A Local Experts Guide to the Top Neighborhoods for College Renters in Buffalo, NY
There’s nothing better than living in a college town. The setting is vibrant, the people are happy and there’s always a good time to be had. Though few know it, Buffalo, New York is one of the most underrated college hubs in the country.
This is your inside look at the best college neighborhoods throughout the greater Buffalo region.
Buffalo State, State University of New York
1300 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY, 14222
Buffalo State University, typically referred to by locals as “Buff State”, is ranked 31st by the U.S. News & World Report in the context of the Top Public School Regional Universities. The campus is conveniently positioned by the Buffalo History Museum, Tops supermarket and Delaware Park. Though the campus dorms aren’t the finest in the nation, there are plenty of apartments near Buffalo State. Peruse the area’s rental listings and you’ll find suitable accommodations.
Park Meadow
Buffalo’s Park Meadow neighborhood is characterized by friendly locals, charming century-old homes and a vibrant culture. Here, you will find peaceful accommodations lining tree-dotted streets in close proximity to Delaware Park. Some of the area’s most historic homes are for rent and purchase, providing easy access to the Buffalo Zoo, Hoyt Lake and more.
Additional nearby highlights include the Frank Lloyd Wright Martin House Complex, the Burchfield Penney Art Center and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Venture to nearby Elmwood Avenue, Delaware and Hertel and you’ll find ample dining and shopping opportunities. In total, 2,826 people call Park Meadow home.
West Side
Buffalo’s West Side is conveniently located by Niagara Square where locals get together for music, drinks and fun. The West Village is also a top draw. Here, you’ll enjoy easy access to the Niagara River for boating, fishing and more. West Side rentals are also closely located near Interstate 190. Venture to the lower West Side and you’ll find the stunning Frederick Law Olmstead Buffalo Parks & Parkway System.
Forest
The Forest neighborhood of Buffalo is an expansive residential hotspot along the Niagara River. Located 10 minutes to the north of Buffalo’s downtown, Forest is rife with historic buildings including some stylish homes featuring dated yet charming architectural styles.
Forest is merely a couple blocks to the north of the Peace Bridge that connects locals to Canaday. Take a quick drive to Unity Island, take some snapshots and you’ll be proud to call this lovely part of buffalo home. All in all, 8,836 people call the Forest neighborhood home.
Black Rock
Buffalo’s Black Rock neighborhood is affordable, walkable and close to some of the city’s most vibrant hot spots. Named after the city’s black limestone adorning the Niagara River, Black Rock is diverse, culturally rich and fun. Here, you’ll find 16,017 individuals happy to call the Black Rock neighborhood home. The Black Rock Canal Park, Tow Path Park and Riverside Park are three of the top draws. The neighborhood is also close to the Buffalo Zoo and the Delaware Park Rose Garden.
Canisius College
2001 Main St
Buffalo, NY, 14208
Canisius College is positioned across from the historic Forest Lawn cemetery. The cemetery is one of Buffalo’s top tourist draws and also the burial site of celebrities including singer Rick James. The campus features heated walking tunnels and easy access to Tim Hortons coffee shop.
Though Canisius is a private Jesuit college, it is worth every penny. Take a stroll through the campus and you’ll find spirited students who partake in 90+ organizations and clubs.
Hamlin Park
Buffalo’s Hamlin Park offers an easy commute to and from Canisius college. This urban neighborhood is quite lively thanks to its convenient location in the heart of Buffalo. Though few know it, the neighborhood’s Park district is considered a national historic district.
In total, 5,418 lucky Buffalonians call the Hamlin Park neighborhood home. Plenty of those residents live in student apartments near Canisius College.
Cold Springs
Buffalo’s Cold Springs neighborhood is relatively small yet quite hospitable. The area is contained within East Delavan Avenue, Main Street, East Utica and Jefferson Avenue. Home to a mere 1,100 people, Cold Springs is intimate, quiet and affordable.
The best part is Cold Springs is a mere two miles to the north of Buffalo’s rebounding downtown area. Cold Springs is also conveniently located by the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, Masten Park and Delaware Park.
Albright
Albright is home to 3,185 happy Buffalonians. The name Albright might ring a bell as it is the name of the city’s art gallery. This walkable neighborhood features Tudor home architecture made popular in the 70s and 80s. Search the Albright home and student apartment rental listings and you’ll find no shortage of options.
Delaware Park
The homes and apartments around the Delaware Park area are relatively old yet charmingly quaint. Bordering Elmwood and Allentown, this happening part of Buffalo always has something to do. The neighborhood is within walking distance to a lovely and spacious green space.
The Delaware Park-Front Park System is considered a historical district listed on the National Register of Historic Places back in 1982. Take a stroll through Delaware Park and you’ll find a Japanese garden, tennis courts and even a walking trail that leads directly to Wegmans.
