Buffalo, NY · standard
ZIP Code 14217
Erie County, New York - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 23,480
- 2,822/sq mi High-density area
- $73,800
- Median income Near-median income area
- $207,500
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 42.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Buffalo pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a suburban-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 47%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 45th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 2,822
- people per sq mi
- 66%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 14217 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 14217 (Buffalo, NY) rose +10.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 286.5 in 2023 to 317.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 14217 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, with 23,480 residents across 8.3 square miles, a density of 2,822 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 14217 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $73,800 (20% below the average New York ZIP), while per-capita income is $43,076. The poverty rate is 10.6%, with unemployment at 5.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $207,500 (45% below the average New York ZIP), and median rent is $1,026; owner occupancy is 66.0%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 42.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.2, and the average commute is 20 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Erie County, so 14217 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 14217
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Buffalo, NY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 14217.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
82 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
73 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
71 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
61 establishments
- Construction
Construction
53 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 14217, 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
23,480
Population
8.3
Area (sq mi)
2,822
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 14217?
41.2
Median Age
47.5%
Male
52.5%
Female
3.3%
Foreign-Born
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?
$73,800
Median Household Income
-20% vs state ZIP avg
$43,076
Per Capita Income
10.6%
Poverty Rate
5.4%
Unemployment Rate
19.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 14217 ranks among New York ZIPs
Buffalo, NY household income vs. every New York ZIP code
Median household income among 1,626 reporting New York ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$73,800 37th percentile higher than 37% of 1,626 New York ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more New York 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
11,093housing units
11,093
Total Housing Units
10,743
Occupied Units
350
Vacant Units
2.05
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$207,500
Median Home Value
-45% vs state ZIP avg
$1,026
Median Rent
1947
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
+10.7%
YoY Change (2024)
317
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+217%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 14217 have increased 10.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +217% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.6% | 209 |
| 2021 | +14.2% | 239 |
| 2022 | +13.2% | 270 |
| 2023 | +5.9% | 286 |
| 2024 | +10.7% | 317 |
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 521 business establishments in ZIP 14217, employing approximately 6,869 people with a combined annual payroll of $314,594,000.
521
Businesses
6,869
Employees
$314.6M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 82 | 15.7% |
| Retail trade | 73 | 14.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 71 | 13.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 61 | 11.7% |
| Construction | 53 | 10.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 35 | 6.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 35 | 6.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 21 | 4.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 21 | 4.0% |
| Manufacturing | 16 | 3.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 15 | 2.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 15 | 2.9% |
| Educational services | 12 | 2.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 7 | 1.3% |
| Information | 3 | 0.6% |
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 14217 vs 14150 →
ZIP 14217 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 14150
Tonawanda (14150)
41,676 residents
- 14226
Buffalo (14226)
29,267 residents
- 14213
Buffalo (14213)
24,465 residents
- 14207
Buffalo (14207)
23,552 residents
- 14217
Buffalo (14217)
23,480 residents
- 14223
Buffalo (14223)
22,665 residents
- 14216
Buffalo (14216)
22,431 residents
- 14214
Buffalo (14214)
19,775 residents
- 14222 14,046
Buffalo (14222)
14,046 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 14217 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 14217 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 14226
Buffalo (14226)
$84,325 median income
- 14223
Buffalo (14223)
$84,161 median income
- 14222
Buffalo (14222)
$81,652 median income
- 14217
Buffalo (14217)
$73,800 median income
- 14150
Tonawanda (14150)
$71,406 median income
- 14216
Buffalo (14216)
$69,629 median income
- 14214
Buffalo (14214)
$58,228 median income
- 14213
Buffalo (14213)
$53,870 median income
- 14209
Buffalo (14209)
$50,046 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 14217 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14150 | Tonawanda, NY | 41,676 | 1.8 mi |
| 14223 | Buffalo, NY | 22,665 | 1.6 mi |
| 14216 | Buffalo, NY | 22,431 | 1.8 mi |
| 14207 | Buffalo, NY | 23,552 | 1.7 mi |
| 14222 | Buffalo, NY | 14,046 | 3.6 mi |
| 14214 | Buffalo, NY | 19,775 | 2.9 mi |
| 14209 | Buffalo, NY | 7,926 | 4.0 mi |
| 14213 | Buffalo, NY | 24,465 | 3.8 mi |
| 14226 | Buffalo, NY | 29,267 | 4.0 mi |
| 14208 | Buffalo, NY | 11,125 | 4.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 14217, both outside NY so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (23,480 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Erie County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 14217 in?
ZIP code 14217 (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 14217?
ZIP code 14217 in Buffalo, NY has a population of 23,480 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 14217?
The median household income in ZIP 14217 is $73,800, which is 3% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 14217?
The median home value in ZIP 14217 is $207,500, which is 25% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 14217?
The largest racial group in ZIP 14217 is White at 84.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 14217?
ZIP code 14217 has 521 business establishments employing approximately 6,869 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 14217?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 14217 are: Other services (except public administration) (82), Retail trade (73), Health care and social assistance (71). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 14217?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 14217 increased by 10.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 217%. 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 14217?
In ZIP code 14217, 62.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 42.7% 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 14217?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 14217 is 19.9 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 14217?
In ZIP code 14217, approximately 66.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 14217?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 14217 is 10.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 14217's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 14217 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Buffalo, NY ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.