CostIndexUSA

Buffalo, NY vs York, PA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNY
Buffalo
95.8
overall index
$1,375/mo rent
PA
York
96
overall index
$1,300/mo rent

Buffalo and York have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing1.5%
Buffalo
81
York
79.8
🛒 Groceries+1.0%
Buffalo
99.7
York
100.7
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Buffalo
102.6
York
102.6
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Buffalo
92.9
York
92.8
Utilities17.4%
Buffalo
129.5
York
107

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Buffalo to see what you'd need to earn in York to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in York, PA
$80,200
$200 more needed in York

Formula: salary × (96 ÷ 95.8) = salary × 1.0021. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Buffalo, NY

Median Home Price
$269,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,375
Housing Index
81
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.3×

York, PA

Median Home Price
$297,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,300
Housing Index
79.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.0×

Buffalo has 1.5% lower housing costs compared to York.

Income & Job Market

Buffalo, NY

Median Household Income
$69,900
Per Capita Income
$39,800
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
Population
261,025
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingFinanceGovernment

York, PA

Median Household Income
$81,400
Per Capita Income
$46,400
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
44,619
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareRetailEducationAgriculture

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Buffalo, NY
4.2×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

York, PA
5.2×income-to-rent ratio

81% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.