Senior living in Buffalo, New York spans 42 state-licensed assisted living, memory care, and independent living communities and 44 Medicare-certified nursing homes across Erie and Niagara counties in New York. 12 area nursing homes hold a 5-star CMS rating. Lilisity publishes no score or ranking for any community that has not earned an award; the licensing and CMS data below are public records.
Every assisted living, memory care, and independent living community licensed by the state in Erie and Niagara counties in New York, from state licensing records. Listing here is not a rating: Lilisity publishes no score for any community that has not earned an award. Communities marked verified reviews have phone-verified resident and family interviews on file.
Assisted living in the Buffalo area typically runs $4,500–$6,500 per month, with memory care $1,000–$1,500 above that and independent living below it; skilled nursing is billed through Medicare, Medicaid, or private pay rather than monthly rent. Rates vary widely by apartment size and care level, so ask for the community’s current rate sheet.
| Care type | Typical Buffalo range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Independent living | $3,000 – $4,500 | Private apartment or cottage, meals and services optional |
| Assisted living | $4,500 – $6,500 | Daily personal care, meals, medication management |
| Memory care | $5,500 – $8,000 | Secured neighborhood, dementia-trained staff |
| Skilled nursing | Payer-based | 24/7 medical care; Medicare/Medicaid/private pay |
Ranges reflect operator-published market rates for the region, September 2026. New York’s Medicaid waiver programs and VA Aid & Attendance can offset costs — see the FAQ below.
12 of the 44 Medicare-certified nursing homes in the Buffalo metro hold the highest possible 5-star overall rating from CMS — including Beechwood Homes in Getzville. Every facility below links to its full inspection history, staffing hours, and deficiency record.
| Facility ↕ | Location ↕ | CMS rating ↕ | Beds ↕ | Operator ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beechwood Homes | Getzville, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 272 | Independent |
| Our Lady Of Peace Nursing Care Residence | Lewiston, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 250 | Ascension Living |
| Brothers Of Mercy Nursing & Rehabilitation Center | Clarence, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 240 | Independent |
| Autumn View Health Care Facility L L C | Hamburg, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 230 | The Mcguire Group |
| Harris Hill Nursing Facility, L L C | Williamsville, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 192 | The Mcguire Group |
| Father Baker Manor | Orchard Park, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 160 | Independent |
| Greenfield Health & Rehab Center | Lancaster, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 160 | Independent |
| Mcauley Residence | Kenmore, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 160 | Independent |
| Mercy Hospital Skilled Nursing Facility | Lackawanna, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 84 | Independent |
| St Catherine Laboure Health Care Center | Buffalo, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 80 | Independent |
| Fox Run At Orchard Park | Orchard Park, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 60 | Independent |
| Eden Rehabilitation Nursing Center | Eden, NY | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 40 | Personal Healthcare Management |
| Terrace View Long Term Care Facility | Buffalo, NY | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 390 | Independent |
| North Gate Health Care Facility | North Tonawanda, NY | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 200 | The Mcguire Group |
| Seneca Health Care Center | West Seneca, NY | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 160 | The Mcguire Group |
| Elderwood At Lockport | Lockport, NY | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 126 | Elderwood |
| Schofield Residence | Kenmore, NY | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 120 | Independent |
| Elderwood At Grand Island | Grand Island, NY | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 90 | Elderwood |
| Lockport Rehab & Health Care Center | Lockport, NY | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 82 | Maximus Healthcare Group |
| Degraff Memorial Hospital-Skilled Nursing Facility | North Tonawanda, NY | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 80 | Independent |
| Absolut Ctr For Nursing & Rehab Aurora Park L L C | East Aurora, NY | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 320 | Absolut Care |
| Garden Gate Health Care Facility | Cheektowaga, NY | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 184 | The Mcguire Group |
| Elderwood At Cheektowaga | Cheektowaga, NY | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 172 | Elderwood |
| Elderwood At Hamburg | Hamburg, NY | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 166 | Elderwood |
| Schoellkopf Health Center | Niagara Falls, NY | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 120 | Independent |
