PlainZIP

Buffalo, NY · standard

ZIP Code 14218

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

19,039
900/sq mi
$54,748
Median income
$150,200
Median home value
21.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Buffalo pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs
25th pct
home value, US ZIPs
900
people per sq mi
56%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 14218 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 14218 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, home to 19,039 residents across 21.1 square miles, a density of 900 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 14218 reports a modest median household income of $54,748 (41% below the New York average), while per-capita income is $28,910. Local economic indicators show a 22.2% poverty rate alongside 6.7% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $150,200 (60% below the state average) with median rent at $878 per month, and 56.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.3, and the average commute is 20 minutes. To put 14218 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Erie County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 14218

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Buffalo, NY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 14218.

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 14218, 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

19,039

Population

21.1

Area (sq mi)

900

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 14218?

38.3

Median Age

48.0%

Male

52.0%

Female

8.6%

Foreign-Born

White 70.3%
African American 14.9%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%

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?

$54,748

Median Household Income

-41% vs state

$28,910

Per Capita Income

22.2%

Poverty Rate

6.7%

Unemployment Rate

20.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 14218 ranks nationally

Buffalo, NY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$54,748 21st percentile higher than 21% 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 55.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.0%

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

What does housing look like?

9,541

Total Housing Units

8,613

Occupied Units

928

Vacant Units

2.33

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 56.2%
Renter 43.8%

$150,200

Median Home Value

-60% vs state

$878

Median Rent

1953

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

+5.2%

YoY Change (2024)

290

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+190%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 14218 have increased 5.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +190% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +9.7% 196
2021 +9.3% 214
2022 +21.4% 260
2023 +6.0% 276
2024 +5.2% 290

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 306 business establishments in ZIP 14218, employing approximately 4,329 people with a combined annual payroll of $209,352,000.

306

Businesses

4,329

Employees

$209.4M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 63 20.6%
Other services (except public administration) 36 11.8%
Health care and social assistance 31 10.1%
Accommodation and food services 30 9.8%
Construction 29 9.5%
Manufacturing 22 7.2%
Transportation and warehousing 22 7.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 20 6.5%
Wholesale trade 13 4.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 13 4.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 3.3%
Finance and insurance 7 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.6%
Educational services 3 1.0%

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 14218 vs 14220 →

ZIP 14218 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 14218 ranks #6 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 14218 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 14218 ranks #6 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
14220 Buffalo, NY 24,227 1.8 mi
14219 Buffalo, NY 11,536 2.1 mi
14210 Buffalo, NY 14,694 3.0 mi
14206 Buffalo, NY 20,751 4.3 mi
14203 Buffalo, NY 1,618 3.6 mi
14212 Buffalo, NY 10,641 5.2 mi
14204 Buffalo, NY 8,691 4.6 mi
14211 Buffalo, NY 22,611 6.1 mi
14224 Buffalo, NY 39,889 4.3 mi
14075 Hamburg, NY 41,937 7.3 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 14218 in? ▼
ZIP code 14218 (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 14218? ▼
ZIP code 14218 in Buffalo, NY has a population of 19,039 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 14218? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 14218 is $54,748, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 14218? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 14218 is $150,200, which is 46% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 14218? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 14218 is White at 70.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 14218? ▼
ZIP code 14218 has 306 business establishments employing approximately 4,329 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 14218? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 14218 are: Retail trade (63), Other services (except public administration) (36), Health care and social assistance (31). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 14218? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 14218 increased by 5.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 190%. 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 14218? ▼
In ZIP code 14218, 55.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.0% 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 14218? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 14218 is 20.3 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 14218? ▼
In ZIP code 14218, approximately 56.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 43.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 14218? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 14218 is 22.2% 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.