5.0 avg / 10

Best Schools in Buffalo, New York

104 schools · 59 Elementary · 5 Middle · 31 High · 9 Other

Last updated: May 2026

Public: 86

Private: 18

Districts: 22

Avg Rating: 5.0/10

Estimated Scores: 21%

Family Snapshot

At a glance

Avg school rating: 5.0/10
Median household income: $52,126
Median home value: $211,422
Bachelor's degree or higher: 33%
Avg commute: 20 min
Owner-occupied homes: 44%

How Buffalo compares

New York rank

#451 of 475

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-1.3

below New York avg (6.3)

Median household income

$52k

56% of New York median

Schools in this city

101

About Schools in Buffalo, New York

Buffalo's public school system spans 85 ranked schools, with an average score of 4.5 out of 10. That average signals a wide performance range — and for parents, the distance between the top and the middle of that range is where the real decision-making happens.

Only 6 schools — 7% of ranked schools — score 7 or higher. That's a tight cluster at the top. Academy School leads Buffalo's ranked pool with a 7.9, the city's highest score. Middle Early College High School (7.4) and City Honors School (7.1) represent the strongest options at the high school level. Ben Franklin Elementary School (7.2) is the standout at the elementary level. PS 42 Occupational Training Center rounds out the 7-plus group at 7.1, serving a distinct student population through its occupational focus.

The numbers make one thing clear: high-performing public schools in Buffalo are concentrated, not distributed. With 93% of ranked schools scoring below 7, the gap between the top six and the rest is meaningful. Families targeting the high end of the range will find their choices limited, which makes early research essential. Understanding what each of the six high-scoring schools offers, which grade levels they serve, and what the enrollment process looks like should be a first step, not an afterthought.

For parents at the high school stage, three schools cluster near or above 7: Academy School, Middle Early College High School, and City Honors. At the elementary level, Ben Franklin is the lone 7-plus option in the data. The city average of 4.5 puts most of Buffalo's schools in a performance band that warrants close, school-by-school evaluation rather than relying on district-level assumptions. Use school scores as a filter to narrow the list, then go deeper on individual schools that match your child's grade level and needs.

Filter by Level: All Levels (104) Elementary (59) Middle (5) High (31)

Filter by Type: All Types (104) Public (86) Private (18)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (104) Academics (104) Growth (60) Diversity (80) Resources (84)

Filter by ZIP: 14211 (11) 14214 (10) 14215 (8) 14223 (8) 14207 (7) 14216 (7) 14220 (7) 14204 (6) 14213 (6) 14201 (5) 14209 (5) 14208 (4)

Elementary Schools

59 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	BEN FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 460 students · Kindergarten–4th	460	Kindergarten–4th	7.1
2	PS 27 HILLERY PARK ACADEMY 499 students · Pre-K–8th	499	Pre-K–8th	6.3
3	LORRAINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 669 students · Pre-K–8th	669	Pre-K–8th	6.3
4	HERBERT HOOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 599 students · Kindergarten–5th	599	Kindergarten–5th	6.3
5	PS 69 HOUGHTON ACADEMY 434 students · Pre-K–8th	434	Pre-K–8th	6.2
6	CHARLES A LINDBERGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 463 students · Kindergarten–4th	463	Kindergarten–4th	5.9
7	DISCOVERY SCHOOL 545 students · Pre-K–8th	545	Pre-K–8th	5.8
8	BUILD COMMUNITY SCHOOL 326 students · Pre-K–8th	326	Pre-K–8th	5.7
9	PS 64 FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED 572 students · Pre-K–4th	572	Pre-K–4th	5.5
10	HERMAN BADILLO BILINGUAL ACADEMY 472 students · Pre-K–8th	472	Pre-K–8th	5.3
11	REACH ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL 695 students · Kindergarten–7th	695	Kindergarten–7th	5.2
12	DR LYDIA T WRIGHT SCH OF EXCELLENCE 569 students · Pre-K–8th	569	Pre-K–8th	5.1
13	COMMUNITY SCHOOL #53 459 students · Pre-K–8th	459	Pre-K–8th	5.0
14	FRANK A SEDITA SCHOOL #30 604 students · Pre-K–8th	604	Pre-K–8th	5.0
15	NORTH PARK COMMUNITY SCHOOL #50 356 students · Pre-K–5th	356	Pre-K–5th	5.0
16	BENNETT PARK MONTESSORI SCHOOL 600 students · Pre-K–8th	600	Pre-K–8th	4.8
17	SOUTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 809 students · Pre-K–8th	809	Pre-K–8th	4.8
18	DR A PANTOJA COMM SCH EXCLLNCE -#18 449 students · Pre-K–8th	449	Pre-K–8th	4.7
19	WEST HERTEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 718 students · Pre-K–8th	718	Pre-K–8th	4.6
20	D'YOUVILLE-PORTER CAMPUS 519 students · Pre-K–8th	519	Pre-K–8th	4.5
21	MARVA J DANIEL FUTURES PREPARATORY SCHOOL 424 students · Pre-K–8th	424	Pre-K–8th	4.4
22	PS 59 DR CHARLES DREW SCIENCE MAGNET 561 students · Pre-K–8th	561	Pre-K–8th	4.4
23	BUFFALO UNITED CHARTER SCHOOL 524 students · Kindergarten–8th	524	Kindergarten–8th	4.3
24	NATIVE AMERICAN MAGNET 357 students · Pre-K–8th	357	Pre-K–8th	4.3
25	HIGHGATE HEIGHTS 384 students · Pre-K–8th	384	Pre-K–8th	4.2

Show 34 more elementary schools

26	BUFFALO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY 522 students · Pre-K–8th	522	Pre-K–8th	4.1
27	HARRIET ROSS TUBMAN ACADEMY 506 students · Pre-K–8th	506	Pre-K–8th	4.1
28	PS 61 ARTHUR O EVE SCHOOL OF DISTINCTION 313 students · Pre-K–4th	313	Pre-K–4th	4.1
29	PS 74 HAMLIN PARK - CLAUDE AND OUIDA CLAPP ACADEMY 404 students · Pre-K–8th	404	Pre-K–8th	4.1
30	PRIMARY HALL PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL 171 students · Kindergarten–3rd	171	Kindergarten–3rd	4.0
31	BILINGUAL CENTER 330 students · Pre-K–8th	330	Pre-K–8th	4.0
32	WATERFRONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 771 students · Pre-K–8th	771	Pre-K–8th	4.0
33	PFC WILLIAM J GRABIARZ #79 545 students · Pre-K–8th	545	Pre-K–8th	4.0
34	ENTERPRISE CHARTER SCHOOL 394 students · Kindergarten–8th	394	Kindergarten–8th	3.9
35	ELMWOOD VILLAGE CHARTER SCHOOL DAYS PARK 436 students · Kindergarten–8th	436	Kindergarten–8th	3.9
36	ELMWOOD VILLAGE CHARTER SCHOOL HERTEL 431 students · Kindergarten–8th	431	Kindergarten–8th	3.8
37	HARVEY AUSTIN SCHOOL #97 507 students · Pre-K–8th	507	Pre-K–8th	3.8
38	WEST BUFFALO CHARTER SCHOOL 507 students · Kindergarten–8th	507	Kindergarten–8th	3.6
39	INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 987 students · Pre-K–8th	987	Pre-K–8th	3.5
40	PS 81 756 students · Pre-K–8th	756	Pre-K–8th	3.5
41	SOUTH BUFFALO CHARTER SCHOOL 905 students · Kindergarten–8th	905	Kindergarten–8th	3.4
42	LOVEJOY DISCOVERY SCHOOL #43 619 students · Pre-K–8th	619	Pre-K–8th	3.4
43	DR GEORGE BLACKMAN ECC 345 students · Pre-K–4th	345	Pre-K–4th	3.4
44	STANLEY MAKOWSKI EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER 553 students · Pre-K–4th	553	Pre-K–4th	3.3
45	KING CENTER CHARTER SCHOOL 401 students · Kindergarten–8th	401	Kindergarten–8th	3.2
46	MARTIN LUTHER KING JR #48 418 students · Pre-K–8th	418	Pre-K–8th	3.2
47	PS 65 ROOSEVELT ECC 272 students · Pre-K–4th	272	Pre-K–4th	3.1
48	PS 82 288 students · Pre-K–4th	288	Pre-K–4th	3.1
49	WESTMINSTER COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL 425 students · Kindergarten–8th	425	Kindergarten–8th	2.9
50	PS 17 278 students · Pre-K–4th	278	Pre-K–4th	2.8
51	CHARTER SCHOOL OF INQUIRY 287 students · Kindergarten–6th	287	Kindergarten–6th	2.6
52	PERSISTENCE PREPARATORY ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL 386 students · Kindergarten–6th	386	Kindergarten–6th	1.9
53	BUFFALO COMMONS CHARTER SCHOOL 89 students · Kindergarten–2nd	89	Kindergarten–2nd	—
Private Schools 6 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	ST JOSEPH UNIVERSITY SCHOOL Private 132 students · Kindergarten–8th	132	Kindergarten–8th	Not Rated
2	ELMWOOD-FRANKLIN SCHOOL Private 280 students · Pre-K–8th	280	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated
3	STANLEY G FALK SCHOOL - ROOSEVELT SITE Private 162 students · Kindergarten–7th	162	Kindergarten–7th	Not Rated
4	CATHOLIC ACADEMY WEST BUFFALO Private 263 students · Pre-K–8th	263	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated
5	ST JOHN THE BAPTIST SCHOOL Private 274 students · Pre-K–8th	274	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated
6	NOTRE DAME ACADEMY Private 407 students · Pre-K–8th	407	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated

