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Both these cities seem similar yet very different. They both have similar metro populations. Historically they where both major cities at one point but have fallen back since. They became big because of rivers/canals. And they both have 2 pro franchises. However they are also quite different in many ways such as climate and location. Which do you prefer considering some of the following. Downtown, Architecture, Culture, Food, Economy, Suburbs, Climate, Scenery etc.
New Orleans can be a fun place to visit, but as a non-native I wouldn't want to live there.
The culture is unique, but could I ever be anything but a tourist? If you had children would you choose New Orleans schools over those in NY? Does living in a subsiding land below sea level along a flood-prone river subject to periodic tropical storms and occasional hurricanes in a city with a history of catastrophic flooding a good option? Are 6 months of continuous 90+ days in the most humid large city in the US worth the trade against a snowy winter? Is living far away from other major cities better than living close to other major US and Canadian cities? Is the higher crime rate a consideration in making a decision?
Maybe stay as a tourist in New Orleans in February and March, but the rest of the year Buffalo.
Downtown - New Orleans - business and tourist mecca, Buffalo still a work in progress
Architecture - New Orleans, but Buffalo also has the whole city as an architectural museum and is no slouch
Culture - tie - each is unique, New Orleans is great as a tourist, Buffalo as a resident
Economy - ? - both struggled, not sure where it is all heading
Food - New Orleans - Buffalo is still good and has a great variety, but c'mon its New Orleans
Suburbs - ? - not familiar with New Orleans suburbs, Buffalo has typical suburbs and quaint villages
Climate - Buffalo - never had storms that flooded thousands or killed hundreds of people, and never will
Scenery - Buffalo - Great Lakes, Niagara Falls, Allegheny Foothills, gorges, Fall leaves, snowy winter scenes, etc
Crime - Buffalo - still issues in New Orleans
Education - Buffalo - no contest, entire new Orleans Public Schools have been replaced with charters
Cost of Living - tie - both are relatively less expensive than other cities
Downtown - New Orleans. It's more active and cohesive. Buffalo has a great waterfront though with Canalside. Architecture - Tie. I realize I may take flack for this given that the Quarter is an American treasure, and NO is rife with amazing architecture outside of the city center. But Buffalo is an absolute gem on the architectural front. Lots of incredibly grand structures that remind you how much money used to flow into the city. Also, a healthy dose of Frank Lloyd Wright doesn't hurt either. Culture - New Orleans. Buffalo is awesome as I've never been anywhere else with such strong local pride. It's a really friendly, fun place. However, New Orleans has one of the strongest local cultures in the country. Hard to pick any city over NO. Economy - New Orleans? Purely guessing on this one, but it's still a major port and has a booming tourism sector. I could be completely wrong, but I'd guess NO outperforms Buffalo. Food - New Orleans. This is no knock on Buffalo which is fine, but New Orleans punches way above its weight and has one of the best regional cuisines in the country. Suburbs - Buffalo. New Orleans is kind of an oddball for American cities in that it doesn't really have typical suburbs radiating from the urban core. The built environment just sort of ends. That's not to say density doesn't decrease outside the city center (it does), but NO doesn't have that gradual suburban taper from urban core to low-density exurbs that most cities do. There are some standard suburbs across Pontchartrain, but Buffalo has a more typical suburban environment and there are some gems. Niagara Falls nearby doesn't hurt either. Climate - Buffalo. I do better with a frigid, snowy winter than a muggy, long summer. I'll likely be an outlier here. Scenery - New Orleans. Tough call, especially with Niagara Falls 20 minutes out of Buffalo, but I think New Orleans is a prettier region and one of the more unique natural ecosystems in the country. It's absolutely enchanting in many ways. Crime - Not sure. Education - Buffalo for k-12, New Orleans for higher ed.
Cost of Living - Tie. I'd wager you may get a little more bang for your buck in Buffalo, but close enough that I'd call it a tie.
Downtown-New Orleans has a more to do because of a thriving tourism industry, but Buffalo's Downtown is coming along slowly. Slight edge New orleans.
Architecture- Both have very unique buildings and pristine residential areas with great old homes. Tie
Culture-If you like New Orleans, then it blows Buffalo out of the water. But Buffalo's feel probably appeals to more families.
Economy-NOLA has added about 50k jobs since 2009, Buffalo about 35k. Neither are booming and both are growing slower than the US average. They are remarkably similar in the income category. Slight edge to NOLA, Buffalo should be happy it is competitive with a southern city.
Food- Buffalo can't beat NOLA, but it comes closer than many think.
Suburbs- Buffalo by quite a bit. Great schools, low crime, walkable villages, easy access to downtown, some are quite affluent. NOLA has suburbs like that, but they generally are not as nice.
Climate-personal preference. From May-September Buffao is phenomenal while NOLA is a hot muggy mess. From November-March Buffalo is in the tundra while NOLA is usually quite pleasant. Both get miserable...I would give slight edge to NOLA.
Scenery-Buffalo by a mile. Great state parks within a driveable distance.
Crime-Edge to Buffalo. New Orleans has much more widespread crime, buffalo has bad pockets.
Education-City Honors in Buffalo is a top ranked public school, also many great private schools and charters. From what I hear NOLA has among one of the worst public school situations countrywide. Plus Buffalo's suburban schools are better.
Cost of Living-both lower than US average by about 5%
Conclusion: Buffalo better for families, but if you love NOLA's culture, it wins by a mile.
This is a really weird, but interesting comparison. City size, in terms of living there and what you'd be dealing with in terms of amenities as someone who lives there, is similar. Of course, New Orleans has a better dining scene/nightlife scene, but a lot of this is oriented towards tourists. Both cities have a rather gritty feel and interesting histories, and were at their peak well in the past.
Downtown: Comparing Buffalo versus New Orleans' CBD, I'd take Buffalo slightly, I think, but the CBD is decent.
Architecture: New Orleans, but Buffalo hits over its weight in this category
Culture: Both are gritty and interesting; I'd take New Orleans
Economy: More or less even.
Food: New Orleans, although this speaks more to a strength for New Orleans than a weakness for Buffalo
Suburbs: Buffalo, I think?
Climate: Both are horrid for different reasons
Scenery: New Orleans with the bayous nearby and interesting sites nearby
Crime: Buffalo easily
Education: Buffalo easily (New Orleans among the worst in the country)
Cost of Living: I think both are fairly comparable, and not bad
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