Buffalo vs Erie
The short version
- Erie is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 5% lower than in the Buffalo area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $115,200 in Erie and $164,200 in Buffalo.
- Households earn more in Buffalo ($50,041 vs $46,113 median).
- Erie gets far more snow: 104 inches a year vs 95.
Side by side
| Buffalo, NY | Erie, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 274,613 | 91,838 |
| Growth since 2020 | -1.3% | -3.3% |
| People per square mile | 6,801 | 4,800 |
| Median age | 34.3 | 34.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31% | 23% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $50,041 | $46,113 |
| Median home value | $164,200 | $115,200 |
| Home value to income | 3.3× | 2.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,046 | $870 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 95.8 | 91.0 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 81.0 | 56.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $71,900 | $68,200 |
| Homeowners | 43% | 54% |
| Top state income tax | 10.9% | 3.07% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 6.34% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 19.9 | 18.3 |
| Work from home | 11% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 8% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Poverty rate | 26% | 23.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 32° / 19° | 35° / 21° |
| July high / low | 80° / 63° | 81° / 64° |
| Precipitation per year | 41 in | 43 in |
| Snowfall per year | 95 in | 104 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 3 | 5 |
| Nights below freezing | 124 | 112 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 97.7 | 84.1 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 64% | 77% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.4% | +8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +50.8% | +58.6% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Buffalo: May to September. Erie: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Buffalo weather by month and Erie weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $71,900 in Buffalo and $68,200 in Erie. Moving from Buffalo to Erie, you would need about $71,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Buffalo and Erie
76people moved from Erie County, NY to Erie County, PA in a year
93moved the other way
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Buffalo and Erie.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.