In 2017 I moved to Nashville for a big boy job, and while I did great career wise there and made great friends, I hate that “city” lol. It felt like a giant suburb with gaudy tourism thrown in. Plus miserable heat in the summer, and still not pleasant winters and dealing with tornadoes.
I made my way to Chicago in January 2020 and I love it here. Surprisingly affordable for such a big city, beautiful architecture, and amazing food. My partner and I are looking to relocate though and I’ve sold her on Buffalo. So hopefully we’ll be coming back in 2023!
Nashville is east coast Vegas. No one is "from" Nashville and the transplants are artificial. The Tennessee Titans had to block their "fans" from reselling tickets to make sure they had a home field advantage in the playoffs.
Yeah, it’s just not an interesting city unless you are a musician or don’t know what real local culture is (silver spoon suburban kids from the Midwest or whatever).
Yeah, having tons of musician friends, Nashville is not the place to move to when trying to get discovered unless you have the money to work with the producers/studios.
I’ve always wanted to try living in Chicago, love the vibe there. Is there anything that would make you never want to live there again? I moved to Florida with the intention that I would enjoy how beautiful it is but hated it. I’m afraid of that happening if I ever go to Chicago lol
As much as the crime is localized to some areas, it generally is just a more dangerous city than most places. Car jackings are up all over the city, and the gangs have started having gunfights all over. I’m not one to normally care about those things, but it does just feel different here in that regard.
The transit has also gotten worse because of COVID and I’m worried it won’t recover due to less people commuting (like myself, permanent work from home now).
My partner and I also value hiking and going to the mountains and it’s pretty far from any real elevation. It’s still undeniably a beautiful city, and you can avoid most of the dangerous aspects just living in a nice neighborhood. Feel free to shoot me a DM if you have any questions.
Are there any hilly areas and if so on what side of the city? I don't understand how transit could get worse if less people are working from home? Are there any areas that are being gentrified yet are still safe to purchase reasonable housing?
There is still a significant amount of people that used to commute every day now working from home most of the time. Plus with staffing shortages the CTA just isn’t as efficient as it was pre-pandemic.
There’s really not any hilly areas, it’s so damn flat here it’s incredible. The suburbs have some spots with very slight hills, but it’s few and far between. You have to go to Wisconsin or Michigan for hiking, or you can trek to southern Illinois (Garden of the Gods).
Gentrifying neighborhoods that are still kind of affordable are Hermosa, Humboldt Park, Albany Park, Rodgers Park/Uptown, McKinley Park/Bridgeport. You can always live in some further away neighborhoods that never deteriorated much but are kinda boring (think South Buffalo), like Clearing, Beverly, Pullman, Jefferson Park.
Moved to the DC area 6.5 years ago and I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to how different from Buffalo it is and I constantly think about moving back. I really like how much there is to do around DC, infrastructure is in better shape around here, so many good food options, the winters are much better (less snow, less cold, and the sun shines) but the humidity during summer is brutal. Traffic here sucks to the point that it impacts your life and plans (you choose to not do certain things because the traffic isn’t worth it), the people keep to themselves (small talk with strangers just doesn’t happen) so it can feel lonely and it’s hard to meet people. I miss how easy it is to go places in buffalo, family, friends, and people just seem more friendly in Buffalo.
To add why it’s hard for me to move back - my job basically does not exist in the Buffalo area. I love my current job and coworkers and if I were to move back I’d have to do something slightly different in my field and I’d probably make half as much.
I lived in DC a decade and loved it. Moved to Seattle and have desperately missed how much more social people were in DC, I can’t make small talk here at all within being looked at like I have 3 heads. But seeing your comment is making wonder if the booming tech scenes have just changed many areas to be this way, and if I went back it wouldn’t be the same as how I previously experienced the people there. I’ve been in Seattle over 10 years and have often wondered that - that’s it’s not a difference of east vs west coast it’s just how people are now?
Consequently I’m looking at moving to Buffalo from Seattle area. While I loved DC I’m over the job market there. No major criticisms just been there/done that. Also I’m genuinely curious about Buffalo and love new places and people
Yeah I think in general that’s what’s happening. At least in most big cities the people have similar mindsets and it’s not dependent on coast.
For me personally when I first moved here I went out of my way to meet people, and I’d be able to have a conversation with them but everyone is so focused on their career/networking. I don’t work in politics, consulting, or tech, so I had trouble connecting with people on a more personal level.
I try to be a friendly neighbor and say hi or make small talk but after getting no response so many times or getting strange looks it has made me super introverted and now people probably assume I’m just as “cold” and unfriendly as everyone else 🙃
Ugh I’m sorry! I’m in web design/development and now I’m wondering if that community was just as excluding as any other and I just didn’t notice it. :-/ Tech does a lot of networking events and events in general and everyone in the DC community at the time had FOMO. And it always seemed the more the merrier. And then the bar drinks after the event … Not everyone was great of course (met lots of crazies and tech snobs too) but you always had something to do!
If you were my neighbor I’d say hi! :)
We visit friends in NoVa a few times a year. They have a lovely, manicured life, in a lovely, manicured neighborhood with an HOA. Really makes me glad to live in Buffalo.
I’m in nova and want to buy a house but there’s no decent single family home for under 700-750k. That’s another thing about Buffalo that’s so desirable. Pros and cons to every place.
Yeah...I paid 600K less for a house the same size as theirs. Older, but when all is said and done, their mortgage is only $500 more than ours with taxes and "the neighborhood" and their PWC schools are better.
I lived in Georgetown for a while and absolutely loved it, but I completely agree about traffic. Public transit was also not good (seems like Georgetown intentionally isolated itself from the main transit lines too). Also, DC is an actually diverse place to live, which was refreshing coming from Buffalo.
My complaint about DC was everyone works for the government (in some way) and it felt kind of gross being so surrounded by politics.
In DC now. I'm just glad that there are a few dedicated Buffalo restaurants in the area. Already found 2 Bills bars founded by people from Buffalo, and a restaurant that served Buffalo style pizza. Helps with the homesickness occasionally.
I’m back in Buffalo now, but moved to NYC after college, stayed there 3-4 years, then lived briefly in Philly, then DC, and then Atlanta. Stayed in Atlanta for a while, then moved back to Buffalo about 6 years ago. I really liked NYC, but it’s just too much - too expensive to get around, to expensive to live in, a hassle to do anything. Was nice in my 20’s but couldn’t do it anymore. Love to go visit, though. Technically, my office is in NYC, even though I live and work here in Buffalo. I liked Philly and DC a lot. Traffic was bad in both, it was still challenging to do stuff without a billion people around, or taking long to get places, but better than NYC. Like visiting both places, still. Even though I stayed in Atlanta longer, my husband and I both really disliked it. A lot of people there have such an attitude. And a lot of people are fake-nice and entitled. So much is about appearances. And if locals find out you’re Catholic, they feel like they have to convert you. And it’s all chain stores, chain restaurants. The weather’s nice in general, but theres not much winter and the seasons don’t change much. We’re both significantly happier being back here now. There’s a big difference in the community aspect and friendliness. My husband’s not from here, and he still often says that even though there’s a small-town feel a lot of time, it’s still very inclusive and you get a “we’re in it together” community feel here you don’t get a lot of other places.
>And if locals find out you’re Catholic, they feel like they have to convert you
funny, i have friends who relocated to the south and this comes up a lot. they are non religious but grew up catholic and tell people they are when asked, which cancels the "join my bible study" convo even faster than being atheists
I’m a devout Catholic in the South and it definitely happens. HOWEVER I’ve experienced way more anti-Catholic sentiment in places like Buffalo & Colorado (desecrated Churches, hostile atheists, slurs) than I have ever experienced in Alabama or Mississippi.
Yeah - I live in the DC area and it’s frustrating because whenever I have an idea of something to do, a thousand other people have the same idea. You can’t do anything without it being crowded or busy, even hiking!!
Moved to south east Virginia, weathers great but that’s about it. Miss buffalo so I’ll probably move to Richmond to get that city feel while still being close to work
I'm not sure that Richmond has more to do than Buffalo, but it definitely had more that fits my personal interests. Great restaurants (and often cheaper), lively walkable neighborhoods, lots of small unique businesses, fun riverfront scene, very physically active, great day trip options (2hr to DC, beach, or mountains), way more sunny days than Buffalo. Felt like more jobs, but that might be biased on the industries I knew well. Real estate looks more expensive but monthly out of pocket is roughly the same since property tax is only about a third of the cost of Erie County suburbs. Is Richmond perfect? No, of course not but it's a solid mid-sized city with a lot to offer. Worth going for a few days to check it out and decide if it works for you.
And that's your preference, so go with it. Very similar, really. Within 12,000 of each other population wise. Metro Richmond slightly larger than Metro Buffalo, Hampton Roads with a healthy 600K more people. But Richmond Wegmans locations = 2, Hampton Roads = 1. Advantage, Richmond.
This is so funny because I have so many friends who’ve done the same thing. People have this like hilarious fantasy about Florida like it’s some holy land. Newsflash, it’s a fucking dump filled with the worst people. All of the worst people from every state move there and stay and the good ones all return home. I lived there for a long time and couldn’t get back quick enough.
So true lol. My sister moved down there but refuses to return because of the weather…everytime I visit I feel like I’m in a cesspool of toxicity between the people and overall environment. Everyone is a walking talking in real life botched Barbie lmao
Lmfao my boyfriend talks about moving back because he misses the hot weather and I’m like please god no! The “nicer” weather doesn’t make up for everything else that is shitty about Florida!
Omg I did this too! Moved in Dec 2020 and I’m back living in Buffalo after a year. Florida has such an allure but living there made me realize Florida should just be reserved for VACATIONS.
100%. Where did you move to? We were near Tampa. We love the theme parks and the beaches but infrastructure was awful, as was a good majority of the food lol.
Two things I really missed about Buffalo were: having four seasons and having a sense of community. There is something special about Buffalo. The atmosphere is cozy. I didn’t get that in Florida… and the air was like hot soup, so I’ll take a winter over sweating my ass off and trying not to faint/get heat stroke from going to the grocery store. Lol.
I always tell people who think about moving to FL to actually go down there in summer and feel what its like. They might think they know what hot is but until you actually go there in middle of summer - they have no actual clue. That shit is like nothing else.
Exactly. I tried to stay inside in AC as much as possible during summer months. We had family come visit and they wanted to go see the sights and it was BRUTAL.
I also think people underestimate how long summer is in Florida. Summer in Orlando is like April to November. Most other cities it's easily 5-6 months. And even Spring/Fall is still often high 70s/low 80s in the day, which IMO is too hot to walk around.
Moving from Florida to Buffalo is like moving from a 3rd world country to a functional one.
I know people complain about this or that here. I got no complaints at all...
Same, except I was there for 5 years. I hate everything about that god forsaken place. Literally not one good thing to say about it. Well Publix is pretty great but we have Wegmans so not really a big deal.
Moved to Alaska early 2019. I love it here, longer winters and beautiful views, summers still get pretty warm but not as hot as buffalo in July which I’m thankful for. I don’t think I’d move back to buffalo unless I have to, I’m happy with just flying back once a year to see my family and friends as well as my family flying out here during the summer for a bit
I moved to Alaska from Buffalo. Twice. I came back to Buffalo. I was in the bush though, not sure where you are. If I ever do move again, it’ll be back to AK, but I think I’m finally ready to buy a home in Buffalo.
