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Cost of living, pay and housing

42.84° N · 78.75° W · GEOID 3680907

West Seneca

Erie County, New York · part of the Buffalo, NY metro

New YorkWest Seneca, NYWest SenecaWest Seneca

The short answer

West Seneca is home to 45,303 people. Median household income is $79,709 a year and median rent is $1,106 a month, 16.7% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $232,800, about 2.9x annual median household income.

West Seneca stands out on value for money. Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 98 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings. Also notable: Public schools here have 9 students per teacher, fewer than in 99% of places its size.

69OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Above average

West Seneca scores better than 69% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 100th of 340 in New York.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%79
Economy 20%52
Safety 20%50
Amenities 15%41
Education 10%55
Commute 10%63
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: growth, for want of data. The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,106
19% below the median place
Median household income
$79,709
1% below the median place
Median home value
$232,800
27% below the median place
Unemployment
4.7%
4% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about West Seneca

  • AffordabilityThe median rent takes 16.7% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 85% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.
01

Moving to West Seneca

Erie County loses about 4.6 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in18,978
Moved out22,403
Net−3,425

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Niagara County, NY2,8293,468−639
Queens County, NY990313+677
Wyoming County, NY285358−73
Kings County, NY597

Within New York, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within New YorkOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$61K
Leavers$70K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Erie County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
1.6% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.4% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Erie County report $61,100 a year in income on average; those leaving, $70,500, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$44,200 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,106 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,644 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $232,800.
Getting to work
23 minutes each way on average; 10.2% work from home; 2.8% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Endwell, NY matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
1.6%
72% below the median place
Moved from another state1
0.4%
80% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
-4.6
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureWest SenecaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year11.6%72% below
Moved from another state10.4%80% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-4.6below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$61,06613% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$70,4880% above
02

What it costs to live here

Homeowners pay a median of about 2.2% of home value a year in property tax, more than in 93% of the 912 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.

West Seneca16.7%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$44,240
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
16.7%
18% below the median place
Home price to income
2.9x
23% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
17%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$67,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in West Seneca, $1,106 a month, and local prices for everything else (98.9 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like West Seneca, but easier on the budget

Places that match West Seneca on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Endwell, NY9113.3% vs 16.7%$6,300Compare
Oregon, OH9113.1% vs 16.7%$6,900Compare
Clayton, OH9113.8% vs 16.7%$15,500Compare
Somerset, MA9013.5% vs 16.7%$28,900Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in West Seneca.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to West Seneca? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax rate1
2.2%
145% above the median place
Median year built1
1967
1% below the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$5,199
59% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureWest SenecaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,10619% below
Rent to income116.7%18% below
Property tax rate12.2%145% above
Home price to income12.9x23% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure95.85% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,42312% below
HUD area median income4County figure$101,5005% below
Property tax paid (median)1$5,19959% above
Median home value1$232,80027% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure6.2%95% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure57.5%12% above
Homeownership176.9%16% above
Renters paying 30%+147.5%6% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,64412% below
Vacant homes15.3%24% below
Median year built119671% below
03

Work and pay

Mean commute is 23 min, 8% below the median place.

Mean commute1
23 min
8% below the median place
Works from home1
10.2%
18% below the median place
Poverty rate1
8.8%
18% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Income per person$43,684 +9%
Unemployment4.7% −4%
Median household income$79,709 −1%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureWest SenecaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$79,7091% below
Income per person1$43,6849% above
Unemployment14.7%4% below
Average annual pay6County figure$69,9966% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure4.5%22% above
Jobs6County figure464,902209% above
Poverty rate18.8%18% below
Mean commute123 min8% below
Works from home110.2%18% below
Commutes by transit1County figure2.8%231% above
04

Who lives here

3% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 94% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.

No health insurance1
3.1%
52% below the median place
Born abroad1
2.6%
70% below the median place
Household size1
2.2
10% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Median age43.5 +12%
High school or higher94.5% +2%
Homes with broadband90.7% −2%
Bachelor's or higher34.5% +8%
All 8 people measures
MeasureWest SenecaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population145,303975th largest
Median age143.512% above
Bachelor's or higher134.5%8% above
High school or higher194.5%2% above
Household size12.210% below
Born abroad12.6%70% below
No health insurance13.1%52% below
Homes with broadband190.7%2% below
05

Life in West Seneca

The nearest National Park Service site is Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, about 8 miles away.

