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Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY is $1,343 per month, ranking #283 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $70,572, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 22.8% of income on housing. The area has a population of 1.2M, with 33.5% of households renting.

22.8%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,343
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$70,572
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,005
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
1.2M
Population
Census ACS
33.5%
Renters
of occupied housing
$209,600
Median Home Value
7.4%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
13.8%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,105
Studio
$1,139
1 Bedroom
$1,343
2 Bedroom
$1,640
3 Bedroom
$1,869
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY, a household earning the area median income of $70,572 would spend 22.8% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$53,720
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$26
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,005
$338 below FMR

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in New York is $15.50/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 66.7 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Buffalo-Cheektowaga is 13.8%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$15.50/hr
Hours/Week Needed
66.7 hrs
Poverty Rate
13.8%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Buffalo-Cheektowaga is $209,600. At a median income of $70,572, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.0x. 7.4% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,467 est. mortgage
vs $1,343 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
7.4%
of housing units

Other Areas in New York

New York
$2,910/mo
2BR FMR · 35.9% burden
Nassau-Suffolk
$2,747/mo
2BR FMR · 33.9% burden
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh
$1,979/mo
2BR FMR · 24.5% burden
Kingston
$1,818/mo
2BR FMR · 26.7% burden
Ithaca
$1,753/mo
2BR FMR · 28.8% burden

Compare Buffalo-Cheektowaga

vs New York, NYvs Nassau-Suffolk, NYvs Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY

Areas With Similar Rent to Buffalo-Cheektowaga

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY is $1,343 per month. A studio is $1,105/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,139/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,640/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,005/mo.

Buffalo-Cheektowaga has a rent burden of 22.8%, meaning a household earning the median income of $70,572 would spend 22.8% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $53,720.

Buffalo-Cheektowaga's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,343/mo is $93 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Buffalo-Cheektowaga ranks #283 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Buffalo-Cheektowaga without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $53,720, or a full-time hourly wage of $26/hour. The area median income is $70,572.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.