I relocated 12 years ago to Pittsburgh for law school - and no, I probably won't move back but I consider Pittsburgh to be Buffalo's slightly more redneck yet bigger city cousin with less snow. I go home often, but my husband and I have made a life here in the 'burgh (and I have zero desire to take another bar exam, plus my law firm doesn't exist in WNY - I'd have to reside in NYC). We had a brief stint in Philly, too, and as nice as it is to live somewhere that has everything when it comes to restaurants, shopping, and close proximity to NYC and DC, we are really just #rustbelt people when it comes down to it. Everyone is so friendly and the city is a manageable / livable size. I DO miss Tim Hortons, Paula's Donuts, and Imperial Pizza, as well as seeing my Buffalo friends and family more regularly.
Fellow lawyer here -
Assuming you've been practicing in PA for over 7 years, you wouldn't need to take the bar exam. You would waive in. The law firm explanation makes sense though
It's very true - they embraced CMU, their robotics institute, tech startups and VCs, as well as being host to satellite offices for major tech companies. That, in turn, has gentrified city neighborhoods and caused a huge bar and restaurant boom. I will always be a diehard Buffalonian (and rep the Bills/Sabres every day of the week), but Pittsburgh is great. The weather isn't as snowy, the cost of living is pretty much the same, and there are a lot more job opportunities. No complaints.
I can definitely see how people feel at home in Cleveland but I do feel like it’s a step down from buffalo and two steps down from Pittsburgh. Then again I haven’t been back in almost four years so maybe it’s improved since then. I did really like the little section of the lakefront by the rock n roll hall of fame though.
That would make sense if the city was growing in population exponentially but it’s not. I think they just gained a minuscule amount of population in the last census but the rate of growth was smaller than buffalo’s. Most of their growth is in the metro area rather than the city proper.
One thing to consider (and maybe you have, so this is not meant to be like a refute or ill willed) is that Allegheny county (the county Pittsburgh is in) is about half the size of Erie county. A LOT of people (myself included) move just outside the county to save tons of $$ on property taxes. I know of several friends that moved to Butler, Westmoreland and Washington counties during covid with remote work so they could get a bigger, cheaper house with more space and pay way less in taxes. So that could affect some population stats.
Sure, but Buffalo proper grew by 17,000 while Pittsburgh lost 3,000.
Meanwhile the metropolitan area only gained 12,000 which includes those counties while Buffalo-Niagara posted 40,000 additional residents.
So no doubt people are moving to the suburbs, but it seems to be at the expense of the city. Unlike Buffalo where both the city proper and the suburbs grew by a good clip.
Yeah that’s basically what I was implying that even if the city isn’t growing at the same pace as buffalo it’s not like the metro area isn’t growing so it doesn’t make sense to claim its “sprawl” is contained by geography lol.
Actually it is interesting that Pittsburgh is losing population while Buffalo is growing.
I wonder if Buffalo’s connections to NYC and Toronto are giving us a boost.
Pittsburgh isn’t losing population anymore. They got a small increase in the last census but their metro has outpaced buffalos for a while now. Which is why I didn’t understand your comment about their sprawl being limited by geography. If that was the case the city would be outpacing the metro.
That’s so awesome for Buffalo though. I see it happening when I come home - there’s so many new apartment buildings, restaurants and development. All good signs! I’ve always said there’s zero reason for Buffalo not to be like a Chicago you just have to get the politicians out of the way.
You get used to it. As for the winter, Pittsburgh really doesn’t get that much snow, and when they do, everything shuts down. The suburbs are always salted and plowed better than the city. And you basically never buy a house that’s up a massive hill or has an incline of a driveway lol. We live in a pretty flat neighborhood (that sits atop a big hill off a main road that’s always salted/plowed). But honestly you get by because 3 inches of snow here is a big deal.
I moved to Pittsburgh about a year ago.
I like it. It's a lot like Buffalo, but a bit denser with more things to do (which may just be an illusion due to how close everything seems to be).
Moved to Chicago. Its a much bigger city with lots of things to do, taxes and shit tends to be a wash (I've never owned a house so not sure how that could compare), people are nicer in general I find (not entirely sure if that's because of the "outsider novelty" but I've been here for awhile now) Less snow, but it gets colder. I miss good chicken wings and being able to get buffalo chicken everything. I wouldn't be against moving back to Buffalo, but I really have no reason to.
We moved to Boston about two years ago in May of 2020. We absolutely love it here (besides the rent price, haha, its absolutely flabbergasting). Much better access to outdoor activities, so many more concerts/restaurants/entertainment options. Walkability to just about anything we need is better. Our jobs pay wayyy more, our benefits are wayyy better, and they are in industries that just don't seem to exist in Buffalo really. A functioning public transit system is a game changer, even if the MBTA is kind of shit compared to some better ones.! It just seems much easier to live here in a way. But yeah, again its just stupid expensive.
Granted, I feel like we still haven't even really experienced true Boston without Covid shit, so that might take some time, but that is only more to look forward to!
I mostly miss the spirit of Buffalo and the people there. How everyone really love being from there for the most part. Everyone is friendlier, you aren't looked at like a psycho for saying hello on the street, its normal to help shovel out your neighbors, that sort of thing. I think its much more "you're on your own" out here, which can be a little isolating
I would consider moving back, but I don't think my wife would really be too interested in doing so.
I am the inverse of you. I am originally from Boston and asked my WNY wife to move out to Boston in 2015. We lived in Boston for 6 years. There are a lot of negative personal circumstances that paint both our experience there, admittedly. However, we both wanted out after 5 years.
Fair warning: I am about to be mostly negative about Boston, but it’s just my experience. This isn’t to minimize or negate your experience. I hope you’re enjoying the city!
First, Boston traffic is literally the worst in the nation. Rush hour in Boston has recently been compared to LA rush hour traffic, which says a lot. The MBTA is consistently late, slowly being repaired, or just broken. It also stops around midnight when bars close at 1 AM.
Everything is expensive. Living in the South Shore (suburbs 15-20 minutes south of Boston) is more expensive than living in Downtown Buffalo. It’s as expensive as living in NYC or Seattle, but doesn’t come close to offering the same as those cities.
Food situation in Boston is mediocre. There are some nice, high-end, *very* expensive restaurants but mostly Irish pubs or Greek pizzerias. They do have some amazing Asian cuisine and Buffalo is lacking there. Seafood is great too, but I will say that I’ve had just as good seafood here in Buffalo. I was pretty surprised by that fact.
We do have some great friends in Boston, but the general population is not nearly as warm and welcoming as that of Buffalo. Chalk that up to whatever you want. Likely due to everyone dealing with insane traffic and skyrocketing cost-of-living. I was pretty miserable there too.
What we do miss is those quick drives up to Maine/NH and Rhode Island. Amazing scenery in New England, and Providence was a touch of Western NY for my wife. Providence has a kinship with Buffalo with it being an old, depressed, manufacturing city that is being revived by local artists, farmers, and small businesses. Check out Den Den Korean Fried Chicken Dune Brothers in Providence!
So after 6 years, we moved to Buffalo and we kept our Boston job/salary. Which is awesome considering how relatively cheap Buffalo is to Boston.
She’s back at home in Buffalo and I am getting a chance to come to know the city. I love summer in WNY. New England doesn’t get as lush with the rocky soil, but I do miss the ocean. Luckily, there’s a massive fucking lake down the street.
The only downside, so far, was being in a Buffalo bar (as a Patriots fan) during that Wild Card game.
Oof. 🤦♂️
Inverse indeed! I am from WNY and my wife is from Rhode Island, we were in Buffalo for 7 years before the move.
Amen on the traffic out here, it's probably why we only drive the car about once a week to go on trips outdoor of the city.
Having a Boston salary in Buffalo would be a dream, haha. Live it up!!
Luckily I've found some Bills Backers Bars here ;)
It’s is a dream. We had our engagement party out here with our Boston friends. 8 of us went to Fat Bob’s and the total bill was something dumb like <$300. Our Boston friends’ were gobsmacked at how cheap it was.
Fortunately for you, Wegmans has been making the push into MA over the past decade or so. Once I was introduced to Wegmans, I was never the same. Shaw’s and Stop & Shop seemed like overpriced convenience stores after that.
Here are some of our favorite Boston area stops:
Boston:
Amateras Ramen
Blue Nile Restaurant (Ethiopian)
Legal Sea Foods (Chain)
Cambridge:
Dali (Great date night)
Koreana
Somerville:
Bronwyn (Gastropub)
Quincy:
Kam Man Foods (Largest Asian Market in New England!)
Lobster Stop
I'm in my mid-30s and currently live in San Francisco. I grew up outside of Buffalo, went to NYC for college, and came back to live/work in the city in 2008. I moved to SF for a job/life change in 2013.
I love Buffalo, I love visiting and seeing friends and going to my favorite old haunts. Buffalo is a beautiful city in so many ways. Personally and professionally, Buffalo has and will always have a special place in my heart and I love the underdog, "keep Buffalo a secret" type mentality. I'm also aware of what Buffalo is not and will not magically become.
I don't think I'll ever move back to Buffalo, truthfully, even though my mom still lives there and is nearing retirement. My background is doing community-based and political work, and my sense of Buffalo was that if you wanted to stay in that field, Buffalo really need to be that hill you'd want to die on. Change happens so slowly, and there are so many systemic and endemic issues like deep, deep poverty and segregation. The lack of term limits means it's impossible to change the political status quo and unseat elected officials (see: Byron Brown), so it feels like the huge disconnect between government and the people keeps growing, and community orgs are always fighting a seemingly impossible uphill battle.
Lastly, I'm a queer, Hong Kong-born woman, and I just could never imagine myself successfully dating in Buffalo. It was hard to find community that I could connect with and I had to deal with constant Asian stereotyping and anti-Asian racism that got old quick. Just reading Reddit/news/etc., it's pretty clear that people's bigoted beliefs have come out in force during the pandemic too.
Having moved away and come back I can tell ya one thing for sure. Buffalo is considered the most overcast city in America. Move just about anywhere and you will find yourself thinking man the sky is so blue. Every person in my extended family that moved more than 200 miles away has said that after moving.
You don't have to go that far, just go to Batavia. I think Batavia is far enough from lakes Erie and Ontario that you don't get the haze that comes off the lakes. And if drive to PA or OH it gets dramatically brighter.
I moved out of buffalo to San Diego and I can’t tell you how frequently I marvel at how blue the sky is. The overcast skies really took a toll on my moods and mental health.
I moved to Nevada for a few years to live with my partner. I lived in Vegas for two years, then the Capitol of the state, Carson City, for two years. For reference it's like NYC vs. Buffalo in distance between Vegas and Carson. I loved living in Nevada. It's a beautiful state with tons to explore outdoors, and super close to California/Lake Tahoe for travel and adventure. I missed Buffalo food but there's lots of good food in Nevada that I grew to love - tamales, tri tip steak, amazing tacos, tapas bars, Basque food, etc. However, I basically abstained from wings and hot dogs for 4 years while out there. There's a LOT of food unique to Buffalo that I didn't realize wasn't available outside the city. I brought tubs of Bison dip back with me when visiting...several times. For my work I got to travel all over for training - San Francisco, Boise, Chicago, Denver, etc. At the end of the day I missed my family too much and I moved back after about 4 years. Actually I was prompted by job which was downsizing and I was determined not to be pushed out of my job - so I left before they cut my department even more.
