Health Profile of Buffalo, New York
Buffalo Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
-
C
Buffalo Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Buffalo | New York Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 74.5 | 80.3 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.1% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 18.9% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Buffalo is 74.5 years, about 5.8 years shorter than the New York average of 80.3 years. The uninsured rate is 4.1%, lower than the New York average of 5.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 18.9% of residents, higher than the New York average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
80,931 residents in Buffalo are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 4,124 1,472 men · 2,652 women
- 75–84 9,905 4,003 men · 5,902 women
- 65–74 20,786 9,182 men · 11,604 women
- 50–64 46,117 21,909 men · 24,208 women
Younger residents
60,950 residents in Buffalo are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 17,958 9,331 boys · 8,627 girls
- 7–12 18,559 9,382 boys · 9,177 girls
- 3–7 14,251 7,109 boys · 7,142 girls
- 0–3 10,183 5,179 boys · 5,003 girls
About 14,897 residents in Buffalo (5.4% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 74.5 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Buffalo | New York Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 13.2% | 9.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.3% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.5% | 6.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 34.8% | 30.2% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Buffalo is about 38% higher than in New York. The rate of cancer in Buffalo is about 21% lower than in New York. The rate of obesity in Buffalo is about 16% higher than in New York.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Buffalo | New York Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.4% | 17.4% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.9% | 17.3% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 30.7% | 24.5% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Buffalo is about 26% higher than in New York. The rate of smoking in Buffalo is about 17% higher than in New York.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 435,488 cigarettes a day, 13.1 million a month, or 159.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 4.8 million minutes a day and 1.7 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Buffalo is 74.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.12 lifetimes a day, or 45 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Buffalo | New York Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.73 | 6.02 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.7 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Buffalo is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Buffalo, NY Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Buffalo, NY compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo, NY | 274,477 | 74.5 yrs #2/2 | 4.1% #2/2 | 34.8% #2/2 |
| Tonawanda Town, NY | 56,806 | 78.6 yrs | 2.7% | 26.5% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Buffalo, New York has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with New York, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Buffalo, New York.
What is the health grade for Buffalo, New York?
Buffalo, New York has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
What is the life expectancy in Buffalo, New York?
People in Buffalo, New York can expect to live 74.5 years on average, 5.8 years shorter than the New York average of 80.3.
What is the uninsured rate in Buffalo, New York?
4.1% of residents in Buffalo, New York have no health insurance, about 1 in 24 people, 0.9 points below the New York rate of 5.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Buffalo, New York?
34.8% of adults in Buffalo, New York are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 4.7 points above the New York rate of 30.2%.
Which health problem stands out most in Buffalo, New York?
Compared with New York as a whole, diabetes stands out most: the adult rate here is 13.2%, about 38% higher than the New York rate of 9.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Buffalo, New York go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 435,488 cigarettes a day, 13.1 million a month, or 159.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 4.8 million minutes a day and 1.7 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Buffalo is 74.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.12 lifetimes a day, or 45 lifetimes a year.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →