Western New York’s Wealthiest Neighborhoods

There is a ton of data that the US Government collects every year. As we look deeper into all of the information that was collected as a part 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 seen 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.

Not only does Buffalo remain one of the poorest cities in America overall, but it 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 impoverished and needy areas, and there are some highly wealthy areas. Buffalo and Western New York is the tale of two cities.

If you deeply dive into New York's Census data, you will find some eye-opening details.

What Neighborhoods In Western New York Are The Richest?

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 assigned to each neighborhood or area.

Most of the low-income Census Tracts in Erie County are within the City of Buffalo, which includes the five 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 five wealthiest neighborhoods in Buffalo averages well above $150,000 per year.

Western New York's Poorest Neighborhoods Are The Exact Opposite

While you can find some seriously impoverished areas in Western New York, you will not find any of in WNY's richest areas. You can check them out here.