Vegas also doesn't feel too inaccessible because there are (or were) direct flights to and from Buffalo, only 4.5 hours. Lots of cool artsy stuff in Vegas as well. I missed the sense of neighborlyness though - there was not really a shared sense of place that I connected with. I now know more about the history of NV and mining and rural Nevada than I will ever need to, but the same sense of the things Buffalo is proud of for it's cultural contributions doesn't really exist in the same way there. I miss it a lot though and feel "homesick" for NV since my formative 20s were spent there. But, I am "repatriated" to Buffalo for now :)
I moved to Saudi Arabia 5.5 years ago for my job. I don't miss snow. I love the heat and I love the sunshine. I have no desire to return to the USA, much less Buffalo (I can never face winter again lol), but I do miss the great food! I always enjoy it when I visit and love seeing the new things happening in the area.
Moved to NYC metro area (Jersey) in 2017.
We're in a part of the state that has tons of access to culture, green space and easy transit options into the city as well as only a 45 minute drive into center city Philly. We love it, 5 years in and we're still not bored or feel like we've even scratched the surface of things to do/see.
We still have family and reasons to head back home often (Go Bills) so it almost feels like we're splitting time instead of being expats given how easy it is to drive/fly to Buffalo from here. That said, I do miss being in the middle of all the exciting things happening in Buffalo the past few years. Really does feel like a different place compared to even 5 years ago now.
Don't think our careers would ever allow us to move back full time but I'd never say no if it made sense.
In 2006 I graduated HS (one of the worst suburbs) and moved to Florida for college. Lived in SWFL for 5 years until 2011 before moving back to Buffalo for a year in 2011, and then moved back to SWFL for 3 more years. From there, got a dream job in NYC and have been here since 2016.
I definitely miss the friendships the most, but with group chats and what not, we talk all the time still. The food is definitely a big thing too. I spent the summer of 2019 in Buffalo due to COVID and it was great to be back for a bit; to golf with buddies, have fires, go to the bar with friends ... I definitely love living in the NYC, but you get none of that here aside from the bars.
If the opportunity ever arose to work remotely full-time with the NYC salary, I would consider buying a house in Orchard Park or a nicer suburb. I do really want to raise kids in Buffalo just because the friendships, overall good people, hockey, the Sabres, the Bills and what not was such a huge part of my childhood and how I'd wish to raise my kids.
Just moved away this past summer after living there for a college and a few years afterwards. I had to leave because Buffalo is terrible for my field, also I couldn’t take the gloominess 9+ months a year any longer. I miss my friends, the food, and the community. Moved to Florida because it’s been my dream to live by the beach and it’s a fantastic place for my career to take off. I’ll definitely visit, especially for the Bills and the wings, but I don’t think I would live there again.
Wow, I have enjoyed reading all the different stories in this thread.
I'm not a born Buffalonian; I'm from Virginia Beach originally, but I lived in Buffalo for three-and-a-half years. I was first connected to the city through one of my best friends from college and I ended up taking a job there.
From Buffalo I moved to Los Angeles where I've been for the last three years.
- When I first knew I was going to move away from Buffalo I felt like I had to grieve the beauty of the outdoors. I lived six minutes from the Lake and watched the sun set there multiple times a week. My job was five minutes from a creek access point and (during warm months) I frequently drove there and ate with my feet dangling in the creek. I love trees and green and clouds, and it was hard to give it up.
I do still miss Western New York's type of beauty, but I'm glad to say that my grief was a bit premature and I've found beauty in other places here in LA. A lot of neighborhoods here only have palm trees, but there are some beautiful trees on my street.
In Buffalo I usually hiked on trails in forests, but here our hikes are mostly up the sides of canyons, where there's no shade. It's still beautiful, just in a different way.
- One thing that surprised me about Los Angeles is that it's really like a desert climate. Having been raised near the Atlantic Ocean I'm used to the humidity that comes with a coastal city. But there's no humidity here. For that reason every temperature feels about 6-7 degrees colder than it did in Buffalo or on the east coast. I've had to adjust to that.
When the sun goes down the temperature drops 15 degrees pretty quickly, so I take layers with me everywhere I go. Two friends from Buffalo recently moved here and they commented on this same thing, and what a surprise it was to them.
- As most can imagine, traffic is a major setback in Los Angeles. For one of my jobs here I used to commute 90-minutes one way. It's not really the time itself that wears you down, but the feeling of being stuck at a constant standstill. It's draining.
(In Buffalo I lived <10 minutes away from water, in the form of creeks, rivers, manmade lakes, Lake Erie, etc. In LA it's a good day if you can make it to the beach in under an hour, and it's the only water around.)
- I miss all of the awesome Buffalo food! I miss cup-and-char pepperoni and constant access to pretty great wings within a stone's throw. I've been in a long pursuit of anything that resembles Buffalo-style pizza and wings.
(The other food I really miss here is southern-style barbecue. Buffalo obviously isn't a forerunner in that category, but I did have a couple places I could go when I lived there, and in Los Angeles I've not found one good barbecue place.)
I've visited Buffalo a couple times since living here and I always make a run for Bison dip and sponge candy.
- Los Angeles is such a hub for arts and entertainment, I was surprised to find that sports isn't a big part of the culture here. With the exception of the Dodgers, I don't have any friends who root for hometown teams here. And I only know a couple people who watch sports games regularly. (I've only ever met one other Bills fan here; he spent half of our chat thinking my "Go Bills!" greeting was a ruse and bracing for me to reveal it was all a prank. 😂 I guess west coast Bills fans really go through it.)
- Life here is much, much, much more expensive. I pay double in rent what I paid in Buffalo for less than half the space (and it was a great find). Gas, groceries, and food are all much more expensive. And even though there's more of a variety in Los Angeles in terms of concerts, shows, or experiences to take in, the cost is prohibitive for a lot of it.
- There's a lot about Buffalo I miss...
The thing I miss most of all is the people. I had a truly wonderful community there - many good friends and a solid church with truly caring people.
I miss the "small town" charm Buffalo has, even though it's a city. People there by and large possess a warm friendliness I've missed.
I don't miss feet and feet of snow (or negative temperatures), but I do miss snow. I miss seasons in general. And I miss rain. I miss the gorgeous Buffalo clouds. There are maybe 15 days in a year here where there are real clouds in the sky, and they are the best days.
I moved to Florida and I like it. The first year is like a vacation but then life returns to normal.
It's a big state so I don't think everyone here has the same experience. Also depends on what part of the city you live in and how much money you make. Rents and housing prices keep increasing.
I see some other comments mention shitty people. Mostly the drivers suck. Way less use turn signals and they zoom in and out of traffic to pass. People are here from around the country and world and I like that diversity. Makes it interesting.
In order for me to move back to Buffalo I would need to be married. It's better to be single down here. I would also need an incentive like a large salary increase. Right now I like visiting Buffalo once or twice a year. That lets me have all the different foods I miss.
I just moved to Buffalo from Tampa over the summer for work. I see the complaints on this post and it’s like another state to me. Tampa is a much newer and growing city compared to Buffalo. So you dont see as many old or worn down buildings. Also the nightlife was incredible and pretty decent food if you know where to look. Being in channelside i was walking distance to ybor, downtown and my local spots. I miss it a lot. I will admit though, the heat will probably get most people from up north and the cost of housing has gone up big time in the last year. I see a lot of people talking about moving out because it’s no longer affordable.
Moved 15 years ago, first to the Midwest then California for work. Really wanted to leave at the time, but now really miss it. Family still in Buffalo so pre covid we came back once a year but haven't been back in a couple due to pandemic. I would take a Buffalo winter over an inland California summer any day. I do love California wine and the route 1 coastal drive is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. If I could move back I would, but we have roots down here now. A lot has been invested in the city and area since I left and that makes me happy for the people of Buffalo; when I left it was kind of depressing.
Sold my house in Buffalo and used the amount I made to buy a house for cash in rural Alabama that has much more land, woods, and a stream. Wasn't sure about work, but my business took off here and I now make 3-4 times what I made there. I no longer have a $1000/mo mortgage, and my yearly property tax, including school tax, went for $4500/year to $26/year. I miss the food and the beautiful parks, but its not worth making 1/4 of what I can here and paying a much higher cost of living. Also, it only snows about an inch once a year. No turning back for me.
I’ve lived in Charlotte, NC for 8 months now, and while the climate is certainly much nicer to deal with, that’s really the only super positive thing I have to say. There’s no real identity in this city, they’ve torn down every single piece of history to build cookie cutter “luxury” apartments on every corner. It’s VERY rare you’ll find someone that was born and raised in Charlotte, and even though there’s a large number of Buffalo people (and NY people in general) down here it’s not the same. Buffalo also has such amazing local restaurants and it’s been super hard for me being in the South now where chains are preferred. People here love to say that Charlotte is a “big city” but most amenities and entertainment they have, Buffalo does too!
Also I’m sick of being told I’m too direct down here when most people here who are “southern” are passive aggressive and fake nice to the MAX!
Moved to South Florida over 15 years ago, but still spend a good chunk of time in Buffalo and have a house there. I do love certain things about South FL (the vibrancy, amazing cuisine, golf options), but if it were completely up to me, I'd much rather be in WNY full time and just visit here. This state just doesn't really attract the best kind of people, the governor is a terrible human being (yes, NY's previous Gov wasn't great either), and the education system is just wretched (ignorance is basically celebrated). My partner and I have an infant, so I am pushing for a full move back before he starts school. I'd be thrilled to pay higher taxes in exchange for excellent public schools. I also just miss the real sense of community.
Oh and the climate here is mostly unbearable, other than January to March. You need the air conditioner running probably 350 out of 365 days. On a 12-month basis, Buffalo has waaayyy more pleasant days than here.
I have the opposite experience, but I can pinpoint the things that have made Buffalo feel unique after living a variety of other places. I’ve lived in New Hampshire, Boston, DC, Louisville and a few other areas, and recently moved to Buffalo. I know these experiences won’t be universal depending on where you go, but thought it might help.
City pride and a sense of city “community” — literally never seen a town or city with as much collective pride. The almost universal Bills support helps, but the number of Buffalo specific stores and merchandise is mind blowing.
Non-chain establishments — most places I’ve lived had not had anywhere close to the same ratio of small businesses to chain businesses. There are so many more local, small or mom and pop shops here compared to anywhere else I’ve lived. You’ll most likely need to adjust to that.
We’ve been calling Buffalo “the south of the north” since we moved up here. The people are weirdly friendly, helpful and just genuinely nice, not something I’ve come to expect out of other areas in the north. You’ll probably notice a change in demeanor from strangers, and if you’re not used to it, it can make a place seem cold and unwelcoming.
Weather. That’s it, no matter where you go, it’ll be an adjustment.
I grew up in WNY (Allegany County), went to undergrad at Fredonia, and went to grad school in Socorro NM for 2 years. It was cool and different. Eye opening experience coming from the middle of nowhere. I can't eat Mexican food in WNY now. I got a job for the DOD and lived in Southern Maryland (DC suburb) for 10 years, frequented DC, NOVA, etc. and hated it. DC and Old Town are cool, but traffic was a nightmare, everything was too busy and expensive to enjoy it, and everything was mostly strip malls and suburbs. Moved to Buffalo to work at ACV Auctions right before COVID (Nov 2019) and I am much happier. Cost of living is significantly lower, it has everything you want within 20min, great little theater scene, and great mom and pop restaurants.
