Average Rent in Buffalo, NY (2026)

Typical asking rent in Buffalo is $1,380. Across the 23 ZIP codes with data it runs from $1,165 to $2,243, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of September 2026.

Median rent
$1,380
Average rent
$1,457
Lowest ZIP
$1,165
Highest ZIP
$2,243

Rent by ZIP code in Buffalo

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
14203Erie County$2,243+63%
14204Erie County$1,816+32%
14226Erie County$1,775+29%
14228Erie County$1,766+28%
14202Erie County$1,653+20%
14209Erie County$1,544+12%
14216Erie County$1,507+9%
14214Erie County$1,498+9%
14222Erie County$1,479+7%
14213Erie County$1,441+4%
14225Erie County$1,417+3%
14208Erie County$1,3800%
14215Erie County$1,359-2%
14217Erie County$1,335-3%
14223Erie County$1,318-4%
14201Erie County$1,315-5%
14210Erie County$1,309-5%
14220Erie County$1,290-7%
14227Erie County$1,254-9%
14207Erie County$1,246-10%
14218Erie County$1,208-12%
14211Erie County$1,187-14%
14206Erie County$1,165-16%

Rent by bedroom count in Buffalo

Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Erie County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for. Erie County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $1,200 to $1,970 depending on the Buffalo ZIP code.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market RentChange from FY2026
Studio$1,178+6.6%
1 bedroom$1,203+5.6%
2 bedroom$1,423+6.0%
3 bedroom$1,732+5.6%
4 bedroom$1,977+5.8%

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.

Is rent going up or down in Buffalo?

Typical rent across Erie County is $1,480 as of September 2026. That is up 3.8% from a year earlier and up 27.0% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Erie CountyChange
2021$1,194+10.6%
2022$1,281+7.2%
2023$1,346+5.1%
2024$1,402+4.1%
2025$1,434+2.3%
2026 (through September)$1,480+3.2%

Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.

Buffalo rent questions

What is the average rent in Buffalo, NY?
Typical asking rent in Buffalo is $1,380 a month as of September 2026, across 23 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,165 to $2,243.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Buffalo?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Erie County is $1,423 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,203 and a three bedroom is $1,732. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Buffalo?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Erie County is $1,480 as of September 2026, up 3.8% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Buffalo?
ZIP 14206 has the lowest typical asking rent in Buffalo at $1,165 a month, compared with $1,380 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Buffalo?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Buffalo rent of $1,380, that is about $4,140 a month, or $49,680 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.

How to use these numbers

These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.

If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Buffalo sits in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area.

Other New York cities

Would a rental in Buffalo cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Buffalo median rent of $1,380 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.