Middle Schools

5 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	BUFFALO CREEK ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL 161 students · 5th–8th	161	5th–8th	4.8
2	BEN FRANKLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL 616 students · 5th–7th	616	5th–7th	4.8
3	HERBERT HOOVER MIDDLE SCHOOL 764 students · 5th–7th	764	5th–7th	4.7
Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	NATIVITYMIGUEL MIDDLE SCHOOL, ST MONICA CAMPUS Private 59 students · 5th–8th	59	5th–8th	Not Rated
2	SAINTS TABERNACLE SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE Private 16 students · 2nd–8th	16	2nd–8th	Not Rated

High Schools

31 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	MIDDLE EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL 312 students · 9th–12th	312	9th–12th	7.5
2	ACADEMY SCHOOL 78 students · 9th–12th	78	9th–12th	7.1
3	INTERNATIONAL PREPARATORY SCHOOL (THE) 614 students · 9th–12th	614	9th–12th	6.6
4	KENMORE WEST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 1,276 students · 8th–12th	1,276	8th–12th	6.5
5	CITY HONORS SCHOOL 1,056 students · 5th–12th	1,056	5th–12th	6.2
6	RESEARCH LABORATORY HS-BIOINFORMATIC 181 students · 9th–12th	181	9th–12th	6.2
7	LEWIS J BENNETT HIGH SCHOOL OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLGY 435 students · 9th–12th	435	9th–12th	6.0
8	EAST COMMUNITY SCHOOL 340 students · 9th–12th	340	9th–12th	5.8
9	PATHWAYS ACADEMY 109 students · 9th–12th	109	9th–12th	5.7
10	LEONARDO DA VINCI HIGH SCHOOL 361 students · 9th–12th	361	9th–12th	5.6
11	BUFFALO ACADEMY FOR THE VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS 575 students · 5th–12th	575	5th–12th	5.4
12	RIVERSIDE ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL 333 students · 9th–12th	333	9th–12th	5.4
13	FREDERICK OLMSTED #156 922 students · 5th–12th	922	5th–12th	5.2
14	WESTERN NEW YORK MARITIME CHARTER SCHOOL 402 students · 5th–12th	402	5th–12th	5.0
15	HEALTH SCIENCES CHARTER SCHOOL 429 students · 9th–12th	429	9th–12th	5.0
16	MCKINLEY VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL 940 students · 9th–12th	940	9th–12th	4.9
17	BURGARD HIGH SCHOOL 459 students · 9th–12th	459	9th–12th	4.8
18	LAFAYETTE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 440 students · 9th–12th	440	9th–12th	4.8
19	HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL 1,162 students · 9th–12th	1,162	9th–12th	4.7
20	SOUTH PARK HIGH SCHOOL 726 students · 9th–12th	726	9th–12th	4.5
21	BUFFALO SCHOOL OF CULINARY ARTS AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT 434 students · 9th–12th	434	9th–12th	4.3
22	MATH SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY PREPARATORY SCHOOL AT 197 389 students · 9th–12th	389	9th–12th	3.8
23	EMERSON SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY 371 students · 9th–12th	371	9th–12th	3.5
24	ERIE COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY 15 students · 9th–12th	15	9th–12th	—
Private Schools 7 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	BUFFALO SEMINARY Private 162 students · 9th–12th	162	9th–12th	Not Rated

