochester is lower on sales tax (8.5% vs 8.75%).
- Buffalo is lower on groceries index (98 vs 108).
Buffalo vs Rochester · facet by facet
| Facet | Buffalo, NY | Rochester, NY |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $220,000 | $139,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,450/mo | $1,161/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.9% | 1.6% |
| State & local income tax | 4.07% | 4.07% |
| Sales tax | 8.75% | 8.5% |
| Cost of living index | 91 | 90 |
| Groceries index | 98 | 108 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $190/mo |
| Median household income | $46,000 | $47,213 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 40/100 |
| School rating | 5.0/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 166 days | 180 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Buffalo, NY · Rochester, NY
Questions & answers
- Is Buffalo cheaper than Rochester?
- Rochester has the lower day-to-day cost index (90 vs 91 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Rochester equals $85,000 in Buffalo?
- A household earning $85,000 in Buffalo needs about $83,500 in Rochester to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Rochester lifestyle costs about $86,500 in Buffalo.