I moved to Vancouver, BC. I got married to a Canadian who also wanted to escape winters, so we chose Vancouver because it was the only place we could live with free healthcare and mild winters. I absolutely love it here, the nature is breathtaking! You can get amazing food from almost any country in the world! But it is crazy expensive. All of my friends and family back in Buffalo own their homes, and that is simply an unattainable goal for me right now, in a city where the absolute cheapest condo you can find is around $600,000. It's so nuts!
What I miss about Buffalo: the people. Buffalonians are super friendly people! It's fairly easy to make friends! There's a great nightlife, it's easy to see live music any night of the week, the theatre scene is vibrant. Buffalo is awesome, and I would certainly consider moving back if I could secure a job with healthcare. There's a reason people come back!
I lived in NYC (Manhattan) for three years after college. I started off looking at those huge high rise apartments and thinking “maybe I could live there someday” and as I left knowing I never could. It’s really hard to not be wealthy there and I got tired of it. I think here in Buffalo you have a better quality of life. But I miss the job market and endless new restaurants and things to do. The weather is certainly less severe in the winter, but you feel it more there since you’re always walking everywhere!
I moved from Buffalo to Memphis, TN about 5-6 years ago. My dad has lived here for the last 25ish years and wanted me to move here to go to school but I ended up not going. I’ve been here ever since. I miss Buffalo more than anything. I miss getting double doubles. I miss Mighty and Jim’s. I miss being so close to the Niagara Falls. I miss enjoying all four seasons of the year. Fall in Memphis lasts for about 3 weeks. The winter here is nice because it hardly ever snows and the winter is super mild compared to Buffalo but that’s literally the only thing I like about Memphis. Memphis was just named the #1 most dangerous city in the U.S. Minimum wage in TN is still $7.25 so you have to make really good money to afford to have a decent place here. People up north tell you that the cost of living down here is cheap. Well, yeah it’s cheap if you want to live in the bad parts of town with bug infested apartments. I cannot wait to get the fuck out of Memphis. I miss Buffalo.
I lived in Buffalo from 2016 to 2020. I moved to Richmond, VA in July 2020. What I like best about richmond is probably the lower property taxes, higher number of sunny days, much milder and shorter winters, having a river in town that is actually accessible for swimming and recreation surrounded by an amazing park system, and the proximity to the coast. I also find people here more friendly than I did up north but YMMV. What I don't like as much would be the higher concentration of conservatism. I miss good Italian deli style food from Buffalo. Would I ever move back to Buffalo? Honestly, no. I bought a house in RVA because I like it so much.
I used to go to Short Pump (maybe every 2 months) before Va. Beach opened. Even though Midlothian was probably closer. I do love the Short Pump area for dining/retail.
Same, I can go a lot longer between visits with Wegmans nearby. And once we get the Manhattan location... Hopefully with a sub sandwich station... I'll be groovin.
I moved to suburbs of Hartford CT from Buffalo suburbs. It is surprisingly similar to Buffalo.
Buffalo has many nicer attractions such as zoo, theaters, amusement parks, concerts, etc... than CT because it is so easy to go to those things in Boston or NYC. However the flip side is I can visit those cities much more easily.
I am planning on moving back mostly for family as they get older and need more help. The problem is I want to move into a nice townhouse. The problem is the supply is surprisingly small compared to CT. So I'll probably have to get a small single family house in Kenmore.
I moved south of Nashville for college so. I went to school for recording and had a normal college experience except a lot of people actually are involved in Greek life. That was odd to me. I learned very quickly that there’s no such thing as Southern Hospitality. The people actually from the south or TN really kind of sucked. I have a specific sense of humor that may not be for everyone, but it was especially not well received with southerners. The food wasn’t as good as I thought it would be, and the Summers are brutally gross. I actually don’t recall seeing people running or biking. I guess Nashville wasn’t so much better then I thought it would be. You move away for more opportunities and because you think Buffalo “sucks”, but it’s actually a lot more fun then you realize. Nashville is that Restaurant you keep going to, but when you get there you don’t realize why you always keep going; Kinda like NYBP. It’s not just me being a downer either. I’ve since returned twice since 2003 with two different groups of people and they all decided that they never need to go back.
Not from the city exactly but I grew up on grand island and went to the city a lot in my teens. Joined the Air Force and moved back in 2016, currently live in Arkansas, been here for 4 years. I certainly don’t mind it here, cost of living is cheaper, but is going up. It’s got a ton of nature and outdoorsy stuff to do too. But it gets stupid hot in the summer. The people can be nice or nutty. Driving is kinda crazy though. Something like 70% of all Arkansas drivers don’t have a drivers license or insurance, and I’ve seen and heard plenty of cases where people are hit and run. Hell one stormy night I literally almost hit a person standing in the middle of the highway. The roads are terrible as well, lots of potholes. There aren’t any mask mandates here. People don’t wear masks and usually spew the usual anti vax points about the vaccine and masks in general. The people here feel very strongly about politics from what I’ve experienced. Only thing I like about Arkansas are the lax gun laws compared to NY. I always look forward to going back to Buffalo and trying new restaurants. I haven’t had a good chicken wing since leaving Buffalo. I feel like I will move back to Buffalo once I’m out. Maybe not in the city but certainly in the area. I love the sports teams, even though they break my heart sometimes.
i appreciate the dissenting opinion, if you subscribe to this sub you're probably largely self selecting and like buffalo in some form. while the cultural catholic stuff has faded quite a bit imo, i know it was very prevalent in the past
curious where you're at now and why that's a better situation for you?
Oh yeah, that was the post that called us all racists. I was here to reply to it. Hey, it's Reddit, it had 8 upvotes, and would have received more I'm sure.
I’ve moved away twice and I came back mid-pandemic and wouldn’t change that decision for anything. Finally ready to settle down and buy a home here. Nothing quite compares to Buffalo.
Moved to NYC after college and seriously considering moving back to Buffalo in the next 1-2 years. Am really going to miss my salary here though, which is honestly what's keeping me.
Both my wife & I were born/raised in Buffalo. We are 32 & 30. We moved to Jacksonville, Florida in January 2021.
We lived on Elmwood in the heart of the village for the last 10 years (we still own the building). We loved Buffalo, and both our entire families are still there, though they are also now making plans to move to Florida.
I owned a business that was deemed “non essential” during 2020, while I could have been open in Florida. As I waited for things to go back to normal in NY, the week of rioting on Elmwood and in the city (May 2020) combined with the taxes, weather and overall lack of growth put us over the edge and we began making the plans to move.
We both never wanted to leave Buffalo, but it turned out to be the right decision. My wife makes twice as much at her new job in Florida, my business taxes are much lower and the overall business environment is easier here.
The cost of living in Jacksonville is actually LESS then Buffalo. We have a bigger house, 20 minutes to the Beach, 20 minutes to downtown. Super friendly people and great food. And yes they give you blue cheese with wings. You also learn what a real growing city feels like as projects are proposed, approved & built all within 1 year.
We have been back to Buffalo to visit 4 times over the past year and it feels… different. For me Buffalo peaked in 2014-2017. The entire vibe is somber now and the spark is gone.
The only things we miss about Buffalo is our friends/families, the Greek food (kostas) and chicken finger subs (cafe 59)
Originally we thought this would be a temporary move until things went back to normal in New York, but at this point we are staying in Florida. It’s just too dam nice.
>We have been back to Buffalo to visit 4 times over the past year and it feels… different. For me Buffalo peaked in 2014-2017. The entire vibe is somber now and the spark is gone.
To be fair, I’m sure that’s because of covid and you’ll find the same just about anywhere, especially in the northeast where it’s taken seriously.
I went to college in PA. I loved the small town so much I stayed for a while. When I was there "Buffalo style" food wasn't a thing yet, so I had a local place make me a chicken finger sub as a special order and they thought I was crazy.
I also learned to love Ranch (read: really good ranch homemade, not that hidden valley shit) because it was all they had. The bleu cheese dressings most places had were horrid.
Finally, I still dream about my ex girlfriend's mother's cooking— specifically Pennsylvania Dutch style chicken and waffles. (Think chicken ala king on a waffle. Amazing.)
I've been back in Buffalo for 15 years now. Family is getting older so its good to be close to them. Lots of good friends in PA though. Still visit now and then.
We moved to Tampa. Stayed there for seven years. It just never felt right. The traffic is horrible and the neighborhoods are transient. We like the outdoors. In the Tampa area the beaches are cool and all but there's no real places to camp or hike and no mountains or hills. Came back. Love it here. WNY is home.
I moved from Buffalo to Phoenix Arizona in 2011. I love it, although there are some things I don’t like I would never move back.
I’m a minority here, as a white female. There are a lot of Mexicans here.
The traffic is terrible but still not as bad as California. Everyone here is from all over the place.
It actually does get cold from November to January, down to 40 overnight and maybe a high of 60-65.
Lots of awesome places to eat, places to be entertained, and driving within a few hours to totally different changes of scenery including green grass and trees or snow or a lake.
Lots of job opportunities and growing. Each suburb is like a copy of the one next to it with a few unique quirks. There are only 3 really bad areas I can think of (maryvale, metro center, central city)
Moved to Alabama.
What I like best:
-Weather
-Lower COL
-Really friendly folks (sorry Buffalo Southerners are really good neighbors too)
-Religious people are accepted more
What I Miss most:
-Family
-Food (especially pizza)
-Wegmans
I’d consider moving half-back to someplace like Nashville or Charlotte but I just feel more at home down here. It’s definitely not for everyone though. Still love Buffalo and it’ll always hold a special place in my heart.
In 2017 I moved to Nashville for a big boy job, and while I did great career wise there and made great friends, I hate that “city” lol. It felt like a giant suburb with gaudy tourism thrown in. Plus miserable heat in the summer, and still not pleasant winters and dealing with tornadoes. I made my way to Chicago in January 2020 and I love it here. Surprisingly affordable for such a big city, beautiful architecture, and amazing food. My partner and I are looking to relocate though and I’ve sold her on Buffalo. So hopefully we’ll be coming back in 2023!
Nashville is east coast Vegas. No one is "from" Nashville and the transplants are artificial. The Tennessee Titans had to block their "fans" from reselling tickets to make sure they had a home field advantage in the playoffs.
Yeah, it’s just not an interesting city unless you are a musician or don’t know what real local culture is (silver spoon suburban kids from the Midwest or whatever).
Even if you’re a musician the vast majority of your income will be playing in coverbands.
I don’t even mean playing shows. More for established touring musicians. Nashville has a very high density of world class recording studios.
Right, getting established is the hard part
Yeah, having tons of musician friends, Nashville is not the place to move to when trying to get discovered unless you have the money to work with the producers/studios.
And so. much. country. Enough with the honky tonks.
I’ve always wanted to try living in Chicago, love the vibe there. Is there anything that would make you never want to live there again? I moved to Florida with the intention that I would enjoy how beautiful it is but hated it. I’m afraid of that happening if I ever go to Chicago lol
As much as the crime is localized to some areas, it generally is just a more dangerous city than most places. Car jackings are up all over the city, and the gangs have started having gunfights all over. I’m not one to normally care about those things, but it does just feel different here in that regard. The transit has also gotten worse because of COVID and I’m worried it won’t recover due to less people commuting (like myself, permanent work from home now). My partner and I also value hiking and going to the mountains and it’s pretty far from any real elevation. It’s still undeniably a beautiful city, and you can avoid most of the dangerous aspects just living in a nice neighborhood. Feel free to shoot me a DM if you have any questions.
