Moving From NYC to Buffalo: Your Ultimate Guide
If you’re moving from NYC to Buffalo, first off congratulations! You’re making a great decision and are going to find that Buffalo has a ton to offer.
Buffalo has big city amenities with a small city community. It’s got welcoming neighborhoods that are extremely walkable by design. With a rich history and culture, Buffalo has something for everyone.
Let’s start this ultimate guide to moving from NYC to Buffalo NY with the top reasons that people make the move.
Our Top Tip For Moving To Buffalo From NYC
Our top tip for moving to Buffalo from NY is to work with a local agent that has plenty of experiencing welcoming people to Buffalo and helping them find their future home. Luckily for you, we work with the best realtors in the city and will pair you with the best agent for your specific needs. Just fill out the form below and let us handle the rest!
Top Reasons Why People are Moving from NYC to Buffalo NY
Affordable Real Estate: The biggest reason that people are moving from NYC to Buffalo NY is the price of real estate. Houses in Buffalo are significantly lower than in New York City. It’s common for someone to move from a studio apartment in NYC to a large 3 bedroom with a backyard in Buffalo and actually have it cost less.
Lower Cost of Living: In addition to the real estate being cheaper, the cost of living in Buffalo is significantly lower than in New York City as well. Everything from entertainment and restaurants to Uber rides costs less in Buffalo than it does in NYC.
Mose Space: Buffalo is much less crowded than New York City in every way imaginable. There’s more room inside your house as well as outside. This can be a very welcome change for those who prefer a quieter and more laid-back lifestyle.
Better Quality of Life: If you’re looking for a slower pace of life, Buffalo is the city for you. Buffalo’s calmer lifestyle leads to a better work-life balance and a more stress free environment.
Better Traffic: Nobody likes sitting in traffic… and Buffalo has A LOT less traffic than New York City. You can pretty much get anywhere you need to be in 20 minutes or less, making commuting easier and less stressful.
Nature: Buffalo is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, including the mighty Niagara Falls, Lake Erie, and several state parks. If you like the city lifestyle, but want to be able to get away for some great hiking easily, Buffalo has a lot to offer!
Strong Community: Buffalo has a tight-knit community that values family, tradition, and community involvement. You’ll quickly find that everyone in Buffalo has some shared acquaintance, which makes for a very friendly atmosphere. Fittingly, Buffalo is nicknamed ‘The City of Good Neighbors’.
Growing Job Market: After decades of population loss and decline, Buffalo is experiencing a significant growth phase, including in job opportunities. This is especially true in job industries like healthcare, education, and technology.
Proximity to Canada: You can quite literally see Canada from Buffalo NY. It’s just over the Niagara River and is home to one of the largest land crossings between the 2 countries, the Peace Bridge. This makes for easy access to a whole other country and a diverse range of cultural experiences.
Now that we known all the most popular reasons that people are moving from NYC to Buffalo, lets get into the key differences because these two Empire State cities.
Keys Differences Between New York City and Buffalo
Size
The biggest and most obvious difference between NYC and Buffalo is the overall size. New York City is a massive city, with millions of people and countless neighborhoods and attractions. Buffalo is a smaller city, with a population of just under 300,000 people, which can make it feel more tight-knit and community-oriented.
The difference in size isn’t just population though. You won’t find endless blocks of gigantic highrises in Buffalo. Instead, all the tallest buildings are concentrated in the Downtown area. The rest of Buffalo is much smaller and residential.
There is a huge difference in size when you’re talking about the amount of space you’ll have access to as well. Apartments, houses, yards, and open public areas are much larger and open in Buffalo as opposed to NYC.
Pace of Life
New York City is known for its fast-paced lifestyle, with people constantly on the move and always in a hurry. Buffalo, on the other hand, has a more relaxed pace of life.
Although there is certainly the hustle and grind culture in Buffalo, it’s not hard to escape it. People are generally in less of a hurry and more likely to value their down time in Buffalo when compared to New York City.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in New York City is significantly higher than in Buffalo. That means that your money goes further in Buffalo. You can easily have the same quality of life in Buffalo for far less money.
