finance
Buffalo Openings Point to Openings for Workers in Office, Food and Sales Roles
Job losses have raised unemployment, yet 5,455 positions listed across 872 employers show where applicants can still find work.
How we reported this
Buffalo posted 5,455 open positions across 872 employers as of late 2025, with an average of 28.9 applicants per job. The figure stands against a private-sector job count that fell 1,000 positions, or 0.2 percent, to 541,100 in the year ending May 2026.
Shifts in Monthly Employment Totals
The Buffalo area lost 400 jobs in April 2026 and has averaged a loss of 550 jobs per month this year, a reversal from the 600-job monthly average gain recorded in 2025. Unemployment reached 4.2 percent in May 2026, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the prior year.
Office and administrative support roles accounted for 13.5 percent of local employment, followed by food preparation and serving at 8.9 percent and sales at 8.5 percent. These three groups represent the largest shares of positions in the metro area.
Local Startups and Incubators Adding Capacity
FoodNerd, one of the companies named in Buffalo Business First’s 2026 Startups to Watch list, closed on $7.5 million in funding earlier this year and moved into a 28,000-square-foot factory. Twipes, which moved its headquarters to Buffalo in 2023, crossed $1 million in revenue in 2025 and projects nearly double that amount this year. The West Side Bazaar incubator reopened at 1432 Niagara Street, housing 18 businesses including eight restaurants and four food retail operations.
The Buffalo tech sector recorded a $3.3 billion direct economic impact in 2025. Local startups raised $148 million in 2024, supported in part by a $40 million federal Tech Hub grant for semiconductor work.
Job seekers can review current listings through the New York State Department of Labor Western New York region reports and the Bureau of Labor Statistics Buffalo MSA data to match openings with the largest occupational groups.
This article is general information only and is not personal financial or investment advice. Consider your own circumstances and seek licensed professional advice before making financial decisions.