Buffalo is perhaps best known for its close proximity to Niagara Falls, but the city is also a hub for some of the best architecture in the U.S., with buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, H.H. Richardson and Louis Sullivan. In fact, one of the landscape architects who designed Central Park called Buffalo the “Best Planned City in the World” for the thoughtful layout of its streets and public spaces.
The park-like setting is likely one of Buffalo’s appeal to new residents from across the country. Although Buffalo hasn’t grown much in the short term, it has attracted more than 25,000 people from other cities over the last few years.
Let’s break that down. Between July 2015 and July 2016, the Buffalo metro area’s population remained essentially steady, going from 1,135,479 to 1,132,804 people, a .24 percent decline, according to the latest census data. During that time, the population of Erie County, where Buffalo is located, also remained nearly steady, going from 922,957 to 921,046, a slight .21 percent decline. (The metro area includes Buffalo, Niagara Falls and other areas, so its population is bigger than the county’s.)
Another census study, one that takes a longer-term view, found that 26,061 people moved to Buffalo between 2011 and 2015.
So, where are they coming from, you ask?
That same study tells us. Not quite two-thirds of domestic movers (62 percent, or 16,254 people) came from within New York State, including a fair share from nearby Niagara County. The rest (38 percent, or 9,807 people) came from outside the state, some from sunny San Diego, CA. The biggest contingent of out-of-state movers came from the other Erie County—the one in Pennsylvania.
Below are rankings for the top five counties of origin for movers to Buffalo:
Movers outside of New York:
- Erie County, PA
- San Diego County, CA
- Onslow County, NC (Jacksonville)
- Lee County, FL (Cape Coral)
- Brazos County, TX (College Station)
Movers from New York:
- Niagara County
- Monroe County
- Kings County
- Cattaraugus County
- Queens County
Above are the top places people moved to Buffalo from over the five-year period 2011-2015. Numbers represent the number of movers from that place during the period.
Above are the top places inside New York that people moved to Buffalo from over the five-year period 2011-2015. Numbers represent the number of movers from that place during the period.
Sources:
U.S. Census Bureau
Visit Buffalo Niagara, https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/business-type/architecture/
The Best Planned City: Olmstead, Vaux, and the Buffalo Park System, https://youtu.be/Kht84XaSn2M