Likewise, if you’re able to move from NYC to Buffalo and keep the same budget, the lower cost of living will likely lead to a much higher quality of life for you.
Access to Nature
While New York City has some beautiful parks and green spaces, it’s a densely populated city with limited access to nature. There are people everywhere all the time, so even if you are able to find some nature in one of the many parks, you’ll very likely be sharing it with several other people.
Buffalo, on the other hand, is surrounded by natural beauty. Whether it’s parks within the city or a short drive into the surrounding country side, you will have any type of nature activity at your finger tips by living in Buffalo.
Traffic and Commute Times
Commuting in New York City is be long and stressful for most people living there. The subway is regularly crowded and the streets have bumper-to-bumper traffic.
In Buffalo, however, the commute times are generally shorter and less stressful, which can lead to a more relaxed and enjoyable lifestyle. As mentioned in the last section, virtually every part of the City of Buffalo is accessible within a 20 minute drive.
Also, depending on what neighborhood you live in, you may be able to walk everywhere for your daily necessities.
Family-Friendly
While New York City can be a great place for young professionals, singles, or families with a large income, it’s certainly not as family-friendly as Buffalo.
Buffalo is a city that has a strong sense of community and family values. It’s slower and much easier to manage for families with young children.
Moving from NYC to Buffalo: The Real Estate Market
If you’re planning on moving from NYC to Buffalo, you’re going to need to have an understanding of the major differences in the two real estate markets. If you haven’t already decided to move to Buffalo from New York, this might be the convincing factor.
When it comes to the two real estate markets, there are some seriously significant differences. While both cities have their own unique appeal, their real estate markets could not be further from each other in terms of prices, availability, and purchasing difficulties.
One of the largest differences is the median and average home prices. In New York City, the median home price is around $740,000 according to RedFin. Some NYC neighborhoods have even higher median prices.
In stark contrast, the median home price in Buffalo is around $150,000, which means that you can be looking at over a half-million dollar difference for roughly the same home. This makes Buffalo a very attractive option for people who want to own a home but are priced out of the New York City market.
Another key difference in the two real estate markets is how easy or difficult it is to purchase a home. In New York City, the competition for properties can be fierce, with multiple offers and bidding wars being common.
On the other hand, the real estate market in Buffalo is much more manageable, with fewer buyers competing for properties. This means that buyers in Buffalo have a better chance of securing a property without overpaying or getting into bidding wars.
New York City is a known all over the globe as an economic powerhouse with a diverse range of industries and job opportunities. This drives up demand for real estate and makes it more difficult to purchase homes that fit what you and your family need.
Buffalo has a smaller and more localized economy, which can mean that the real estate market is more stable and predictable.
There aren’t many international purchasers coming in and buying real estate. Instead, it’s more local developers, which gives you a better chance at affording the house you want and need.
All of this is to say that the real estate markets in Buffalo and New York City are quite different. While New York City is known for its high prices and competitive purchasing environment, Buffalo is a more affordable and manageable option.
If you’re looking to purchase real estate, Buffalo is ripe with opportunity.
Buffalo Has Great Neighborhoods
There are so many great neighborhoods in Buffalo that you’ll easily be able to find one that works best for you and your family.
The Elmwood Village neighborhood offers a vibrant mix of restaurants, shops, and entertainment.
Allentown is known for its lively arts, music, and nightlife.
The walkable downtown area is home to the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center and the newly built up Canalside waterfront area, which offers tons of recreational activities like as boating, biking, and ice skating.
Check out our article The Best Neighborhoods in Buffalo to learn more about all the great areas in the city.
Let Us Help Make Moving from NYC to Buffalo Easier
If you’re considering moving or relocating to Buffalo NY, first of all congratulations. Buffalo is a fantastic city that offers incredible neighborhood charm and year round fun. We’re so happy to hear that you want to call our great city home.
We would love to help you get started on the right foot and make sure you find your ideal Buffalo home. We’ve worked with a number of highly experienced local agents for years and can pair you with the perfect agent for your specific needs and expectations. Just fill out the form below and let us do the rest!