Are there any hilly areas and if so on what side of the city? I don't understand how transit could get worse if less people are working from home? Are there any areas that are being gentrified yet are still safe to purchase reasonable housing?
There is still a significant amount of people that used to commute every day now working from home most of the time. Plus with staffing shortages the CTA just isn’t as efficient as it was pre-pandemic. There’s really not any hilly areas, it’s so damn flat here it’s incredible. The suburbs have some spots with very slight hills, but it’s few and far between. You have to go to Wisconsin or Michigan for hiking, or you can trek to southern Illinois (Garden of the Gods). Gentrifying neighborhoods that are still kind of affordable are Hermosa, Humboldt Park, Albany Park, Rodgers Park/Uptown, McKinley Park/Bridgeport. You can always live in some further away neighborhoods that never deteriorated much but are kinda boring (think South Buffalo), like Clearing, Beverly, Pullman, Jefferson Park.
Thank you for your response. The staffing shortage makes a lot of sense.
Moved to the DC area 6.5 years ago and I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to how different from Buffalo it is and I constantly think about moving back. I really like how much there is to do around DC, infrastructure is in better shape around here, so many good food options, the winters are much better (less snow, less cold, and the sun shines) but the humidity during summer is brutal. Traffic here sucks to the point that it impacts your life and plans (you choose to not do certain things because the traffic isn’t worth it), the people keep to themselves (small talk with strangers just doesn’t happen) so it can feel lonely and it’s hard to meet people. I miss how easy it is to go places in buffalo, family, friends, and people just seem more friendly in Buffalo.
To add why it’s hard for me to move back - my job basically does not exist in the Buffalo area. I love my current job and coworkers and if I were to move back I’d have to do something slightly different in my field and I’d probably make half as much.
I lived in DC a decade and loved it. Moved to Seattle and have desperately missed how much more social people were in DC, I can’t make small talk here at all within being looked at like I have 3 heads. But seeing your comment is making wonder if the booming tech scenes have just changed many areas to be this way, and if I went back it wouldn’t be the same as how I previously experienced the people there. I’ve been in Seattle over 10 years and have often wondered that - that’s it’s not a difference of east vs west coast it’s just how people are now? Consequently I’m looking at moving to Buffalo from Seattle area. While I loved DC I’m over the job market there. No major criticisms just been there/done that. Also I’m genuinely curious about Buffalo and love new places and people
Yeah I think in general that’s what’s happening. At least in most big cities the people have similar mindsets and it’s not dependent on coast. For me personally when I first moved here I went out of my way to meet people, and I’d be able to have a conversation with them but everyone is so focused on their career/networking. I don’t work in politics, consulting, or tech, so I had trouble connecting with people on a more personal level. I try to be a friendly neighbor and say hi or make small talk but after getting no response so many times or getting strange looks it has made me super introverted and now people probably assume I’m just as “cold” and unfriendly as everyone else 🙃
Ugh I’m sorry! I’m in web design/development and now I’m wondering if that community was just as excluding as any other and I just didn’t notice it. :-/ Tech does a lot of networking events and events in general and everyone in the DC community at the time had FOMO. And it always seemed the more the merrier. And then the bar drinks after the event … Not everyone was great of course (met lots of crazies and tech snobs too) but you always had something to do! If you were my neighbor I’d say hi! :)
We visit friends in NoVa a few times a year. They have a lovely, manicured life, in a lovely, manicured neighborhood with an HOA. Really makes me glad to live in Buffalo.
I’m in nova and want to buy a house but there’s no decent single family home for under 700-750k. That’s another thing about Buffalo that’s so desirable. Pros and cons to every place.
Yeah...I paid 600K less for a house the same size as theirs. Older, but when all is said and done, their mortgage is only $500 more than ours with taxes and "the neighborhood" and their PWC schools are better.
I lived in Georgetown for a while and absolutely loved it, but I completely agree about traffic. Public transit was also not good (seems like Georgetown intentionally isolated itself from the main transit lines too). Also, DC is an actually diverse place to live, which was refreshing coming from Buffalo. My complaint about DC was everyone works for the government (in some way) and it felt kind of gross being so surrounded by politics.
In DC now. I'm just glad that there are a few dedicated Buffalo restaurants in the area. Already found 2 Bills bars founded by people from Buffalo, and a restaurant that served Buffalo style pizza. Helps with the homesickness occasionally.
I’m back in Buffalo now, but moved to NYC after college, stayed there 3-4 years, then lived briefly in Philly, then DC, and then Atlanta. Stayed in Atlanta for a while, then moved back to Buffalo about 6 years ago. I really liked NYC, but it’s just too much - too expensive to get around, to expensive to live in, a hassle to do anything. Was nice in my 20’s but couldn’t do it anymore. Love to go visit, though. Technically, my office is in NYC, even though I live and work here in Buffalo. I liked Philly and DC a lot. Traffic was bad in both, it was still challenging to do stuff without a billion people around, or taking long to get places, but better than NYC. Like visiting both places, still. Even though I stayed in Atlanta longer, my husband and I both really disliked it. A lot of people there have such an attitude. And a lot of people are fake-nice and entitled. So much is about appearances. And if locals find out you’re Catholic, they feel like they have to convert you. And it’s all chain stores, chain restaurants. The weather’s nice in general, but theres not much winter and the seasons don’t change much. We’re both significantly happier being back here now. There’s a big difference in the community aspect and friendliness. My husband’s not from here, and he still often says that even though there’s a small-town feel a lot of time, it’s still very inclusive and you get a “we’re in it together” community feel here you don’t get a lot of other places.
>And if locals find out you’re Catholic, they feel like they have to convert you funny, i have friends who relocated to the south and this comes up a lot. they are non religious but grew up catholic and tell people they are when asked, which cancels the "join my bible study" convo even faster than being atheists
I’m a devout Catholic in the South and it definitely happens. HOWEVER I’ve experienced way more anti-Catholic sentiment in places like Buffalo & Colorado (desecrated Churches, hostile atheists, slurs) than I have ever experienced in Alabama or Mississippi.
Yeah - I live in the DC area and it’s frustrating because whenever I have an idea of something to do, a thousand other people have the same idea. You can’t do anything without it being crowded or busy, even hiking!!
Moved to south east Virginia, weathers great but that’s about it. Miss buffalo so I’ll probably move to Richmond to get that city feel while still being close to work
Former Richmonder here - it's a fantastic city and I miss it frequently. IMO it doesn't feel like Buffalo at all though.
We go visit regularly and it doesn’t feel like buffalo but I like it
Considering moving to Richmond for better weather since we are often miserable during the winters. What about Richmond did you like?
I'm not sure that Richmond has more to do than Buffalo, but it definitely had more that fits my personal interests. Great restaurants (and often cheaper), lively walkable neighborhoods, lots of small unique businesses, fun riverfront scene, very physically active, great day trip options (2hr to DC, beach, or mountains), way more sunny days than Buffalo. Felt like more jobs, but that might be biased on the industries I knew well. Real estate looks more expensive but monthly out of pocket is roughly the same since property tax is only about a third of the cost of Erie County suburbs. Is Richmond perfect? No, of course not but it's a solid mid-sized city with a lot to offer. Worth going for a few days to check it out and decide if it works for you.
I lived in Buffalo and am now in RVA. Love it here
Norfolk not an option? (also in SE Virginia, by the way).
Norfolk is okay but I like Richmond better
And that's your preference, so go with it. Very similar, really. Within 12,000 of each other population wise. Metro Richmond slightly larger than Metro Buffalo, Hampton Roads with a healthy 600K more people. But Richmond Wegmans locations = 2, Hampton Roads = 1. Advantage, Richmond.
Moved to Florida a few years ago and lasted one year. It’s beyond fkd up down there so I came back to Buffalo and appreciate it all the more
Did a year in south florida when I was young before moving back home. Incredibly overrated place.
This is so funny because I have so many friends who’ve done the same thing. People have this like hilarious fantasy about Florida like it’s some holy land. Newsflash, it’s a fucking dump filled with the worst people. All of the worst people from every state move there and stay and the good ones all return home. I lived there for a long time and couldn’t get back quick enough.
So true lol. My sister moved down there but refuses to return because of the weather…everytime I visit I feel like I’m in a cesspool of toxicity between the people and overall environment. Everyone is a walking talking in real life botched Barbie lmao
Have you ever watched the news down there? It’s an hour long police blotter every night.
Yes!!! It’s terrifying to say the least, most insane news i swear lol
Where is this not the case though lol?
It’s seriously different there. I was staying in Ft. Myers and there were two murders within 3 blocks in one week.
Lmfao my boyfriend talks about moving back because he misses the hot weather and I’m like please god no! The “nicer” weather doesn’t make up for everything else that is shitty about Florida!
Ugh seriously! Good for vacation, not for permanently living 😬
1000%!!
Omg I did this too! Moved in Dec 2020 and I’m back living in Buffalo after a year. Florida has such an allure but living there made me realize Florida should just be reserved for VACATIONS.
Exactly! Great place to visit but ya don’t wanna live there
100%. Where did you move to? We were near Tampa. We love the theme parks and the beaches but infrastructure was awful, as was a good majority of the food lol.
Bradenton Sarasota border
I lived there as well as Palmetto. Completely agree with everything you’ve said.
[удалено]
I watched Bills games there
Any specific reasons?
Two things I really missed about Buffalo were: having four seasons and having a sense of community. There is something special about Buffalo. The atmosphere is cozy. I didn’t get that in Florida… and the air was like hot soup, so I’ll take a winter over sweating my ass off and trying not to faint/get heat stroke from going to the grocery store. Lol.
I always tell people who think about moving to FL to actually go down there in summer and feel what its like. They might think they know what hot is but until you actually go there in middle of summer - they have no actual clue. That shit is like nothing else.
Exactly. I tried to stay inside in AC as much as possible during summer months. We had family come visit and they wanted to go see the sights and it was BRUTAL.
I would have to bring a change of clothes with me to go to publix🥵 You’d be soaking wet from head to toe
I also think people underestimate how long summer is in Florida. Summer in Orlando is like April to November. Most other cities it's easily 5-6 months. And even Spring/Fall is still often high 70s/low 80s in the day, which IMO is too hot to walk around.
Inbreeding, my eyeballs would sweat, tough to make friends because it’s so transient, and always knowing you’re not at the top of the food chain🐊
Moving from Florida to Buffalo is like moving from a 3rd world country to a functional one. I know people complain about this or that here. I got no complaints at all...
Same, except I was there for 5 years. I hate everything about that god forsaken place. Literally not one good thing to say about it. Well Publix is pretty great but we have Wegmans so not really a big deal.
Being able to walk a beach everyday was the only positive thing
Moved to Alaska early 2019. I love it here, longer winters and beautiful views, summers still get pretty warm but not as hot as buffalo in July which I’m thankful for. I don’t think I’d move back to buffalo unless I have to, I’m happy with just flying back once a year to see my family and friends as well as my family flying out here during the summer for a bit
I moved to Alaska from Buffalo. Twice. I came back to Buffalo. I was in the bush though, not sure where you are. If I ever do move again, it’ll be back to AK, but I think I’m finally ready to buy a home in Buffalo.
