Snow, chicken wings, the Bills and history converge in Buffalo
There are seven official nicknames associated with Buffalo, New York, the famously snowy city on the eastern shore of Lake Erie. Those who know it as the second-largest city in New York call it The Queen City, while others who know it as the first electrified city in the country call it the City of Light. In the years since widespread electric lighting took Western New York by storm, the city has become nationally recognized for rowdy sports celebrations, intense winters and an enduring contribution to bar menus across the country. “Buffalo is known for bars, chicken wings, snow and breaking tables at Bills games,” says Realtor Rebecca Simpson with Hunt Real Estate, a lifelong Buffalo resident. “I really enjoy the atmosphere because there’s so much to do, so you’re never really bored. And if you are, it’s your own fault.”
At the same time, Buffalonians exude a warm selflessness that helps make the cold tolerable. “I was born and raised here, so I’m just used to the snow,” Simpson says. “Sometimes we get 22 inches of it, but you have your snowblower ready. During a big snow, everyone calls their mom and dad and checks on their neighbors to make sure they’re all right. I guess it may not be like that everywhere, but that’s the way it is here. It’s just the right thing to do.”
The city was incorporated in 1832, after it was selected as the western terminus of the Erie Canal. This effectively made Buffalo the most important inland port between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean, significantly boosting its economy and population. During the mid-19th century, steel production became the dominant industry, lending the city a decidedly blue-collar character that has stuck with it ever since. While both shipping and manufacturing have significantly declined in the years since, Buffalo’s economy has adapted and diversified. Kaleida Health and M&T Bank are the two largest employers, with the public school system and the University at Buffalo close behind.
According to a Pew Research Center survey, 31 percent of adults in New York identify as Catholic. While the number of parishes in Buffalo has drastically reduced, dropping from 274 in 2005 to 170 in 2011, the city has retained elements of its Catholic history. Fish fry is a common dish served by area restaurants on Fridays, a tradition originating from the Catholic practice of abstaining from meat for the Friday fast. In 2024, the Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Lackawanna was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the complex remains a popular visitor destination within the Diocese.
Over the years, Buffalo has proven to be a place where residents take immense pride. Sunday morning football tailgates in the parking lot of Highmark Stadium are nationally famous, as are the uniquely flavored chicken wings that borrow the city’s name. It is both welcoming and insular, and transplants from other parts of the United States tend to notice this immediately. “A friend of mine told me that, when he lived in Texas, he didn’t even know his neighbors’ names,” says Sam LaNasa, a loan officer with M&T Bank and a lifelong Buffalo resident. “Then he moved here, and now he could shut his whole street down at the drop of a hat and throw a block party. It’s like that everywhere you go in this city.”
Allentown Pizza has great vegan pizza options.
Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Buffalo was finished in 1926.
The Anchor Bar in Fruit Belt is usually filled with a mix of locals and tourists.
The Erie Canal historically started right here which made Buffalo grow rapidly around 1900.
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A booming market on the limestone shore of Lake Erie
Despite its famously harsh winters, buyers may face intense competition when looking for homes in Buffalo’s real estate market. Realtors attribute this to low interest rates and a growing economy. “We never had a price boom here,” says Anne Kader, a second-generation associate broker with Metro Roberts Realty. “We were something like the second or third-cheapest housing market in the country, but since Covid hit, it’s been off the charts. I think it drove a lot of people out of New York City because they wanted a friendlier atmosphere, even with the snow.” In Downtown Buffalo , vacant lots have been converted into modern lofts and apartments, while the surrounding areas are populated with detached single-family homes in a variety of styles. Gabled cottages and American Foursquares are in the heart of the city in communities like Allentown and Lakeview . These neighborhoods give way to midcentury Craftsman bungalows and large Colonial Revivals in communities on the outskirts like Central Park , with new development continuing to the south and north. Homes typically range from around $100,000 to $400,000.
Buffalo’s geology contains significant percentages of limestone, which can release odorless and invisible radon gas as it breaks down. “There is a lot of limestone in the ground around here, but radon comes in pockets,” Simpson says. “So one neighbor might have a significant problem with it on their property while the neighbor just next door does not.” Radon detectors should be maintained either on ground levels or in basements in the area to mitigate potential health risks.
Buyers should also be aware that snow is known to fall on the city as early as October and as late as April or May, with the largest blizzards striking in November and December. The lake effect phenomenon is largely responsible for this, as cold Canadian air moves across the warm Great Lakes. Long-time locals will often discuss the most unforgettable of these storms, although realtors advise that the deepest pockets of snowfall are more predictable than they may appear from an outside glance. “With the lake effect snow, if you look at the map, you can draw lines from Lake Erie across the Buffalo area,” Cook says. “The weather can be dramatically different based on where those lines fall. The big snows are more interesting, so everyone reports on them, but some of us are truly sitting out on our back patio and cutting our grass in November while the people in Hamburg have 6 feet of snow on the ground. So if people from the Southtowns are sick of the snow and want to avoid it, all they have to do is move 10 or 15 miles north.”
Many lakefront homes in Buffalo have fantastic sunset views over Lake Erie.
