Is Buffalo A Good City To Work Remote From Home?

It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago, working “remote” from home was such an unusual concept. In 2023, thanks to the pandemic forcing us into our homes for an extended period, remote work is a daily reality for thousands of Buffalo residents. 

For Western New Yorkers who work from home, life has become a series of zoom meetings and laptops in front of our faces for most of the day.

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Pros And Cons Of Working Remotely

Even though several local companies have put forth initiatives to bring their employees back into work, many employees have found that the remote work model works well for them. Remote work offered them freedom and time that they didn’t get to experience in an office environment. 

Some businesses have adjusted their hiring strategy and now thrive on remote work, because it allows them to find stellar employees across the country without needing them to relocate.

On the other hand, remote work isn’t for everyone. Countless workers hated doing their job from home and couldn’t wait to return to the office. 

For those who genuinely enjoy the “work from home” life, some cities are better than others. Lawn care company Lawnstarter took it into its hands to rank 200 cities across the United States to determine which cities were remote-worker-friendly and which ones were duds. 

To determine the best and worst cities for remote work in 2023, Lawnstarter analyzed publicly available data on several factors related to remote work, such as financial incentives, earning potential, workspace, connectivity, affordability, safety, and amenities.

So how did Buffalo do?

Buffalo Is One Of The Worst Cities For Remote Workers In The US

Buffalo was way down Lawnstarter’s list of 2023’s Best Cities for Remote workers. Out of the 200 cities they analyzed, Buffalo landed at #152, with low scores in several categories. 

• Earning Potential (188) - This was Buffalo’s lowest score due to our city’s low mean household income.
• Amenities (158) - Buffalo got a low score here thanks to our average square yard footage and our number of food delivery services.
• Connectivity (148) - Average Internet coverage and speeds decided this score, and apparently, Lawnstarter didn’t think ours was that great.
• Affordability (141) - Buffalo didn't score well here because of our higher housing costs and cost of living.
• Safety (123) - Lawnstarter looked at Buffalo’s crime index to determine this low score.

Frankly, this low ranking that Lawnstarter gave Buffalo for its remote work “friendliness” is pretty harsh. What Buffalo lacks in certain things, we make up for in great places things to see, things to do, and food to eat. Cut us some slack. 

Do you work from home here in Buffalo? How do you like it?