D'Youville College
320 Porter Ave
Buffalo, NY, 14201
D’Youville University, one of Buffalo’s most hailed private postsecondary education institutions was founded way back in 1908. Named for Saint Marie-Marguerite D’Youville, the college now has an enrollment of 2,518 students. Exactly 54 degree majors are offered at D’Youville. The campus has the perfect location, merely a couple blocks from the Peace Bridge and the Buffalo Olmstead Park System
Fruit Belt
Buffalo’s Fruit Belt neighborhood, synonymous with Medical Park, is affordable and centrally located. Positioned next to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, the Fruit Belt has low-cost rentals and affordable homes for sale. The neighborhood’s namesake stems from the sizeable number of Germans immigrants who settled in the area more than a century ago.
Elmwood
Elmwood is one of the most happening neighborhoods in all of Buffalo. Walk the Elmwood streets and you’ll be inundated with culture, music, aromas and happy people. This is the perfect place for social college students, drinkers, coffee enthusiasts and musicians. The best part is Elmwood is walkable, making it ideal for students who can’t afford a car.
The Elmwood Village residential architecture is symbolic of the region’s vibrant design history. Here, you’ll find historic homes with architectural styles dating all the way back to the 1800s. From Crafts bungalows to Colonial Revival homes and Victorian mansions, the Elmwood area has a little bit of every architectural style for both renters and home-seekers.
Masten Park
Masten Park has 13,411 residents, 44% of whom rent their living spaces. This hopping Buffalo neighborhood is in close proximity to bars, restaurants, public parks and more. Planned by none other than Frederick Law Olmstead, Masten Park is named as such in reference to the large park along its southern border. Take a stroll through the neighborhood and you’ll find century-old homes, with some approaching the 200-year mark.
Erie Community College, State University of New York - City Campus
121 Ellicott Street
Buffalo, NY, 14203
Erie Community College, commonly referred to as ECC, has several campuses in the greater Buffalo area. The City campus is conveniently located on Ellicott Street. This part of Buffalo is walkable and much safer than most assume.
Perry
The Perry neighborhood is in the midst of a revitalization effort. Perry is perfectly positioned by all the highlights of downtown Buffalo including the revered historic Cobblestone district. The best part about living in Perry is the plethora of affordable student rental units near Erie Community College.
Columbus
Columbus is one of Buffalo’s most enjoyable and convenient neighborhoods. Rent in Columbus and you’ll have easy access to bus lines and the highway. Columbus has small apartment buildings, large complexes, single detached homes and duplexes for rent.
Home to some of Buffalo’s most coveted Victorian homes from the early 1900s, Columbus is one of the five most walkable neighborhoods in the city. In total, slightly less than 3,000 people call Columbus home.
South Ellicott
South Ellicott is an affordable, friendly and safe neighborhood with 4,291 Buffalonians. Here, you will find affordable student rentals in a vibrant neighborhood rife with character, spirited individuals and dog-friendly parks.
State University of New York, Buffalo - South Campus
3435 Main Street
Buffalo, NY, 14214
SUNY Buffalo’s South campus is located in a prime position on the busy and always popular Main Street. Let’s take a look at some of the area’s best neighborhoods for renters.
Northeast Buffalo
Northeast Buffalo is called home by plenty of youngsters, many of whom call SUNY Buffalo home. This diverse part of Buffalo provides easy access to McCarthy Park, Shoshone Park, the Grover Cleveland golf course and supermarkets such as Aldi’s. The best part is the area’s extensive housing supply available at low rates.
Cleveland Hill
Located in north Cheektowaga, Cleveland Hill provides quick and easy access to downtown Buffalo and also the region’s lauded suburbs. Cleveland Hill is also conveniently located by the Walden Galleria Mall and the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Cleveland Hill rentals, often brick Cape Cods, Tudor homes and traditional apartment complexes, are a mere seven miles from all the downtown fun conveniently accessible by the 33 highway.
Kenmore NE
Kenmore, a village of Buffalo, has 15,205 residents. Located in the southern section of Tonawanda, Kenmore has been around since 1899. The village has low-cost housing conveniently located near the draws of downtown. Locals gravitate toward Amici Restaurant, North End Bar & Grill and the Delaware Bar & Grill.
Daemen College
4380 Main St
Amherst, NY, 14226
Daemen College is a nonsectarian and private postsecondary learning institution in Amherst. Daemen offers both undergrad and graduate degree programs. Daemen’s 2,536 students find extensive housing throughout the greater Amherst area.
North Buffalo
North Buffalo is one of the region’s most coveted by renters and homeowners alike. Encompassing Amherst, Williamsville and nearby areas, the northern part of Buffalo is a hotbed for corporate offices.