Evangola State Park in Evans has an amazing beach with some cliffs.
The West Side residents are used to occasional lake effect snow fall in the winter.
The median year built for homes in North Park is 1925.
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Parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and a monumental spiritual tradition
Buffalo’s location on Lake Erie has historically played a significant role in the city’s development. Although no longer considered the “Gateway to the West” as it was in the heyday of the Erie Canal, the harbor has seen significant revitalization after a $300 million investment. The waterfront, now known as Canalside, offers year-round recreation, including yoga, paddle boating and a summer concert series. Boat tours of the inner and outer harbors help inform passengers about the continued importance of the city’s waterways. The outdoor roller rink is transformed into an ice rink come winter. Visitors who are not confident on ice skates but still wish to enjoy the festivities can rent Ice Bikes instead.
In total, Buffalo is home to 180 parks and recreation centers, including seven designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The largest of these is Delaware Park, encircled by a 2-mile pathway lined with fitness stations. In the warmer months, residents take to the central Hoyt Lake in kayaks and paddle boats fashioned to look like flamingos. The park also features an 18-hole public golf course, the Japanese and Rose Gardens and the Buffalo Zoo. The Buffalo History Museum and the AKG Art Museum are located on the west side, between the park and the Buffalo State University campus.
Among the most enduring landmarks in South Buffalo is Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica. Completed by legendary local figure Father Nelson Baker in 1925, this massive white marble cathedral remains a cornerstone of the city’s Catholic community. While an exact count has never been agreed upon, it is estimated that there are between 2,000 and 2,500 angel statues within the basilica, with four 18-foot-tall copper angels adorning the exterior dome. Visitors come to admire the architecture, peruse the history museum or enjoy a moment of quiet spiritual reflection.
There is a Cherry Blossom Festival at Japanese Gardens near Central Park every year.
Cold Springs residents can use nearby Hoyt Lake to paddle in pink flamingo boats.
Delaware Park is also home to the Buffalo Zoo and all the friendly animals inside.
A lot of Delaware District homes are situated around Delaware Park.
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Well-regarded education, from Pre-K to Pre-Med
The Buffalo Public School System, with an overall Niche grade of B-minus, offers a robust selection of schools for students beginning at age 3. High schools cover all potential student interests, from college preparatory institutions like Leonardo da Vinci High to STEM-focused schools such as Hutchinson Central-Technical High School. City Honors School, which offers an accelerated magnet program, has ranked in the top ten of Newsweek’s list of America’s Top High Schools multiple times. There are also faith-based private schools throughout the city, including the Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart.
Buffalo also enjoys a significant college presence, with eight 4-year institutions calling the city home. With approximately 20,000 enrolled undergraduates, the University at Buffalo is the largest, known for its medical sciences programs and ranked in the top five public universities in New York State. The university is also known for its UB Distinguished Speaker Series, which has hosted monumental figures such as President Joe Biden, the Dalai Lama and comedian Ken Jeong.
City Honors School is a college preparatory school in Buffalo, NY.
University at Buffalo was founded in 1846 and has 32,000 students.
Hutchinson Central Technical High School serves students in the local community.
Buffalo Academy of Sacred Heart was established in 1877.
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Passionate sports fans and year-round foodie festivals
From autumn to winter, Sundays are electric in the City of Light. “During football season, especially home games, we have the Bills Mafia,” says Kader. “It’s party central. Everybody’s into it, whether we’re at the game or at home. The stores on Sunday are mobbed. Everybody gets into football.” Tailgates at Highmark Stadium in Hamburg are a way of life for residents and have become nationally renowned for their rowdiness, as blue-clad Bills fans will often leap onto collapsable tables, smashing them to show their support for the team. Sabres hockey and Bandits lacrosse, both of which take place downtown at KeyBank Center, draw large crowds of supporters as well.
Throughout the rest of the year, festivals are frequent. The National Buffalo Wing Festival began in 2001, inspired by the animated film “Osmosis Jones”. A strong connection with the city’s Polish heritage has led to its naming as the Dyngus Day capital of the world, and the city’s Juneteenth celebration is the longest-running of Buffalo’s summer festivals.
Canalside in Buffalo has ice skating, curling and bumper cars on ice in the winter.
The Buffalo Marathon has an overall race rating of 4.6 stars.
Taste of Buffalo has live music performances between the food vendors.
Taste of Buffalo is a showcase of the restaurants in the area.
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Trips across the state, or across the border
Buffalo’s highway system is both intricate and easy to navigate, making it simple for residents to get where they need to go. Interstate 90 cuts through the east side of the city, connecting Buffalo to Rochester, Syracuse and Albany. I-90 also runs west along the Lake Erie shoreline to Pennsylvania and Ohio. Interstates 190 and 290 loop around the city, connecting to the Tonawandas, Grand Island and Niagara Falls. International travel is commonplace, as the Peace Bridge and the Rainbow Bridge, both accessible via I-190, connect Buffalo directly to Ontario.
