Jobs, pay and daily life in Niagara Falls, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Niagara Falls is a city in New York with 47,987 residents. The median household earns $49,101 a year and the median rent is $823 a month, which is 20.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metropolitan area, where BLS counts 534,550 jobs.
How Niagara Falls compares. Among the 120 largest places in New York, Niagara Falls is #18 by population, #2 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #113 for household income (#1 = highest), #108 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Niagara County, is #50 of 62 counties for average pay ($55,707).
Niagara Falls has 47,987 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of New York. It covers 14 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,408 people per square mile. The median age is 40.8, about the same as the state median (40.8 against 39.8).
The median gross rent is $823 a month (rent plus utilities), 49% below the state median ($823 against $1,621). Over a year that is 20.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $115,300, which is 2.3 times the median household income ($49,101); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 58.5% of households own their home, 8% above the state average (58.5% against 54.4%).
The Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metropolitan area has 534,550 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $50,790 a year, about the same as the national median ($50,790 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (67,440 jobs, median $47,800); food preparation and serving related (47,980 jobs, median $36,110); sales and related (43,590 jobs, median $37,490). The area is most specialised in legal (1.2 times) and educational instruction and library (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($125,900) and computer and mathematical ($100,620). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Niagara County was 4.3%. 60.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Niagara County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.7% drive alone, 3.4% use public transit, 3.5% walk, 7.4% work from home. 6.4% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 77% below the state average (6.4% against 27.4%).
22.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 43% below the state share (22.7% against 40.2%). 5.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 77% below the state share (5.2% against 22.8%). The poverty rate is 23.7%, 69% above the state rate (23.7% against 14.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 72°F (22.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 25°F (-3.8°C). About 947 mm (37 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Oct is the wettest month (98 mm) and Feb the driest (57 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: North Tonawanda (8 miles, rent 13% higher); Tonawanda Town (10 miles, rent 34% higher); Buffalo (16 miles, rent 27% higher); Lockport (17 miles, rent 15% higher). Rent differences are against Niagara Falls; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in New York (1,186) →State guide: New YorkCountry guideNiagara CountyNew York rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,186 federal postings open in New York (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in New York →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 18,090 | 1.22 | $36,570 | $34,430 | $46,930 | +2% |
| Retail Salespersons | 15,160 | 1.13 | $34,910 | $32,240 | $49,940 | -1% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 14,170 | 1.07 | $34,560 | $32,240 | $36,910 | +11% |
| Registered Nurses | 13,830 | 1.19 | $99,060 | $78,490 | $117,980 | +2% |
| General and Operations Managers | 11,100 | 0.92 | $103,280 | $54,140 | $236,480 | -2% |
| Cashiers | 10,590 | 1.00 | $33,850 | $32,240 | $38,050 | +3% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 9,990 | 1.03 | $37,970 | $32,240 | $55,460 | +2% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 9,850 | 1.10 | $45,520 | $35,360 | $62,800 | +2% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 9,290 | 1.22 | $37,380 | $32,240 | $48,580 | +1% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 7,990 | 1.02 | $46,580 | $32,240 | $86,590 | +32% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 7,900 | 0.78 | $43,130 | $34,200 | $57,730 | +7% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 7,560 | 1.55 | $35,670 | $32,240 | $46,630 | -3% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 6,470 | 1.10 | $46,780 | $35,380 | $62,120 | -2% |
| Office Clerks, General | 6,230 | 0.74 | $46,040 | $32,730 | $60,760 | +2% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 5,980 | 1.14 | $50,620 | $37,470 | $74,490 | +2% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 5,890 | 1.25 | $51,610 | $38,400 | $69,260 | +2% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 5,810 | 1.22 | $76,490 | $48,080 | $106,980 | +20% |
| Nursing Assistants | 5,230 | 1.05 | $39,790 | $37,150 | $48,120 | -6% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 4,870 | 1.16 | $44,720 | $36,520 | $61,300 | +1% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 4,870 | 0.98 | $82,120 | $56,550 | $135,370 | -2% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,590 | 0.69 | $172,650 | $110,500 | $260,780 | -1% |