| Elderwood At Lancaster | Lancaster, NY | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 96 | Elderwood |
| Elderwood At Amherst | Amherst, NY | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 92 | Elderwood |
| Jennie B Richmond Chaffee Nursing Home Company Inc | Springville, NY | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 80 | Independent |
| Highpointe On Michigan Health Care Facility | Buffalo, NY | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 300 | Independent |
| Elderwood At Williamsville | Williamsville, NY | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 200 | Elderwood |
| Newfane Rehab & Health Care Center | Newfane, NY | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 165 | Maximus Healthcare Group |
| Elderwood At Wheatfield | Niagara Falls, NY | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 123 | Elderwood |
| Safire Rehabilitation Of Southtown, L L C | Buffalo, NY | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 120 | Sapphire Care Group |
| Delaware Oaks Center For Rehabilitation And Nursi | Buffalo, NY | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 95 | The Grand Healthcare |
| Absolut Ctr For Nursing & Rehab Gasport L L C | Gasport, NY | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 83 | Absolut Care |
| Fiddlers Green Manor Rehab And Nursing Center | Springville, NY | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 82 | The Sherman Family |
| Canterbury Woods | Williamsville, NY | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 50 | Independent |
| Williamsville Suburban, L L C | Williamsville, NY | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 220 | Independent |
| Buffalo Center For Rehabilitation And Nursing | Buffalo, NY | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 200 | Centers Health Care |
| Humboldt House Rehabilitation And Nursing Center | Buffalo, NY | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 173 | The Sherman Family |
| Ellicott Center For Rehabilitation And Nursing | Buffalo, NY | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 160 | Centers Health Care |
| Niagara Rehabilitation And Nursing Center | Niagara Falls, NY | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 160 | The Sherman Family |
| Comprehensive Rehab & Nursing Ctr At Williamsville | Williamsville, NY | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 142 | Ephram Lahasky |
| Safire Rehabilitation Of Northtowns, L L C | Tonawanda, NY | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 100 | Sapphire Care Group |
Source: CMS Care Compare, federal five-star quality rating system, retrieved September 2026. Lilisity republishes this government data unmodified; no facility can pay to change its rating.
Senior living in the Buffalo metro is spread across Erie and Niagara counties in New York. The cities with the most licensed communities and nursing homes are listed below; most sit within a short drive of the region’s hospital systems, which matters for families coordinating specialist care or hospital discharge.
How Lilisity makes money: some communities pay us a referral fee when a family we’ve helped moves in. That fee never changes a review, a rating, or who appears on this page — CMS ratings come from the federal government, and reviews come from residents. Read the full methodology → · How we are paid →
Most states, including New York, offer a Medicaid waiver that covers care costs (not room and board) at participating assisted living communities for people who qualify financially and medically. Not every community accepts the waiver, so ask early. Veterans and surviving spouses may also qualify for VA Aid & Attendance, worth up to roughly $2,300 per month toward care.
Assisted living provides housing, meals, and help with daily tasks like bathing and medications in an apartment setting, state-licensed and mostly private pay. Nursing homes (skilled nursing) provide 24/7 medical care, are federally certified and CMS-rated, and are typically paid through Medicare, Medicaid, or long-term-care insurance.
Every facility in the table above links to its full record — CMS star ratings, health-inspection findings, staffing hours per resident, and any fines or penalties, sourced from Medicare's Care Compare data. 12 Buffalo-area facilities currently hold a 5-star overall rating.
Assisted living moves can happen in days when a community has availability — after a nurse assessment and paperwork. Memory care placements after a crisis often complete within one to two weeks. Calling an advisor who knows current availability is the fastest path: (833) 612-4732.
Lilisity publishes scores and rankings only for the Top Communities list and the Excellence Awards, both built from phone-verified interviews. The 42 communities listed by county come from state licensing records; CMS ratings apply only to Medicare-certified nursing homes.
One call covers current availability, honest pricing, and which communities fit your parent’s care needs and budget. No obligation, and we never sell your information.
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