Founded or incorporated in 1842. 2 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 12 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Eaton Site listed 1979
  • Community of True Inspiration Residence listed 2013

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents7.7 −24%
Playgrounds per 10k10.8 +15%
Grocery stores per 10k2.2 +4%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k6.4 −43%
Libraries per 10k0.4 −49%
Named paths and bike trails3 km +70%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.1 −76%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site 8 miles
  • Niagara Falls National Heritage Area 24 miles
  • Women's Rights National Historical Park 99 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars23.2 +12%
Shops32.8 +8%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.6 +12%
Doctors' offices and clinics17.6 −13%
Child care centers2.5 +9%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Students per teacher13
9.0
42% below the median place
Nearest National Park Service site10
7.6
75% below the median place
Public school students13
6,392
31% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureWest SenecaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools131122% above
Public school students136,39231% above
Students per teacher139.042% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure23.212% above
Shops per 10k8County figure32.88% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure4.612% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure17.613% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.59% above
Parks per 10k97.724% below
Playgrounds per 10k910.815% above
Grocery stores per 10k92.24% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k96.443% below
Libraries per 10k90.449% below
Named paths and bike trails93.470% above
Transit stops per sq mi90.176% below
Nearest National Park Service site107.675% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1020% above
National Register listings11285% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 108, 44% below the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
108
44% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
1,770
46% above the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

July average high14
80°F
8% below the median place
Average temperature14
48°F
13% below the median place
January average low14
17°F
33% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureWest SenecaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high14County figure80°F8% below
January average low14County figure17°F33% below
Average temperature14County figure48°F13% below
Annual precipitation14County figure41.6 in5% below
Natural hazard risk15County figure97.76% above
Hurricane risk15County figure71.31% above
Tornado risk15County figure95.417% above
Wildfire risk15County figure62.62% above
Heat wave risk15County figure95.46% above
Median air quality index16County figure442% above
Good air days16County figure63.8%7% below
08

West Seneca in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 17% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 17% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, West Seneca does better than 77% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 62%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,106/mo (2024)$1,420/mo$1,170 to $1,730/mo+4.3%
Median household income$79,709 (2024)$100,500$85,000 to $118,500+3.9%
Median home value$232,800 (2024)$336,000$244,000 to $463,000+6.3%

The median home would be worth 3.4 years of the median income in 2030, against 2.9 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like West Seneca

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Sharonville, OH$1,171$74,649Compare
North Olmsted, OH$1,141$84,363Compare
Black Jack, MO$1,166$78,331Compare
Bridgetown, OH$1,015$80,564Compare
Bridgetown, OHBlack Jack, MONorth Olmsted, OHSharonville, OHWest Seneca, NYWest SenecaSharonvilleNorth OlmstedBlack JackWest SenecaSharonvilleNorth OlmstedBlack Jack

Places built like West Seneca

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how West Seneca performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
West Seneca, NY16.7%3.3%/yrn/a
Irondequoit, NY17.6%4.9%/yrn/aCompare
Tonawanda Town, NY17.0%5.5%/yrn/aCompare
North Tonawanda, NY16.7%2.8%/yr-2.3%Compare
Cheektowaga, NY18.5%4.9%/yrn/aCompare
Rotterdam, NY17.9%5.5%/yrn/aCompare
Depew, NY17.3%4.7%/yr-2.4%Compare

Common questions

Is West Seneca a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 69 out of 100, better than 69% of the places we rate and 100th of 340 in New York. The median rent takes 16.7% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 85% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 86 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is West Seneca expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 16.7% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $232,800.

What salary do you need to live in West Seneca?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $44,240 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is West Seneca safe?

There were 108 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to West Seneca?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Sharonville, OH, North Olmsted, OH, Black Jack, MO and Bridgetown, OH.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  13. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  14. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  15. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  16. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares West Seneca with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for West Seneca itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/west-seneca-new-york

Citytistics. “West Seneca, New York.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/west-seneca-new-york/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.