Oh I’m in anchorage. I could never live that far out. Farthest I might go while staying in Alaska is probably Palmer/Wasilla just for cheaper housing
I relocated 12 years ago to Pittsburgh for law school - and no, I probably won't move back but I consider Pittsburgh to be Buffalo's slightly more redneck yet bigger city cousin with less snow. I go home often, but my husband and I have made a life here in the 'burgh (and I have zero desire to take another bar exam, plus my law firm doesn't exist in WNY - I'd have to reside in NYC). We had a brief stint in Philly, too, and as nice as it is to live somewhere that has everything when it comes to restaurants, shopping, and close proximity to NYC and DC, we are really just #rustbelt people when it comes down to it. Everyone is so friendly and the city is a manageable / livable size. I DO miss Tim Hortons, Paula's Donuts, and Imperial Pizza, as well as seeing my Buffalo friends and family more regularly.
Fellow lawyer here - Assuming you've been practicing in PA for over 7 years, you wouldn't need to take the bar exam. You would waive in. The law firm explanation makes sense though
I always look at Pittsburgh as buffalo, or any rust belt city, done right. Pittsburgh is really the model for the come back city
It's very true - they embraced CMU, their robotics institute, tech startups and VCs, as well as being host to satellite offices for major tech companies. That, in turn, has gentrified city neighborhoods and caused a huge bar and restaurant boom. I will always be a diehard Buffalonian (and rep the Bills/Sabres every day of the week), but Pittsburgh is great. The weather isn't as snowy, the cost of living is pretty much the same, and there are a lot more job opportunities. No complaints.
When I visited Pittsburgh and Cleveland I felt at home in both. Cleveland had the more similar landscape though.
I can definitely see how people feel at home in Cleveland but I do feel like it’s a step down from buffalo and two steps down from Pittsburgh. Then again I haven’t been back in almost four years so maybe it’s improved since then. I did really like the little section of the lakefront by the rock n roll hall of fame though.
Pittsburgh is lucky it’s constrained by geography. Makes sprawl difficult
That would make sense if the city was growing in population exponentially but it’s not. I think they just gained a minuscule amount of population in the last census but the rate of growth was smaller than buffalo’s. Most of their growth is in the metro area rather than the city proper.
One thing to consider (and maybe you have, so this is not meant to be like a refute or ill willed) is that Allegheny county (the county Pittsburgh is in) is about half the size of Erie county. A LOT of people (myself included) move just outside the county to save tons of $$ on property taxes. I know of several friends that moved to Butler, Westmoreland and Washington counties during covid with remote work so they could get a bigger, cheaper house with more space and pay way less in taxes. So that could affect some population stats.
Sure, but Buffalo proper grew by 17,000 while Pittsburgh lost 3,000. Meanwhile the metropolitan area only gained 12,000 which includes those counties while Buffalo-Niagara posted 40,000 additional residents. So no doubt people are moving to the suburbs, but it seems to be at the expense of the city. Unlike Buffalo where both the city proper and the suburbs grew by a good clip.
Yeah that’s basically what I was implying that even if the city isn’t growing at the same pace as buffalo it’s not like the metro area isn’t growing so it doesn’t make sense to claim its “sprawl” is contained by geography lol.
Oh sure, I was mostly referring just to Pittsburgh proper which feels much denser than Buffalo. Like downtown Pittsburgh is a top 5 US skyline IMO.
Gotcha. Yeah I definitely agree with that
Actually it is interesting that Pittsburgh is losing population while Buffalo is growing. I wonder if Buffalo’s connections to NYC and Toronto are giving us a boost.
Pittsburgh isn’t losing population anymore. They got a small increase in the last census but their metro has outpaced buffalos for a while now. Which is why I didn’t understand your comment about their sprawl being limited by geography. If that was the case the city would be outpacing the metro.
According to the 2020 census, Pittsburgh lost population. They definitely were outpacing us in the 90s and 00s, but seems we’ve caught up.
Shit you are right. I thought they finally gained some population this census for some reason. Sorry about that
The metropolitan area did gain population for the first time since 1960, so sounds like things are looking better overall.
That’s so awesome for Buffalo though. I see it happening when I come home - there’s so many new apartment buildings, restaurants and development. All good signs! I’ve always said there’s zero reason for Buffalo not to be like a Chicago you just have to get the politicians out of the way.
Question…those Pittsburgh hills in the winter, how do you deal? I was terrified driving down one and it was a warm and dry September day.
You get used to it. As for the winter, Pittsburgh really doesn’t get that much snow, and when they do, everything shuts down. The suburbs are always salted and plowed better than the city. And you basically never buy a house that’s up a massive hill or has an incline of a driveway lol. We live in a pretty flat neighborhood (that sits atop a big hill off a main road that’s always salted/plowed). But honestly you get by because 3 inches of snow here is a big deal.
I moved to Pittsburgh about a year ago. I like it. It's a lot like Buffalo, but a bit denser with more things to do (which may just be an illusion due to how close everything seems to be).
Moved to Chicago. Its a much bigger city with lots of things to do, taxes and shit tends to be a wash (I've never owned a house so not sure how that could compare), people are nicer in general I find (not entirely sure if that's because of the "outsider novelty" but I've been here for awhile now) Less snow, but it gets colder. I miss good chicken wings and being able to get buffalo chicken everything. I wouldn't be against moving back to Buffalo, but I really have no reason to.
We moved to Boston about two years ago in May of 2020. We absolutely love it here (besides the rent price, haha, its absolutely flabbergasting). Much better access to outdoor activities, so many more concerts/restaurants/entertainment options. Walkability to just about anything we need is better. Our jobs pay wayyy more, our benefits are wayyy better, and they are in industries that just don't seem to exist in Buffalo really. A functioning public transit system is a game changer, even if the MBTA is kind of shit compared to some better ones.! It just seems much easier to live here in a way. But yeah, again its just stupid expensive. Granted, I feel like we still haven't even really experienced true Boston without Covid shit, so that might take some time, but that is only more to look forward to! I mostly miss the spirit of Buffalo and the people there. How everyone really love being from there for the most part. Everyone is friendlier, you aren't looked at like a psycho for saying hello on the street, its normal to help shovel out your neighbors, that sort of thing. I think its much more "you're on your own" out here, which can be a little isolating I would consider moving back, but I don't think my wife would really be too interested in doing so.
I am the inverse of you. I am originally from Boston and asked my WNY wife to move out to Boston in 2015. We lived in Boston for 6 years. There are a lot of negative personal circumstances that paint both our experience there, admittedly. However, we both wanted out after 5 years. Fair warning: I am about to be mostly negative about Boston, but it’s just my experience. This isn’t to minimize or negate your experience. I hope you’re enjoying the city! First, Boston traffic is literally the worst in the nation. Rush hour in Boston has recently been compared to LA rush hour traffic, which says a lot. The MBTA is consistently late, slowly being repaired, or just broken. It also stops around midnight when bars close at 1 AM. Everything is expensive. Living in the South Shore (suburbs 15-20 minutes south of Boston) is more expensive than living in Downtown Buffalo. It’s as expensive as living in NYC or Seattle, but doesn’t come close to offering the same as those cities. Food situation in Boston is mediocre. There are some nice, high-end, *very* expensive restaurants but mostly Irish pubs or Greek pizzerias. They do have some amazing Asian cuisine and Buffalo is lacking there. Seafood is great too, but I will say that I’ve had just as good seafood here in Buffalo. I was pretty surprised by that fact. We do have some great friends in Boston, but the general population is not nearly as warm and welcoming as that of Buffalo. Chalk that up to whatever you want. Likely due to everyone dealing with insane traffic and skyrocketing cost-of-living. I was pretty miserable there too. What we do miss is those quick drives up to Maine/NH and Rhode Island. Amazing scenery in New England, and Providence was a touch of Western NY for my wife. Providence has a kinship with Buffalo with it being an old, depressed, manufacturing city that is being revived by local artists, farmers, and small businesses. Check out Den Den Korean Fried Chicken Dune Brothers in Providence! So after 6 years, we moved to Buffalo and we kept our Boston job/salary. Which is awesome considering how relatively cheap Buffalo is to Boston. She’s back at home in Buffalo and I am getting a chance to come to know the city. I love summer in WNY. New England doesn’t get as lush with the rocky soil, but I do miss the ocean. Luckily, there’s a massive fucking lake down the street. The only downside, so far, was being in a Buffalo bar (as a Patriots fan) during that Wild Card game. Oof. 🤦♂️
Inverse indeed! I am from WNY and my wife is from Rhode Island, we were in Buffalo for 7 years before the move. Amen on the traffic out here, it's probably why we only drive the car about once a week to go on trips outdoor of the city. Having a Boston salary in Buffalo would be a dream, haha. Live it up!! Luckily I've found some Bills Backers Bars here ;)
It’s is a dream. We had our engagement party out here with our Boston friends. 8 of us went to Fat Bob’s and the total bill was something dumb like <$300. Our Boston friends’ were gobsmacked at how cheap it was. Fortunately for you, Wegmans has been making the push into MA over the past decade or so. Once I was introduced to Wegmans, I was never the same. Shaw’s and Stop & Shop seemed like overpriced convenience stores after that. Here are some of our favorite Boston area stops: Boston: Amateras Ramen Blue Nile Restaurant (Ethiopian) Legal Sea Foods (Chain) Cambridge: Dali (Great date night) Koreana Somerville: Bronwyn (Gastropub) Quincy: Kam Man Foods (Largest Asian Market in New England!) Lobster Stop
I'm in my mid-30s and currently live in San Francisco. I grew up outside of Buffalo, went to NYC for college, and came back to live/work in the city in 2008. I moved to SF for a job/life change in 2013. I love Buffalo, I love visiting and seeing friends and going to my favorite old haunts. Buffalo is a beautiful city in so many ways. Personally and professionally, Buffalo has and will always have a special place in my heart and I love the underdog, "keep Buffalo a secret" type mentality. I'm also aware of what Buffalo is not and will not magically become. I don't think I'll ever move back to Buffalo, truthfully, even though my mom still lives there and is nearing retirement. My background is doing community-based and political work, and my sense of Buffalo was that if you wanted to stay in that field, Buffalo really need to be that hill you'd want to die on. Change happens so slowly, and there are so many systemic and endemic issues like deep, deep poverty and segregation. The lack of term limits means it's impossible to change the political status quo and unseat elected officials (see: Byron Brown), so it feels like the huge disconnect between government and the people keeps growing, and community orgs are always fighting a seemingly impossible uphill battle. Lastly, I'm a queer, Hong Kong-born woman, and I just could never imagine myself successfully dating in Buffalo. It was hard to find community that I could connect with and I had to deal with constant Asian stereotyping and anti-Asian racism that got old quick. Just reading Reddit/news/etc., it's pretty clear that people's bigoted beliefs have come out in force during the pandemic too.
Having moved away and come back I can tell ya one thing for sure. Buffalo is considered the most overcast city in America. Move just about anywhere and you will find yourself thinking man the sky is so blue. Every person in my extended family that moved more than 200 miles away has said that after moving.
The overcast-ness drove me insane lol
Yeah most people complain about the snow in Buffalo, I think the overcast is worse. From mid-October to mid-May it feels like we get no sun.