Show 6 more high schools

2	MOUNT MERCY ACADEMY Private 150 students · 9th–12th	150	9th–12th	Not Rated
3	NICHOLS SCHOOL Private 596 students · 5th–12th	596	5th–12th	Not Rated
4	NARDIN ACADEMY Private 398 students · 9th–12th	398	9th–12th	Not Rated
5	MOUNT ST. MARY ACADEMY Private 246 students · 9th–12th	246	9th–12th	Not Rated
6	BISHOP TIMON-ST JUDE HIGH SCHOOL Private 193 students · 9th–12th	193	9th–12th	Not Rated
7	ST JOSEPH'S COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE Private 630 students · 9th–12th	630	9th–12th	Not Rated

Other Schools

9 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	PS 84 145 students · Kindergarten–12th	145	Kindergarten–12th	7.7
2	PS 42 OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING CENTER 63 students · 15–15	63	15–15	7.4
3	BUFFALO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL II 510 students · Kindergarten–11th	510	Kindergarten–11th	4.7
4	BUFFALO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL 904 students · Kindergarten–12th	904	Kindergarten–12th	3.7
5	TAPESTRY CHARTER SCHOOL 1,126 students · Kindergarten–12th	1,126	Kindergarten–12th	3.6
6	CHARTER SCHOOL FOR APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES 2,312 students · Kindergarten–12th	2,312	Kindergarten–12th	3.4
Private Schools 3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	UNIVERSAL SCHOOL Private 181 students · Kindergarten–12th	181	Kindergarten–12th	Not Rated
2	STANLEY G FALK SCHOOL Private 538 students · Kindergarten–12th	538	Kindergarten–12th	Not Rated
3	DARUL ULOOM AL MADANIA Private 243 students · Pre-K–11th	243	Pre-K–11th	Not Rated

Schools in Buffalo

Buffalo, New York · 104 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 19 ZIP codes

Median Income

$52,126

Median Home Value

$211,422

Median Rent

$977/mo

Population

343,276

College Educated

33%

Homeownership

44%

Avg Commute

20 min

Poverty Rate

25.5%

Community Profile

Buffalo has a median household income of $52,126. It is an area where 33% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $211,422, with a median rent of $977/month. The area has a poverty rate of 25.5%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 20 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Quick Facts

State: New York
Total Schools: 104
Elementary: 59
Middle: 5
High: 31
Districts: 22
Avg Rating: 5.0/10

Resources

🔍 Google "Buffalo schools" 🏫 GreatSchools Buffalo 📊 Niche Buffalo Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School Districts (22)

CHARTER SCHOOL FOR APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES

1 school · 2,312 students

KING CENTER CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 401 students

SOUTH BUFFALO CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 905 students

TAPESTRY CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 1,126 students

BUFFALO UNITED CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 524 students

ENTERPRISE CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 394 students

BUFFALO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 904 students

WESTERN NEW YORK MARITIME CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 402 students

