I did this moving to Rochester for a salary bump years ago then I bounced out years later. Stacked a LOT of money and basically paid off my loans, my wife's loans, and our house down payment and at the time I wasn't even making 6 figs.Though prices are up now, at the time I had a 2BR in the best apartment building in the city in one of the best areas plus garage parking for $1,200/month. Not that cheap now LOL but better than most other metro areas. I would rent instead of owning personally unless she wants to have to deal with snow and HIGH property taxes that aren't worth it unless she has kids in a good public school district. If she rents, getting a covered parking spot, heated or not, is a big win since it is depressing shoveling snow at 630 AM to get to work. Also a remote starter is good for her car if she wants to start it while inside.
The big thing is the winters. I am from ATL and that took getting used to. That being said, Upstate NY is WAY more prepared to deal with snowfall than almost any other part of the country so the winter doesn't stop much unless you have 2 ft+ of snow. If she gets snow tires and has 4WD she should be alright though you have to keep snow tires on from October to April basically.
Buffalo is the biggest of the three (Buffalo/Rochester/Syracuse). She has the most nightlife options there too. Rochester used to have some good Black spots but they went away and were taken over by more hood joints so I can't recommend much there anymore though it is a decent city otherwise. As others have said, she is only 1.5-2 hours from the excellent nightlife of Toronto (once COVID border restrictions ease). Buffalo also has a lot of great restaurants which may surprise people.
The downside of Buffalo is finding like minded professionals to socialize with or date. Even if the doesn't like brehs, Upstate NY is the rust belt and many of the major high paying employers have been leaving steadily over time so finding people to socialize and date with can still be hard. Rochester has seen the Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb jobs gutted, Syracuse lost Carrier, and Buffalo and the surrounding regions have suffered as well. However, I remember when I was there it was the only place I have ever lived where Black professional men complained about a lack of Black professional women so the ratio is lopsided in her favor if she is looking at Black dudes. Black poverty in Buffalo, like most of Upstate, is bad though but coming from N.O. it won't be anything shocking.
Also Upstate NY is super cliquey sometimes with people from the area hanging with those they grew up with. Lots of ethnic communities, particularly Italians and Polish but there is also a sizable Arab population too.
She probably wants to live in the happening part of town and I am not sure what that is now but if she wants to live near a decent concentration of middle class Black folks, she should look at places in Eggertsville, part of Amherst. I wouldn't live out too far outside Buffalo. Don't have the illusion that the area is liberal because it is part of New York state. Upstate NY outside of the immediate metros is like a red state and drive 30 minutes outside any city and the Confederate flags and Let's Go Brandon! lawn signs start. She should live in Erie County, barely any Black folks in surrounding Genesee and Wyoming counties and Niagara ain't anything to brag about.
Overall, I say she should do it. I made some friends, enjoyed my time, and stacked a lot of money. Worse case she pays down her debts and has a good savings she can take elsewhere.
