Buffalo

Best Buffalo suburbs for families

Ranked on a families weighting: schools at 30%, amenities within two miles at 20%, and the four poll questions about children, safety and sidewalks at 20%. Cost still counts, at 15%. The full weighting is shown at the bottom, and it is not the same as the overall score.

Updated Sep 2026·13 suburbs considered, 10 listed
1
Eggertsville$248k median · 18.4 min commute
Schools B+Amenities AResidents inactive
76
Family score
overall 71 B−
2
Knox Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 2595 Elmwood Avenue at Kinsey Avenue, Kenmore, New York, May 2021. A brown brick edifice with a Late Gothic Revival design
Kenmore$209k median · 18.5 min commute
Schools C−Amenities AResidents inactive
65
Family score
overall 65 C+
3
Warren Hull House, August 2010
Lancaster$202k median · 18.9 min commute
Schools B+Amenities C−Residents inactive
65
Family score
overall 63 C+
4
Looking southward along the Tonawanda Rail Trail from the back end of Lincoln Park, Tonawanda, New York, 6th January 2020.
Tonawanda Town$215k median · 21.3 min commute
Schools C−Amenities B+Residents inactive
64
Family score
overall 64 C+
5
A number of boats are docked to the North Tonawanda side of Gateway Harbor during a summer Canal Concert. This image was uploaded by Brandon Peterman, the photo
Tonawanda$174k median · 22.7 min commute
Schools CAmenities B−Residents inactive
62
Family score
overall 58 C
6
Depew$197k median · 19.0 min commute
Schools CAmenities C+Residents inactive
60
Family score
overall 60 C
7
Buffalo Niagara Airport
Cheektowaga$186k median · 20.6 min commute
Schools D+Amenities B−Residents inactive
59
Family score
overall 59 C
8
West Seneca Town Hall, 1250 Union Road, West Seneca, New York, July 2022. The first purpose-built government building in the town, this $500,000 structure - a r
West Seneca$233k median · 23.0 min commute
Schools CAmenities CResidents inactive
59
Family score
overall 59 C
9
Gateway Harbor along the Erie Canal in North Tonawanda, NY. This photo was taken about 1500 feet from the present day western terminus of the Erie Canal where i
North Tonawanda$197k median · 20.4 min commute
Schools D+Amenities C+Residents inactive
56
Family score
overall 56 C−
10
The skyline of downtown Buffalo, New York, pictured in 2023.
Buffalo$164k median · 19.9 min commute
Schools FAmenities A−Residents inactive
55
Family score
overall 52 D+
This list's weighting
Schools 30%Amenities 20%Resident poll (Q2, Q5, Q6, Q8) 20%Cost of living 15%Housing 10%Commute 5%

Poll components only count for places with eight or more resident responses; for the others the remaining weights re-normalise to 100%.

Other Buffalo lists
Most affordable Buffalo suburbsBest Buffalo suburbs for schoolsShortest commutes to Downtown BuffaloMost walkable Buffalo suburbsBest Buffalo suburbs for young professionalsHow we score Buffalo suburbs →

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Kenmore (Andre Carrotflower · CC BY-SA 4.0); Lancaster (Pubdog (talk) · Public domain); Tonawanda Town (Andre Carrotflower · CC BY-SA 4.0); Tonawanda (Brandon Peterman (Zyrshnikashnu at en.wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 3.0); Cheektowaga (DanRother (talk) · Public domain); West Seneca (Andre Carrotflower · CC BY-SA 4.0); North Tonawanda (Joshua Karn · CC BY-SA 3.0); Buffalo (Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0).