WESTMINSTER COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 425 students

ELMWOOD VILLAGE CHARTER SCHOOL DAYS PARK

1 school · 436 students

HEALTH SCIENCES CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 429 students

WEST BUFFALO CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 507 students

CHARTER SCHOOL OF INQUIRY

1 school · 287 students

ELMWOOD VILLAGE CHARTER SCHOOL HERTEL

1 school · 431 students

PERSISTENCE PREPARATORY ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 386 students

REACH ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 695 students

BUFFALO CREEK ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 161 students

BUFFALO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL II

1 school · 510 students

PRIMARY HALL PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 171 students

BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

61 schools · 29,866 students

KENMORE-TONAWANDA UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

10 schools · 6,486 students

BUFFALO COMMONS CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 89 students

Nearby Cities

Tonawanda (9 schools)

6 mi

Cheektowaga (15 schools)

4 mi

Amherst (13 schools)

6 mi

Lackawanna (8 schools)

7 mi

West Seneca (13 schools)

7 mi

Blasdell (1 school)

8 mi

Williamsville (14 schools)

8 mi

North Tonawanda (8 schools)

10 mi

Grand Island (6 schools)

9 mi

Depew (5 schools)

8 mi

Bowmansville (1 school)

9 mi

East Amherst (5 schools)

10 mi

Orchard Park (8 schools)

11 mi

Other Major Cities in New York

Top metros statewide by school count.

Brooklyn 764 schools Bronx 513 schools New York 481 schools Rochester 147 schools Staten Island 113 schools

How We Rate Schools

Every school receives a composite score from 1 to 10 based on four pillars: Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Scores are built from publicly available data including standardized test results, enrollment figures, and school climate indicators.

Read our full methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Buffalo, New York

How many schools are in Buffalo, New York?

Buffalo has 104 schools, including 86 public and 18 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Buffalo, New York?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Buffalo is 5.0 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.

What is the top-ranked school in Buffalo, New York?

The top-ranked school in Buffalo on MySchoolScout is St Joseph University School with a composite score of 8.3/10.

What is the best elementary school in Buffalo, New York?

The top-ranked elementary school in Buffalo on MySchoolScout is St Joseph University School with a composite score of 8.3/10.

What is the best middle school in Buffalo, New York?

The top-ranked middle school in Buffalo on MySchoolScout is Nativitymiguel Middle School, St Monica Campus with a composite score of 6.1/10.

What is the best high school in Buffalo, New York?

The top-ranked high school in Buffalo on MySchoolScout is Buffalo Seminary with a composite score of 8.2/10.

How many school districts serve Buffalo, New York?

Buffalo is served by 22 school districts: Charter School for Applied Technologies, King Center Charter School, South Buffalo Charter School, Tapestry Charter School, Buffalo United Charter School, Enterprise Charter School, Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School, Western New York Maritime Charter School, Westminster Community Charter School, Elmwood Village Charter School Days Park, Health Sciences Charter School, West Buffalo Charter School, Charter School of Inquiry, Elmwood Village Charter School Hertel, Persistence Preparatory Academy Charter School, Reach Academy Charter School, Buffalo Creek Academy Charter School, Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School II, Primary Hall Preparatory Charter School, Buffalo City School District, Kenmore-tonawanda Union Free School District, Buffalo Commons Charter School.

What is the education level in Buffalo, New York?

According to Census data, 33% of adults in Buffalo have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Buffalo, New York?

The median household income in Buffalo is approximately $52,126 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Buffalo, New York?

Yes, Buffalo has 18 private schools alongside 86 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Joseph University School with a score of 8.3/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Buffalo, New York?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Buffalo is 10.2:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Buffalo, New York?

MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score based on four components: Academic Achievement, Student Growth, Equity, and School Environment.

Best Schools in Buffalo, New York

Family Snapshot

How Buffalo compares

About Schools in Buffalo, New York

Elementary Schools

Middle Schools

High Schools

Other Schools

Schools in Buffalo

Community Demographics

Community Profile

Quick Facts

Resources

Nearby Cities

Other Major Cities in New York

How We Rate Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

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