'''Buffalo''' is the second largest of [[New York|New York State]]. In 2025, Buffalo was ranked the hottest real estate market for two years in a row by Zillow.<ref>[https://www.wgrz.com/article/money/buffalo-hottest-us-housing-market/71-21c8453c-0595-40bf-9190-2c2af57aefe0 Buffalo, again, is ranked the hottest housing market in the U.S], WGRZ, 2025</ref><ref>[https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/real-estate/hottest-real-estate-market-2025-zillow-buffalo-new-york This City in Upstate New York Is the Hottest Real Estate Market of 2025, According to Zillow], HGTV, 2025</ref> In 2023, Buffalo was ranked #1 for having the highest percentage of residents born in the state of residence (a.k.a natives) as it had 81.69% native residents.<ref>[https://stepoutbuffalo.com/see-where-buffalo-ranks-among-u-s-cities-with-the-most-native-residents/ We’re Not At All Surprised That Buffalo Ranked #1 For This Stat], Step Out Buffalo website</ref> From 2011 to 2019, Buffalo experienced a significant amount of gentrification..<ref>[https://www.buffalo.edu/provost/messages.host.html/content/shared/university/news/news-center-releases/2024/08/zhang-barr-gentrification.detail.html#:~:text=BUFFALO%2C%20N.Y.,a%20University%20at%20Buffalo%20study. Balancing act: UB study links gentrification to reduced crime, but downsides of gentrification can’t be ignored], University of Buffalo</ref><ref>[https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11189242/ Gentrification and crime in Buffalo, New York], PLoS One. 2024 Jun 20;19(6):e0302832. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302832</ref>
Once the nation's 15th largest city the city is now ranked as the 78th.<ref>https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/buffalo-ny-population-by-year/</ref> In recent years, according to United States census data, Buffalo's population has increased largely due to immigration by 17,000 people from 2010 to 2020 to a population of approximately 280,000 people, after losing more than 50% of its population since 1950.<ref>[https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/buffalo-and-erie-county-see-population-growth-in-2020-census/#:~:text=Based%20on%20the%202020%20Census,working%2C%E2%80%9D%20added%20Mayor%20Brown. Buffalo and Erie County see population growth in 2020 Census]</ref> A study conducted in 2014 showed 6,900 new "undocumented" or [[illegal alien]]s.<ref>https://www.newamericaneconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/BuffaloSyracuse_brief_Final.pdf</ref> In June 2024, [[New York City]] announced that it would begin shipping off 500 migrants to Buffalo to alleviate its own immigration crisis.<ref>https://youtu.be/NV22js3Nsag</ref> This was primarily due to low living costs and legal and /illegal immigration.<ref>[https://www.buffalo.edu/news/tipsheets/2021/020.html In Buffalo, immigrants and refugees drive population growth, improve quality of life, UB expert says], University at Buffalo</ref> The Buffalo-Cheektowaga metropolitan area had a population of 1,155,604 people in 2023.<ref>[https://censusreporter.org/profiles/31000US15380-buffalo-cheektowaga-ny-metro-area/?ref=kirbykersels.com Census reporter]</ref> A study conducted in 2014 showed 6,900 new "undocumented" or [[illegal alien]]s.<ref>https://www.newamericaneconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/BuffaloSyracuse_brief_Final.pdf</ref> In June 2024, [[New York City]] announced that it would begin shipping off 500 migrants to Buffalo to alleviate its own immigration crisis.<ref>https://youtu.be/NV22js3Nsag</ref>
At night Buffalo does not close up until 4 a.m., later than most cities that shut down by 2 a.m.<ref>[https://www.wbfo.org/local/2016-02-05/legislature-rejects-earlier-closing-time-for-local-bars Legislature rejects earlier closing time for local bars]</ref>