Get to know Buffalo, NY

The city of Buffalo is the second most populous city in New York and the birthplace of Buffalo chicken wings.  The city got its name from nearby Buffalo Creek.  The completion of the Erie Canal on October 26, 1825 brought a surge in population and the city incorporated in 1832.  The Canal and railroads allowed the city to prosper throughout the 19th and 20th centuries as a trade route.  The city served as a terminus point on the Underground Railroad, allowing slaves to cross into Ontario to freedom on the Niagara River.  President William McKinley was shot in Buffalo in 1901 while attending the Pan-American Exposition, and died in the city 8 days later.  It is home to the Wilcox Mansion, the site of Theodore Roosevelt’s swearing in following McKinley’s death.  The onset of the Great Depression brought unemployment before New Deal programs began, making the city a stronghold for labor unions and the Democratic Party.  World War II returned Buffalo to prosperity due to its importance as a manufacturing center.  Following the war however, Buffalo suffered like other Rust Belt cities as suburbanization set in and industrialization declined.  Recent history has seen investment in economic development and infrastructure in an effort to revitalize the city and turn around population decline.  The city has been the birthplace of several musicians, including Rick James and the Goo Goo Dolls.  It is also home to the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.  The largest employers in Buffalo include the State of New York and the University of Buffalo.

Quick Facts

Population: 258,071

Median Household Income: $32,509

Median Property Value: $75,800