PlainZIP

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
$73,800
Median income
$207,500
Median home value
42.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

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 New York average), while per-capita income is $43,076. The poverty rate stands at 10.6% and the unemployment rate at 5.4%. Housing costs here run $207,500 for a typical home value (45% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,026 a month; 66.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

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. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 14217, 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 14217

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Buffalo, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 14217.

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 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

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 14217?

41.2

Median Age

47.5%

Male

52.5%

Female

3.3%

Foreign-Born

White 84.4%
African American 5.1%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%

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

$43,076

Per Capita Income

10.6%

Poverty Rate

5.4%

Unemployment Rate

19.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 14217 ranks nationally

Buffalo, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$73,800 Top 47% higher than 53% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 62.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 42.7%

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

What does housing look like?

11,093

Total Housing Units

10,743

Occupied Units

350

Vacant Units

2.05

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.0%
Renter 34.0%

$207,500

Median Home Value

-45% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 14217 ranks #5 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 14217 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 14217 ranks #4 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
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

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 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.

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