Scroll through the North Buffalo rental listings and you’ll find no shortage of options, most of which are conveniently located near commercial draws including the always-popular Main and Transit area.
Greater Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is a low-cost urban living space that draws in tourists and business professionals alike. The greater Niagara Falls region provides quick access to the Seneca Niagara Falls Casino, the Niagara Falls Shopping Outlet, Niagara Falls State Park and the falls itself. The vast majority of the greater Niagara Falls rental options are within a 10 minute drive of the Canadian border.
Erie Community College, State University of New York - North Campus
6205 Main Street
Williamsville, NY, 14221
ECC’s north campus is perfectly situated in Williamsville. Home to some of the area’s most luxurious living spaces, Williamsville is regularly ranked as one of the country’s safest suburbs. ECC students rub elbows with the area’s most accomplished professionals while studying 80+ degree and certificate programs.
East Amherst Williamsville
Revered as the most coveted Buffalo housing market next to Orchard Park, East Amherst is dotted with stunning homes and attractive rentals. Though you’ll pay more to rent in East Amherst than other parts of Buffalo, it is money well spent.
East Amherst provides easy access to seemingly endless dining and shopping opportunities on Transit and Main roads. Niagara Falls, Nature View Park and Ellicott Creek are some of the area’s top draws.
Sheridan Parkside
Sheridan Parkside provides city amenities without pollution, noise and other unpleasantries. This popular part of Tonawanda is approximately 10 miles to the northeast of Buffalo’s revitalized downtown. If you are looking for some space between the urban hustle and bustle and your living quarters, you’ll find it in Sheridan Parkside.
Featuring ample housing stock for rent, green spaces and Niagara Falls Boulevard commerce, this is the perfect place for college renters. Single story townhomes, duplexes and apartments are available for rent. Local draws include Olisi’s Pizzeria, Mitchell’s Tavern and the Delaware Pub and Grill. Interstate 190 and 290 are also conveniently accessible to all student apartments and homes within the Sheridan Parkside neighborhood.
Erie Community College, State University of New York - South Campus
4041 Southwestern Boulevard
Orchard Park, NY, 14127
Positioned by the Buffalo Bills Highmark Stadium, ECC’s South campus is calm, tree-dotted and commuter-friendly. The best part is the campus’s convenient Southtowns location. Ask around and you’ll find Buffalo’s Southtowns are safe and tranquil, albeit a bit more snowy than the rest of the region.
South Abbott
The south side of Buffalo is relatively old yet these dated living spaces are affordable. South Abbot residents are quite proud of their predominantly Irish roots. Home to myriad pubs, restaurants and other draws, South Abbott is the place to be, especially on weekend nights.
South Abbott neighborhood homes are relatively small and old yet rent for less than those in the northern suburbs of Buffalo. Brick homes, Colonials and Craftsmen style domiciles are available to those looking to rent an apartment near Erie Community College.
Erie Community College, State University of New York - Vehicle Training Technology Center
5885 Big Tree Road
Orchard Park, NY, 14127
ECC’s Vehicle Training Technology Center is also located in picturesque Orchard Park. Suitable for a postcard, this quiet suburb is the perfect place to learn how to repair automobiles.
South Buffalo
South Buffalo is the proud home of passionate Buffalonians, many of whom hail from immigrant families. Featuring Italian, Irish and Polish restaurants and stores, South Buffalo has strong character.
The best part is South Buffalo offers top-notch culture without the exorbitant rental and purchase prices of neighboring suburbs such as West Seneca. Check out the student apartment rentals available in South Buffalo’s working class neighborhoods and it won’t take long to find one that fits your budget.
Abbott and McKinley
This part of South Buffalo is easy on the pocketbook, culturally rich and full of spirited locals. Home to 9,090 people, the Abbott and McKinley residential space is walkable and bikeable in the spring, summer and fall. Featuring coffee shops, restaurants and parks, Abbott and McKinley is the perfect place for singles.
Rent in this part of South Buffalo and you’ll be within a 10-minute drive of McKinley Mall. The area’s homes feature American Foursquares, bungalows and Cape Cods, most of which were built in the early-to-mid 1900s. Single detached homes and duplexes are also available for students to rent.
Your Buffalo College Neighborhood Awaits
Rent an apartment is one of these Buffalo college neighborhoods and you’ll live life to the fullest. Though the Buffalo winters have the potential to be harsh, indoor college living is a blast when you have a roommate or two.
The best part is local rentals are affordable thanks to the greater Buffalo region’s extensive housing stock. The city was originally designed to accommodate two to three times its current population, meaning there is no shortage of room on the highways, parking spaces and student apartments to rent.