| Financial Managers | 2,680 | 0.93 | $164,230 | $98,440 | $296,180 | -1% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 630 | 0.83 | $164,120 | $113,730 | $222,350 | -4% |
| Sales Managers | 1,200 | 0.55 | $163,090 | $86,310 | $291,220 | +10% |
| Human Resources Managers | 590 | 0.78 | $150,180 | $85,030 | $235,770 | +1% |
| Marketing Managers | 1,280 | 0.94 | $144,390 | $79,060 | $256,360 | -13% |
| Pharmacists | 1,400 | 1.26 | $137,900 | $71,200 | $176,560 | -2% |
| Managers, All Other | 900 | 0.42 | $135,910 | $79,620 | $202,260 | -4% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,380 | 0.67 | $132,720 | $82,010 | $287,350 | +7% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,190 | 1.07 | $132,220 | $104,470 | $166,300 | -0% |
| Computer Network Architects | 620 | 1.00 | $131,320 | $78,260 | $165,060 | -2% |
| Lawyers | 2,930 | 1.13 | $130,800 | $72,040 | $225,100 | -18% |
| Software Developers | 3,960 | 0.68 | $127,850 | $79,080 | $172,730 | -6% |
| Physician Assistants | 1,040 | 1.87 | $126,360 | $98,820 | $160,880 | -7% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 970 | 0.86 | $124,990 | $80,440 | $160,410 | +18% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 610 | 0.67 | $122,860 | $70,570 | $220,900 | +8% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 850 | 1.00 | $122,680 | $81,900 | $175,550 | -3% |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,850 | 1.57 | $108,510 | $66,740 | $341,710 | -59% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 730 | 0.49 | $104,700 | $58,940 | $161,600 | -10% |
| General and Operations Managers | 11,100 | 0.92 | $103,280 | $54,140 | $236,480 | -2% |
These figures are for the whole Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $50,790 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.8% |
| Retail trade | 11.7% |
| Manufacturing | 10.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.5% |
| Other services | 5.0% |
| Public administration | 4.3% |
| Construction | 4.0% |
| Information | 1.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Niagara Falls lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara County | 210,721 | $13,570 million | $64,399 | 68,068 | 4,950 | $55,707 | +0.7% | 4.3% | 100,390 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 10,199 | 18.5% | $49,674 | 1.05 |
| Retail trade | 9,280 | 16.9% | $36,256 | 1.37 |
| Manufacturing | 8,368 | 15.2% | $79,879 | 1.50 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,705 | 14.0% | $25,617 | 1.24 |
| Construction | 2,986 | 5.4% | $64,691 | 0.84 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,797 | 5.1% | $64,207 | 0.70 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,662 | 4.8% | $52,525 | 0.92 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,181 | 4.0% | $35,437 | 1.06 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,656 | 3.0% | $83,280 | 0.62 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,536 | 2.8% | $79,952 | 0.32 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,317 | 2.4% | $72,500 | 0.48 |
| Educational services | 1,229 | 2.2% | $41,775 | 0.87 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 824 | 1.5% | $25,927 | 0.72 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 689 | 1.3% | $43,154 | 1.25 |
| Real estate and rental | 682 | 1.2% | $52,039 | 0.65 |
| Management of companies | 418 | 0.8% | $79,998 | 0.36 |
| Information | 323 | 0.6% | $80,937 | 0.25 |
| Utilities | 160 | 0.3% | $142,336 | 0.62 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 73.7% |
| Public transit | 3.4% |
| Walk | 3.5% |
| Work from home | 7.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.4% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,101 |
| Income per person | $30,707 |
| Median gross rent per month | $823 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.1% |
| Median home value | $115,300 |
| Homeowners | 58.5% |
| Poverty rate | 23.7% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 95.8 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $50,790 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 10.90%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 22.7% |
| Born abroad | 5.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 60.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.8 | 25 | 64 |
| Feb | -3.6 | 26 | 57 |
| Mar | 0.6 | 33 | 63 |
| Apr | 6.5 | 44 | 81 |
| May | 13.3 | 56 | 85 |
| Jun | 18.9 | 66 | 87 |
| Jul | 22.3 | 72 | 91 |
| Aug | 21.8 | 71 | 79 |
| Sep | 18.1 | 65 | 87 |
| Oct | 11.1 | 52 | 98 |
| Nov | 4.7 | 40 | 75 |
| Dec | -0.6 | 31 | 80 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Tonawanda | NY | 8 mi | 30,198 | $66,961 | $934 |
| Tonawanda Town | NY | 10 mi | 56,806 | $77,679 | $1,102 |
| Buffalo | NY | 16 mi | 276,854 | $50,041 | $1,046 |
| Lockport | NY | 17 mi | 20,610 | $62,410 | $945 |
| Cheektowaga | NY | 18 mi | 76,056 | $68,613 | $1,055 |
| Lackawanna | NY | 21 mi | 19,753 | $52,110 | $872 |
| West Seneca | NY | 22 mi | 45,303 | $79,709 | $1,106 |
| Jamestown | NY | 70 mi | 28,188 | $43,523 | $759 |
| Rochester | NY | 71 mi | 208,772 | $47,213 | $1,081 |
| Brighton | NY | 72 mi | 36,834 | $85,467 | $1,350 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
47,987 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$823 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.1% of the median household income.
$49,101 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.3% (BLS county, Niagara County (latest month 2026M09)).
New York. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.