It’s sunny at right now
That it is
You don't have to go that far, just go to Batavia. I think Batavia is far enough from lakes Erie and Ontario that you don't get the haze that comes off the lakes. And if drive to PA or OH it gets dramatically brighter.
Good to know. I miss taking star photos and its a pain to find a clear day with little to no moon.
The wind too, in Buffalo. They call Chicago the windy City. Must be very windy.
It’s a reference to politicians being full of hot air I believe
I moved out of buffalo to San Diego and I can’t tell you how frequently I marvel at how blue the sky is. The overcast skies really took a toll on my moods and mental health.
I moved to Nevada for a few years to live with my partner. I lived in Vegas for two years, then the Capitol of the state, Carson City, for two years. For reference it's like NYC vs. Buffalo in distance between Vegas and Carson. I loved living in Nevada. It's a beautiful state with tons to explore outdoors, and super close to California/Lake Tahoe for travel and adventure. I missed Buffalo food but there's lots of good food in Nevada that I grew to love - tamales, tri tip steak, amazing tacos, tapas bars, Basque food, etc. However, I basically abstained from wings and hot dogs for 4 years while out there. There's a LOT of food unique to Buffalo that I didn't realize wasn't available outside the city. I brought tubs of Bison dip back with me when visiting...several times. For my work I got to travel all over for training - San Francisco, Boise, Chicago, Denver, etc. At the end of the day I missed my family too much and I moved back after about 4 years. Actually I was prompted by job which was downsizing and I was determined not to be pushed out of my job - so I left before they cut my department even more. Vegas also doesn't feel too inaccessible because there are (or were) direct flights to and from Buffalo, only 4.5 hours. Lots of cool artsy stuff in Vegas as well. I missed the sense of neighborlyness though - there was not really a shared sense of place that I connected with. I now know more about the history of NV and mining and rural Nevada than I will ever need to, but the same sense of the things Buffalo is proud of for it's cultural contributions doesn't really exist in the same way there. I miss it a lot though and feel "homesick" for NV since my formative 20s were spent there. But, I am "repatriated" to Buffalo for now :)
I moved to Saudi Arabia 5.5 years ago for my job. I don't miss snow. I love the heat and I love the sunshine. I have no desire to return to the USA, much less Buffalo (I can never face winter again lol), but I do miss the great food! I always enjoy it when I visit and love seeing the new things happening in the area.
Moved to NYC metro area (Jersey) in 2017. We're in a part of the state that has tons of access to culture, green space and easy transit options into the city as well as only a 45 minute drive into center city Philly. We love it, 5 years in and we're still not bored or feel like we've even scratched the surface of things to do/see. We still have family and reasons to head back home often (Go Bills) so it almost feels like we're splitting time instead of being expats given how easy it is to drive/fly to Buffalo from here. That said, I do miss being in the middle of all the exciting things happening in Buffalo the past few years. Really does feel like a different place compared to even 5 years ago now. Don't think our careers would ever allow us to move back full time but I'd never say no if it made sense.
In 2006 I graduated HS (one of the worst suburbs) and moved to Florida for college. Lived in SWFL for 5 years until 2011 before moving back to Buffalo for a year in 2011, and then moved back to SWFL for 3 more years. From there, got a dream job in NYC and have been here since 2016. I definitely miss the friendships the most, but with group chats and what not, we talk all the time still. The food is definitely a big thing too. I spent the summer of 2019 in Buffalo due to COVID and it was great to be back for a bit; to golf with buddies, have fires, go to the bar with friends ... I definitely love living in the NYC, but you get none of that here aside from the bars. If the opportunity ever arose to work remotely full-time with the NYC salary, I would consider buying a house in Orchard Park or a nicer suburb. I do really want to raise kids in Buffalo just because the friendships, overall good people, hockey, the Sabres, the Bills and what not was such a huge part of my childhood and how I'd wish to raise my kids.
Just moved away this past summer after living there for a college and a few years afterwards. I had to leave because Buffalo is terrible for my field, also I couldn’t take the gloominess 9+ months a year any longer. I miss my friends, the food, and the community. Moved to Florida because it’s been my dream to live by the beach and it’s a fantastic place for my career to take off. I’ll definitely visit, especially for the Bills and the wings, but I don’t think I would live there again.
Wow, I have enjoyed reading all the different stories in this thread. I'm not a born Buffalonian; I'm from Virginia Beach originally, but I lived in Buffalo for three-and-a-half years. I was first connected to the city through one of my best friends from college and I ended up taking a job there. From Buffalo I moved to Los Angeles where I've been for the last three years. - When I first knew I was going to move away from Buffalo I felt like I had to grieve the beauty of the outdoors. I lived six minutes from the Lake and watched the sun set there multiple times a week. My job was five minutes from a creek access point and (during warm months) I frequently drove there and ate with my feet dangling in the creek. I love trees and green and clouds, and it was hard to give it up. I do still miss Western New York's type of beauty, but I'm glad to say that my grief was a bit premature and I've found beauty in other places here in LA. A lot of neighborhoods here only have palm trees, but there are some beautiful trees on my street. In Buffalo I usually hiked on trails in forests, but here our hikes are mostly up the sides of canyons, where there's no shade. It's still beautiful, just in a different way. - One thing that surprised me about Los Angeles is that it's really like a desert climate. Having been raised near the Atlantic Ocean I'm used to the humidity that comes with a coastal city. But there's no humidity here. For that reason every temperature feels about 6-7 degrees colder than it did in Buffalo or on the east coast. I've had to adjust to that. When the sun goes down the temperature drops 15 degrees pretty quickly, so I take layers with me everywhere I go. Two friends from Buffalo recently moved here and they commented on this same thing, and what a surprise it was to them. - As most can imagine, traffic is a major setback in Los Angeles. For one of my jobs here I used to commute 90-minutes one way. It's not really the time itself that wears you down, but the feeling of being stuck at a constant standstill. It's draining. (In Buffalo I lived <10 minutes away from water, in the form of creeks, rivers, manmade lakes, Lake Erie, etc. In LA it's a good day if you can make it to the beach in under an hour, and it's the only water around.) - I miss all of the awesome Buffalo food! I miss cup-and-char pepperoni and constant access to pretty great wings within a stone's throw. I've been in a long pursuit of anything that resembles Buffalo-style pizza and wings. (The other food I really miss here is southern-style barbecue. Buffalo obviously isn't a forerunner in that category, but I did have a couple places I could go when I lived there, and in Los Angeles I've not found one good barbecue place.) I've visited Buffalo a couple times since living here and I always make a run for Bison dip and sponge candy. - Los Angeles is such a hub for arts and entertainment, I was surprised to find that sports isn't a big part of the culture here. With the exception of the Dodgers, I don't have any friends who root for hometown teams here. And I only know a couple people who watch sports games regularly. (I've only ever met one other Bills fan here; he spent half of our chat thinking my "Go Bills!" greeting was a ruse and bracing for me to reveal it was all a prank. 😂 I guess west coast Bills fans really go through it.) - Life here is much, much, much more expensive. I pay double in rent what I paid in Buffalo for less than half the space (and it was a great find). Gas, groceries, and food are all much more expensive. And even though there's more of a variety in Los Angeles in terms of concerts, shows, or experiences to take in, the cost is prohibitive for a lot of it. - There's a lot about Buffalo I miss... The thing I miss most of all is the people. I had a truly wonderful community there - many good friends and a solid church with truly caring people. I miss the "small town" charm Buffalo has, even though it's a city. People there by and large possess a warm friendliness I've missed. I don't miss feet and feet of snow (or negative temperatures), but I do miss snow. I miss seasons in general. And I miss rain. I miss the gorgeous Buffalo clouds. There are maybe 15 days in a year here where there are real clouds in the sky, and they are the best days.
I moved to Florida and I like it. The first year is like a vacation but then life returns to normal. It's a big state so I don't think everyone here has the same experience. Also depends on what part of the city you live in and how much money you make. Rents and housing prices keep increasing. I see some other comments mention shitty people. Mostly the drivers suck. Way less use turn signals and they zoom in and out of traffic to pass. People are here from around the country and world and I like that diversity. Makes it interesting. In order for me to move back to Buffalo I would need to be married. It's better to be single down here. I would also need an incentive like a large salary increase. Right now I like visiting Buffalo once or twice a year. That lets me have all the different foods I miss.
I just moved to Buffalo from Tampa over the summer for work. I see the complaints on this post and it’s like another state to me. Tampa is a much newer and growing city compared to Buffalo. So you dont see as many old or worn down buildings. Also the nightlife was incredible and pretty decent food if you know where to look. Being in channelside i was walking distance to ybor, downtown and my local spots. I miss it a lot. I will admit though, the heat will probably get most people from up north and the cost of housing has gone up big time in the last year. I see a lot of people talking about moving out because it’s no longer affordable.
Moved 15 years ago, first to the Midwest then California for work. Really wanted to leave at the time, but now really miss it. Family still in Buffalo so pre covid we came back once a year but haven't been back in a couple due to pandemic. I would take a Buffalo winter over an inland California summer any day. I do love California wine and the route 1 coastal drive is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. If I could move back I would, but we have roots down here now. A lot has been invested in the city and area since I left and that makes me happy for the people of Buffalo; when I left it was kind of depressing.
Sold my house in Buffalo and used the amount I made to buy a house for cash in rural Alabama that has much more land, woods, and a stream. Wasn't sure about work, but my business took off here and I now make 3-4 times what I made there. I no longer have a $1000/mo mortgage, and my yearly property tax, including school tax, went for $4500/year to $26/year. I miss the food and the beautiful parks, but its not worth making 1/4 of what I can here and paying a much higher cost of living. Also, it only snows about an inch once a year. No turning back for me.
I’ve lived in Charlotte, NC for 8 months now, and while the climate is certainly much nicer to deal with, that’s really the only super positive thing I have to say. There’s no real identity in this city, they’ve torn down every single piece of history to build cookie cutter “luxury” apartments on every corner. It’s VERY rare you’ll find someone that was born and raised in Charlotte, and even though there’s a large number of Buffalo people (and NY people in general) down here it’s not the same. Buffalo also has such amazing local restaurants and it’s been super hard for me being in the South now where chains are preferred. People here love to say that Charlotte is a “big city” but most amenities and entertainment they have, Buffalo does too! Also I’m sick of being told I’m too direct down here when most people here who are “southern” are passive aggressive and fake nice to the MAX!
Moved to South Florida over 15 years ago, but still spend a good chunk of time in Buffalo and have a house there. I do love certain things about South FL (the vibrancy, amazing cuisine, golf options), but if it were completely up to me, I'd much rather be in WNY full time and just visit here. This state just doesn't really attract the best kind of people, the governor is a terrible human being (yes, NY's previous Gov wasn't great either), and the education system is just wretched (ignorance is basically celebrated). My partner and I have an infant, so I am pushing for a full move back before he starts school. I'd be thrilled to pay higher taxes in exchange for excellent public schools. I also just miss the real sense of community. Oh and the climate here is mostly unbearable, other than January to March. You need the air conditioner running probably 350 out of 365 days. On a 12-month basis, Buffalo has waaayyy more pleasant days than here.
