Buffalo’s 5 Richest Neighborhoods

There is a ton of data that the US Government collects every year and as we look deeper into all of the information that was collected as apart of the 2020 US Census, we learn more about how Buffalo's economy has been doing over time, in addition to how those changes impact our area when compared to the larger economy.

The entire Buffalo area has seem its financial health improve quite a bit over the last few decades, however, even with those improvements, Buffalo still ranks as one of the poorest cities in the entire United States of America.

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Not only does Buffalo remain one of the one of the poorest cities in America overall, it is also continues to be one of the most economically segregated places in the country. That is poverty in the Buffalo area is not evenly distributed throughout our region. There are some extremely poor and destitute areas, and there are some extremely wealthy areas. Buffalo and Western New York is really the tale of two cities.

If you take a deep dive into New York's Census data, you will find some really eye opening details.

So What Neighborhoods Are The Richest In Buffalo?

The US Census Bureau breaks down every area in the country into what's called Census Tracts or small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a county that generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people. Census tracts are tracked and identified by an 11-digit number that is assigned to each neighborhood or area.

The vast majority of the low-income Census Tracts in Erie County are within the City of Buffalo, which includes the 5 poorest neighborhoods, while a vast majority of the upper-income Census Tracts are outside of the City.

According to the Census, the annual median income within the entire Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY (MSA) is approximately $78,000, while the income in the 5 poorest neighborhoods in Buffalo average well above $150,000 per year.

Woodstream Farms Neighborhood in East Amherst

Census Tract 360290090.07 is located in the central part of East Amherst, bounded by Klein Rd, Hopkins, Casey Rd, and Transit Road. This area has the highest median family income for all of Erie County, at $168,057 per year, and has an extremely low percentage of people who live below the Federal Poverty Level (estimated at 3.82 % of the population).

Hamlet of Ellicott inside The Town of Orchard Park

Census Tract 36029135.02 comprises all of the Hamlet of Ellicott which is part of the Town of Orchard Park and boasts the 2nd highest median family income in all of Erie County at $167.181 along with an even lower percentage of the population who lives below the Federal Poverty Level (which is approx. 1.31%).

North East Amherst, Near the Border with Clarence Center

Census Tract 360290146.04 is the area that is roughly bounded by Roll Road, Transit Road, Lapp Road, and Heise Road in East Amherst ranks as the 3rd wealthiest neighborhood in the area with an less than 2% of its residents living below the Federal Poverty Level and a median annual income of $164,727.

North Getzville

Census Tract 360290090.09 comprises a large part of the northern section of Getzville, where the 990 hits Millersport Highway and, as the 4th richest area in Buffalo, boasts a median family income of $140,395.

South East Lancaster

Census Tract 360290142.06 encompasses most of the southern section of East Lancaster and comes in 5th on the list of wealthiest areas in Buffalo. Less than 3 percent of its residents live below the Federal Poverty Level, with the neighborhood median annual income coming in at $137,807 per year.