PlainZIP

Buffalo, NY · standard

ZIP Code 14212

Erie County, New York - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

10,641
2,157/sq mi
$44,020
Median income
$103,400
Median home value
13.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Buffalo pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs
11th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2,157
people per sq mi
53%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 14212 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 14212 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, home to 10,641 residents across 4.9 square miles, a density of 2,157 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 14212 reports a modest median household income of $44,020 (52% below the New York average), while per-capita income is $20,868. The poverty rate stands at 34.5% and the unemployment rate at 8.7%. The typical home here is valued at $103,400 (73% below the state average); renters pay a median of $990 monthly, and 52.8% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 13.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.6, and the average commute is 18 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 14212, plus 6 more within Erie County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 14212

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Buffalo, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 14212.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 14212, Buffalo, NY · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

10,641

Population

4.9

Area (sq mi)

2,157

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 14212?

35.6

Median Age

48.1%

Male

51.9%

Female

21.1%

Foreign-Born

White 33.4%
African American 27.6%
Asian 26.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$44,020

Median Household Income

-52% vs state

$20,868

Per Capita Income

34.5%

Poverty Rate

8.7%

Unemployment Rate

17.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 14212 ranks nationally

Buffalo, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$44,020 8th percentile higher than 8% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 45.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 13.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

5,640

Total Housing Units

4,668

Occupied Units

972

Vacant Units

2.83

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 52.8%
Renter 47.2%

$103,400

Median Home Value

-73% vs state

$990

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+18.8%

YoY Change (2024)

369

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+269%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 14212 have increased 18.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +269% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +19.4% 220
2021 +15.6% 255
2022 +18.1% 301
2023 +3.4% 311
2024 +18.8% 369

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 184 business establishments in ZIP 14212, employing approximately 2,550 people with a combined annual payroll of $103,499,000.

184

Businesses

2,550

Employees

$103.5M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 44 23.9%
Health care and social assistance 21 11.4%
Construction 20 10.9%
Accommodation and food services 20 10.9%
Other services (except public administration) 18 9.8%
Wholesale trade 11 6.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 8 4.3%
Manufacturing 7 3.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 7 3.8%
Transportation and warehousing 6 3.3%
Finance and insurance 6 3.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 6 3.3%
Educational services 4 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 2.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 14212 vs 14211 →

ZIP 14212 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 14212 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 14212 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 14212 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
14211 Buffalo, NY 22,611 0.9 mi
14206 Buffalo, NY 20,751 1.0 mi
14210 Buffalo, NY 14,694 2.2 mi
14215 Buffalo, NY 39,999 2.9 mi
14220 Buffalo, NY 24,227 3.4 mi
14204 Buffalo, NY 8,691 2.2 mi
14208 Buffalo, NY 11,125 2.2 mi
14209 Buffalo, NY 7,926 2.7 mi
14214 Buffalo, NY 19,775 3.3 mi
14202 Buffalo, NY 3,911 3.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Erie County

14221 standard
Buffalo, NY
Pop: 53,555
14075 standard
Hamburg, NY
Pop: 41,937
14150 standard
Tonawanda, NY
Pop: 41,676
14215 standard
Buffalo, NY
Pop: 39,999
14224 standard
Buffalo, NY
Pop: 39,889
14225 standard
Buffalo, NY
Pop: 33,385

Related Areas

Erie County Buffalo, NY New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 14212 in? ▼
ZIP code 14212 (Buffalo) is located in Erie County, New York. Erie County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/erie-ny.
What is the population of ZIP code 14212? ▼
ZIP code 14212 in Buffalo, NY has a population of 10,641 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 14212? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 14212 is $44,020, which is 42% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 14212? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 14212 is $103,400, which is 63% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 14212? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 14212 is White at 33.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 14212? ▼
ZIP code 14212 has 184 business establishments employing approximately 2,550 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 14212? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 14212 are: Retail trade (44), Health care and social assistance (21), Construction (20). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 14212? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 14212 increased by 18.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 269%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 14212? ▼
In ZIP code 14212, 45.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 13.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 14212? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 14212 is 17.7 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 14212? ▼
In ZIP code 14212, approximately 52.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 47.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 14212? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 14212 is 34.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.