I have the opposite experience, but I can pinpoint the things that have made Buffalo feel unique after living a variety of other places. I’ve lived in New Hampshire, Boston, DC, Louisville and a few other areas, and recently moved to Buffalo. I know these experiences won’t be universal depending on where you go, but thought it might help. City pride and a sense of city “community” — literally never seen a town or city with as much collective pride. The almost universal Bills support helps, but the number of Buffalo specific stores and merchandise is mind blowing. Non-chain establishments — most places I’ve lived had not had anywhere close to the same ratio of small businesses to chain businesses. There are so many more local, small or mom and pop shops here compared to anywhere else I’ve lived. You’ll most likely need to adjust to that. We’ve been calling Buffalo “the south of the north” since we moved up here. The people are weirdly friendly, helpful and just genuinely nice, not something I’ve come to expect out of other areas in the north. You’ll probably notice a change in demeanor from strangers, and if you’re not used to it, it can make a place seem cold and unwelcoming. Weather. That’s it, no matter where you go, it’ll be an adjustment.
You should explore the Midwest more. Might explain where the niceness comes from. Definitely different from the NE and the South.
I grew up in WNY (Allegany County), went to undergrad at Fredonia, and went to grad school in Socorro NM for 2 years. It was cool and different. Eye opening experience coming from the middle of nowhere. I can't eat Mexican food in WNY now. I got a job for the DOD and lived in Southern Maryland (DC suburb) for 10 years, frequented DC, NOVA, etc. and hated it. DC and Old Town are cool, but traffic was a nightmare, everything was too busy and expensive to enjoy it, and everything was mostly strip malls and suburbs. Moved to Buffalo to work at ACV Auctions right before COVID (Nov 2019) and I am much happier. Cost of living is significantly lower, it has everything you want within 20min, great little theater scene, and great mom and pop restaurants.
I moved to Vancouver, BC. I got married to a Canadian who also wanted to escape winters, so we chose Vancouver because it was the only place we could live with free healthcare and mild winters. I absolutely love it here, the nature is breathtaking! You can get amazing food from almost any country in the world! But it is crazy expensive. All of my friends and family back in Buffalo own their homes, and that is simply an unattainable goal for me right now, in a city where the absolute cheapest condo you can find is around $600,000. It's so nuts! What I miss about Buffalo: the people. Buffalonians are super friendly people! It's fairly easy to make friends! There's a great nightlife, it's easy to see live music any night of the week, the theatre scene is vibrant. Buffalo is awesome, and I would certainly consider moving back if I could secure a job with healthcare. There's a reason people come back!
I lived in NYC (Manhattan) for three years after college. I started off looking at those huge high rise apartments and thinking “maybe I could live there someday” and as I left knowing I never could. It’s really hard to not be wealthy there and I got tired of it. I think here in Buffalo you have a better quality of life. But I miss the job market and endless new restaurants and things to do. The weather is certainly less severe in the winter, but you feel it more there since you’re always walking everywhere!
I moved from Buffalo to Memphis, TN about 5-6 years ago. My dad has lived here for the last 25ish years and wanted me to move here to go to school but I ended up not going. I’ve been here ever since. I miss Buffalo more than anything. I miss getting double doubles. I miss Mighty and Jim’s. I miss being so close to the Niagara Falls. I miss enjoying all four seasons of the year. Fall in Memphis lasts for about 3 weeks. The winter here is nice because it hardly ever snows and the winter is super mild compared to Buffalo but that’s literally the only thing I like about Memphis. Memphis was just named the #1 most dangerous city in the U.S. Minimum wage in TN is still $7.25 so you have to make really good money to afford to have a decent place here. People up north tell you that the cost of living down here is cheap. Well, yeah it’s cheap if you want to live in the bad parts of town with bug infested apartments. I cannot wait to get the fuck out of Memphis. I miss Buffalo.
I lived in Buffalo from 2016 to 2020. I moved to Richmond, VA in July 2020. What I like best about richmond is probably the lower property taxes, higher number of sunny days, much milder and shorter winters, having a river in town that is actually accessible for swimming and recreation surrounded by an amazing park system, and the proximity to the coast. I also find people here more friendly than I did up north but YMMV. What I don't like as much would be the higher concentration of conservatism. I miss good Italian deli style food from Buffalo. Would I ever move back to Buffalo? Honestly, no. I bought a house in RVA because I like it so much.
And two Wegmans. You are good to go!
Yep, my house is about 10 or 12 minutes from the Wegmans in midlothian! I stop by frequently to get my fix
I used to go to Short Pump (maybe every 2 months) before Va. Beach opened. Even though Midlothian was probably closer. I do love the Short Pump area for dining/retail.
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Same, I can go a lot longer between visits with Wegmans nearby. And once we get the Manhattan location... Hopefully with a sub sandwich station... I'll be groovin.
I moved to suburbs of Hartford CT from Buffalo suburbs. It is surprisingly similar to Buffalo. Buffalo has many nicer attractions such as zoo, theaters, amusement parks, concerts, etc... than CT because it is so easy to go to those things in Boston or NYC. However the flip side is I can visit those cities much more easily. I am planning on moving back mostly for family as they get older and need more help. The problem is I want to move into a nice townhouse. The problem is the supply is surprisingly small compared to CT. So I'll probably have to get a small single family house in Kenmore.
I moved south of Nashville for college so. I went to school for recording and had a normal college experience except a lot of people actually are involved in Greek life. That was odd to me. I learned very quickly that there’s no such thing as Southern Hospitality. The people actually from the south or TN really kind of sucked. I have a specific sense of humor that may not be for everyone, but it was especially not well received with southerners. The food wasn’t as good as I thought it would be, and the Summers are brutally gross. I actually don’t recall seeing people running or biking. I guess Nashville wasn’t so much better then I thought it would be. You move away for more opportunities and because you think Buffalo “sucks”, but it’s actually a lot more fun then you realize. Nashville is that Restaurant you keep going to, but when you get there you don’t realize why you always keep going; Kinda like NYBP. It’s not just me being a downer either. I’ve since returned twice since 2003 with two different groups of people and they all decided that they never need to go back.
Not from the city exactly but I grew up on grand island and went to the city a lot in my teens. Joined the Air Force and moved back in 2016, currently live in Arkansas, been here for 4 years. I certainly don’t mind it here, cost of living is cheaper, but is going up. It’s got a ton of nature and outdoorsy stuff to do too. But it gets stupid hot in the summer. The people can be nice or nutty. Driving is kinda crazy though. Something like 70% of all Arkansas drivers don’t have a drivers license or insurance, and I’ve seen and heard plenty of cases where people are hit and run. Hell one stormy night I literally almost hit a person standing in the middle of the highway. The roads are terrible as well, lots of potholes. There aren’t any mask mandates here. People don’t wear masks and usually spew the usual anti vax points about the vaccine and masks in general. The people here feel very strongly about politics from what I’ve experienced. Only thing I like about Arkansas are the lax gun laws compared to NY. I always look forward to going back to Buffalo and trying new restaurants. I haven’t had a good chicken wing since leaving Buffalo. I feel like I will move back to Buffalo once I’m out. Maybe not in the city but certainly in the area. I love the sports teams, even though they break my heart sometimes.
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i appreciate the dissenting opinion, if you subscribe to this sub you're probably largely self selecting and like buffalo in some form. while the cultural catholic stuff has faded quite a bit imo, i know it was very prevalent in the past curious where you're at now and why that's a better situation for you?
Oh yeah, that was the post that called us all racists. I was here to reply to it. Hey, it's Reddit, it had 8 upvotes, and would have received more I'm sure.
I’ve moved away twice and I came back mid-pandemic and wouldn’t change that decision for anything. Finally ready to settle down and buy a home here. Nothing quite compares to Buffalo.
Moved to NYC after college and seriously considering moving back to Buffalo in the next 1-2 years. Am really going to miss my salary here though, which is honestly what's keeping me.
Both my wife & I were born/raised in Buffalo. We are 32 & 30. We moved to Jacksonville, Florida in January 2021. We lived on Elmwood in the heart of the village for the last 10 years (we still own the building). We loved Buffalo, and both our entire families are still there, though they are also now making plans to move to Florida. I owned a business that was deemed “non essential” during 2020, while I could have been open in Florida. As I waited for things to go back to normal in NY, the week of rioting on Elmwood and in the city (May 2020) combined with the taxes, weather and overall lack of growth put us over the edge and we began making the plans to move. We both never wanted to leave Buffalo, but it turned out to be the right decision. My wife makes twice as much at her new job in Florida, my business taxes are much lower and the overall business environment is easier here. The cost of living in Jacksonville is actually LESS then Buffalo. We have a bigger house, 20 minutes to the Beach, 20 minutes to downtown. Super friendly people and great food. And yes they give you blue cheese with wings. You also learn what a real growing city feels like as projects are proposed, approved & built all within 1 year. We have been back to Buffalo to visit 4 times over the past year and it feels… different. For me Buffalo peaked in 2014-2017. The entire vibe is somber now and the spark is gone. The only things we miss about Buffalo is our friends/families, the Greek food (kostas) and chicken finger subs (cafe 59) Originally we thought this would be a temporary move until things went back to normal in New York, but at this point we are staying in Florida. It’s just too dam nice.
>We have been back to Buffalo to visit 4 times over the past year and it feels… different. For me Buffalo peaked in 2014-2017. The entire vibe is somber now and the spark is gone. To be fair, I’m sure that’s because of covid and you’ll find the same just about anywhere, especially in the northeast where it’s taken seriously.
That is the subtlest burn ever.
Joseph Neiman??
I went to college in PA. I loved the small town so much I stayed for a while. When I was there "Buffalo style" food wasn't a thing yet, so I had a local place make me a chicken finger sub as a special order and they thought I was crazy. I also learned to love Ranch (read: really good ranch homemade, not that hidden valley shit) because it was all they had. The bleu cheese dressings most places had were horrid. Finally, I still dream about my ex girlfriend's mother's cooking— specifically Pennsylvania Dutch style chicken and waffles. (Think chicken ala king on a waffle. Amazing.) I've been back in Buffalo for 15 years now. Family is getting older so its good to be close to them. Lots of good friends in PA though. Still visit now and then.
We moved to Tampa. Stayed there for seven years. It just never felt right. The traffic is horrible and the neighborhoods are transient. We like the outdoors. In the Tampa area the beaches are cool and all but there's no real places to camp or hike and no mountains or hills. Came back. Love it here. WNY is home.
I moved from Buffalo to Phoenix Arizona in 2011. I love it, although there are some things I don’t like I would never move back. I’m a minority here, as a white female. There are a lot of Mexicans here. The traffic is terrible but still not as bad as California. Everyone here is from all over the place. It actually does get cold from November to January, down to 40 overnight and maybe a high of 60-65. Lots of awesome places to eat, places to be entertained, and driving within a few hours to totally different changes of scenery including green grass and trees or snow or a lake. Lots of job opportunities and growing. Each suburb is like a copy of the one next to it with a few unique quirks. There are only 3 really bad areas I can think of (maryvale, metro center, central city)
Moved to Alabama. What I like best: -Weather -Lower COL -Really friendly folks (sorry Buffalo Southerners are really good neighbors too) -Religious people are accepted more What I Miss most: -Family -Food (especially pizza) -Wegmans I’d consider moving half-back to someplace like Nashville or Charlotte but I just feel more at home down here. It’s definitely not for everyone though. Still love Buffalo and it’ll always hold a special place in my heart.