PlainZIP

Buffalo, NY · standard

ZIP Code 14215

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

39,999
3,133/sq mi
$44,955
Median income
$111,600
Median home value
20.1%
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.

9th pct
household income, US ZIPs
13th pct
home value, US ZIPs
3,133
people per sq mi
50%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 14215 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 14215 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, with 39,999 residents across 12.8 square miles, a density of 3,133 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 14215 reports a modest median household income of $44,955 (51% below the New York average), while per-capita income is $24,751. The poverty rate stands at 28.8% and the unemployment rate at 7.2%. The typical home here is valued at $111,600 (71% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,039 monthly, and 50.0% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.8, and the average commute is 21 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 14215, 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 14215

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Buffalo, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 14215.

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 14215, 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

39,999

Population

12.8

Area (sq mi)

3,133

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 14215?

31.8

Median Age

43.3%

Male

56.7%

Female

12.1%

Foreign-Born

White 16.3%
African American 64.7%
Asian 11.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%

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?

$44,955

Median Household Income

-51% vs state

$24,751

Per Capita Income

28.8%

Poverty Rate

7.2%

Unemployment Rate

21.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 14215 ranks nationally

Buffalo, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$44,955 9th percentile higher than 9% 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 51.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.1%

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

What does housing look like?

18,809

Total Housing Units

16,733

Occupied Units

2,076

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 50.0%
Renter 50.0%

$111,600

Median Home Value

-71% vs state

$1,039

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

+5.6%

YoY Change (2024)

313

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+213%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 14215 have increased 5.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +213% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.1% 186
2021 +21.1% 226
2022 +18.9% 268
2023 +10.7% 297
2024 +5.6% 313

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 455 business establishments in ZIP 14215, employing approximately 9,465 people with a combined annual payroll of $804,645,000.

455

Businesses

9,465

Employees

$804.6M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 95 20.9%
Health care and social assistance 76 16.7%
Other services (except public administration) 54 11.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 40 8.8%
Accommodation and food services 36 7.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 25 5.5%
Construction 24 5.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 24 5.3%
Transportation and warehousing 20 4.4%
Manufacturing 19 4.2%
Wholesale trade 16 3.5%
Finance and insurance 12 2.6%
Information 4 0.9%
Educational services 4 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 0.9%

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 14215 vs 14214 →

ZIP 14215 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 14215 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 14215 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 14215 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
14214 Buffalo, NY 19,775 1.6 mi
14211 Buffalo, NY 22,611 2.0 mi
14226 Buffalo, NY 29,267 2.5 mi
14212 Buffalo, NY 10,641 2.9 mi
14206 Buffalo, NY 20,751 3.8 mi
14208 Buffalo, NY 11,125 2.5 mi
14216 Buffalo, NY 22,431 2.7 mi
14225 Buffalo, NY 33,385 3.0 mi
14223 Buffalo, NY 22,665 3.2 mi
14209 Buffalo, NY 7,926 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
14224 standard
Buffalo, NY
Pop: 39,889
14225 standard
Buffalo, NY
Pop: 33,385
14086 standard
Lancaster, NY
Pop: 31,847

Related Areas

Erie County Buffalo, NY New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 14215 in? ▼
ZIP code 14215 (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 14215? ▼
ZIP code 14215 in Buffalo, NY has a population of 39,999 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 14215? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 14215 is $44,955, which is 41% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 14215? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 14215 is $111,600, which is 60% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 14215? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 14215 is African American at 64.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 14215? ▼
ZIP code 14215 has 455 business establishments employing approximately 9,465 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 14215? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 14215 are: Retail trade (95), Health care and social assistance (76), Other services (except public administration) (54). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 14215? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 14215 increased by 5.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 213%. 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 14215? ▼
In ZIP code 14215, 51.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.1% 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 14215? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 14215 is 21.3 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 14215? ▼
In ZIP code 14215, approximately 50.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 50.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 14215? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 14215 is 28.8% 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.