Buffalo, NY vs Orange, CA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Buffalo

74.2

#613 nationally

Orange

63.3

#1780 nationally

Orange leads in median household income ($109,335 vs $42,891). Buffalo leads in cost of living index (88 vs 178). Buffalo leads in walk score (66 vs 51).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric	Buffalo, NY	Orange, CA
WhereAtHome Score	74.2 (#613)	63.3 (#1780)
Population	276,807	138,337
Typical Home Value (ZHVI)	$249,040	$1,136,729
Median Household Income	$42,891	$109,335
Average Commute	22.4 min	26.5 min
Walk Score	66	51
Crime Level	Moderate-High	6.2
School Rating	4.6	N/A
Cost of Living Index	88	178
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored	D+9.7	D+2.6