The Niagara Frontier Transit Authority, commonly referred to as the Metro, is the public transportation arm of Erie and Niagara Counties, providing over 50 specialized bus routes between Buffalo and Niagara Falls. The Metro Rail runs the length of Main Street from downtown to UB’s South Campus, with all downtown stations being aboveground and stations from the Medical Campus to South Campus being underground. NFTA also has routes that take riders directly to the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport and the Walden Galleria Mall, a massive shopping center with over 250 retailers and restaurants.
While public transportation is limited, traffic in the area is often lighter than might be expected from a large metropolitan center. “Western New Yorkers, we complain about traffic with a five-minute delay,” says Cook. “That’s a traffic jam for us. If the commute is more than 20 minutes, we complain that it’s too far. If you ask us to go some place that’s 45 minutes or an hour away, that’s an overnight stay. We’re not driving that. We’re very comfortable staying close to home.”
A hotbed of American cuisine
Buffalo’s contributions to American culinary culture can be found on sports bar menus across the country. The signature Buffalo wing, which was reportedly invented at The Anchor Bar downtown, inspires as much passion in its adherents as the city itself. Years of debate have resulted in a general consensus – The Anchor Bar may have done the wing sauce first, but Duff’s Famous Wings in Amherst does it best.
Other area favorites are the beef on weck, a roast beef sandwich served on a roll topped with kosher salt and caraway seeds. Kelly’s Korner in North Buffalo is among the most popular spots to grab one, but the sandwich can be found all over the city and is even served at concession stands in KeyBank Center. “I always forget that the beef on weck is one of our things,” Simpson says. “It’s often overshadowed by the wings, but that sandwich and the Friday night fish fry are both big parts of the culinary culture here. People always say that Buffalo has its own flavor,” Simpson says. “And I’d say that applies pretty well to the place that put the chicken wing on the map.”
The suburban neighborhood of Hamburg has also had a massive effect on national cuisine. This rural town is the home of the Erie County Fair, the largest such event on the East Coast and the reputed birthplace of arguably the most famous American sandwich. “The town claims the invention of the hamburger,” says Tom Patton, a retired ironworker and a lifelong area resident. “They’ve got a whole festival for it every year in July.” Even outside of Burgerfest, the hamburger is prolific throughout the city, with restaurants like Café Bar Moriarty on Elmwood Avenue serving up some of the best in town.
Both Tops Friendly Markets and Wegmans are local supermarket chains, found just about anywhere throughout the city and its suburbs. The Tim Hortons Double Double is the go-to morning coffee order of the area, although those looking for locally-owned bakeries, coffee shops and restaurants will have plenty to choose from.
Local franchise Ted's Hot Dogs has some of the best dogs in Buffalo.
Burger Bros in Buffalo has one of the best burger sauces in the city.
The Anchor Bar, right in Fruit Belt, is world famous for its chicken wings.
Residents in Black Rock have a Tops and Wegmans available right in their neighborhood.
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Crime declines in the City of Good Neighbors
The FBI Crime Data Explorer reports that, as of December 2023, Buffalo experiences property and violent crime rates that are significantly higher than national figures. However, since 2019 violent crime has decreased by 18%, falling well below pre-pandemic levels. The Buffalo Police Department credits the decrease with gun violence reduction programs. Residents also recognize an overwhelming sense of unity and resilience in the community since the tragic mass shooting at the Jefferson Avenue Tops Friendly Markets in May of 2022. “After the tragedy at Tops, it showed us just how much we are the City of Good Neighbors,” says Leah Halton-Pope, majority leader of the Buffalo Common Council. That could’ve started an all-out war, but we took that and flipped it on its head and showed the country that we take care of each other. Outside of that, crime has gone down overall. It’s not perfect, but it says a lot about how the city is handling it all.”
On average, homes in Buffalo, NY sell after 29 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Buffalo, NY over the last 12 months is $240,000, up 4% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$229,000
Median Sale Price
$240,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$236,500
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$320,000
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$245,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
-3%
Last 12 months Home Sales
4,340
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
$4
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$180
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes for Sale
344
Months of Supply
1.00
Cost of Living Comparison
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Top Schools in Buffalo, NY
Source:
Best Public Elementary Schools
#1 City Honors School At Fosdick Masten Park
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#2 P.S. 64 Frederick Law Olmsted School
A-
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#3 Theodore Roosevelt School
B
Niche
#4 Truman Elementary School
B
Niche
#5 Charles A Lindbergh Elementary School
B
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#6 Windermere Boulevard School
B+
Niche
5
GreatSchools
#7 Cleveland Hill Elementary School
B
Niche
5
GreatSchools
#8 North Park Community School #50
B
Niche
5
GreatSchools
#9 Woodrow Wilson Elementary School
C+
Niche
6
GreatSchools
Best Public Middle Schools
#1 City Honors School At Fosdick Masten Park
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#2 Amherst Middle School
A
Niche
7
GreatSchools
#3 Frederick Olmsted 56
A-
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#4 Cleveland Hill Middle School
B+
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#5 Herbert Hoover Middle School
B-
Niche
5
GreatSchools
#6 West Middle School
B
Niche
4
GreatSchools
#7 Buffalo Academy For The Visual And Perform Arts
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
