ZIP Code · NY

ZIP 14217

Part of Buffalo, NY

Pop. 22,471·Erie County·306th most expensive ZIP in New York

Median rent (all units)

$1,335/mo

Year-over-Year

+5.5%

Month-over-Month

-0.2%

vs US Median

-$597

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

Be the first to discuss 14217 rents ↓

Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 14217 · $1,335

More affordable than 84% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,080

1 BR

$1,110

2 BR

$1,310

3 BR

$1,600

4 BR+

$1,820

Research median

$1,310/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 14217 is 0.2% below its high of $1,338 in August 2026, at $1,335 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of New York

Rent in ZIP 14217 changed +5.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 251 New York ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.6%.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($73,800) is $1,845 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,820).

Rank in Buffalo

7th cheapest of 19 ZIP codes in Buffalo.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 14211, 5 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,187/mo), about $1,800 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 14217. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$16,020/yr

At $1,335/mo median

Location

CityBuffalo

StateNY

CountyErie County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (5.5% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+5.5% YoY, -0.2% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 14217 (Buffalo, NY) is majority owner-occupied, 42.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

22,471

Median income

$73,800

Median age

41.2

Renters

34%

Age distribution

17.5%

23%

27.4%

13.5%

18.6%

Under 1817.5%

18–3423%

35–5427.4%

55–6413.5%

65+18.6%

Gender

47.5%

52.5%

Male47.5%

Female52.5%

Race & ethnicity

84.4%

White84.4%

Black5.1%

Hispanic5.3%

Asian1.2%

Other4.1%

Education (25+)

20%

32.1%

42.7%

No HS diploma5.2%

HS diploma20%

Some college32.1%

Bachelor's+42.7%

Housing tenure

66%

34%

Owner66%

Renter34%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2023 vs 2026

How ZIP 14217 in Buffalo, NY has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,081 → $1,335

up 23.5%

Income

$61,885 → $73,800

up 19.3%

Population

22,839 → 22,471

down 1.6%

Renter share

32.8% → 34%

+1.2 pts

Bachelor's+

41.3% → 42.7%

+1.4 pts

Median age

43.9 → 41.2

-2.7 yrs

Rent in ZIP 14217 in Buffalo, NY has climbed 23.5% since 2023, going from about $1,081 per month to roughly $1,335 today. Median household income grew from $61,885 to $73,800 between 2021 and 2024, a 19.3% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 4.2 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 22,839 to 22,471 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.6% change. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 14217 in Buffalo, NY reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

Community

Discussions about ZIP 14217

No discussions yet. Start the conversation.

Local insights

Tips for renters in ZIP 14217

About renting in ZIP 14217

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 14217 covers Buffalo, NY. The median rent here is $1,335/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,110/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,310/mo.

At 22% of local median household income ($73,800/yr), ZIP 14217 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 14217?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $53,000/year (about $25/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,335/mo in ZIP 14217. The local median household income is $73,800/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 14217?

Rent in ZIP 14217 has risen 5.5% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0.2% below its high of $1,338 in August 2026.

How does ZIP 14217 compare to other ZIPs in New York?

ZIP 14217 is one of the more affordable among New York ZIP codes for rent, ranking #306 of 334 at $1,335/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 14217 changed +5.5%, against a typical +5.6% across the 251 New York ZIP codes Zillow tracks.