Lackawanna and Buffalo receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Lackawanna
Buffalo
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs33 · Bottom 9%
Growth
12 · Bottom 3%
vs37 · Bottom 27%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs80 · Top 25%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 19%
vs81 · Top 50%
Schools
21 · Bottom 12%
vs25 · Bottom 16%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 9%
vs33 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Lackawanna | Buffalo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,753 | 276,854 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,110 | $50,041 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,611 | $31,843 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,017/sq mi | 6,856/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $140,700 | $164,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $872 | $1,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.2% | 43.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 31.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.2% | 26.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 205 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 40.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 21.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 34.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 84 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.00 | 10.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 8.8% | 17.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 28.8% | 30.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 81.6% | 83.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lackawanna
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Buffalo
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lackawanna
55
Your Score
54
Area Score
Buffalo
56
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lackawanna, NY · Buffalo, NY · How this is calculated: methodology