John McGrath House · National Register of Historic Places
Buffalo Township’s story
Buffalo Township in pictures
The archive holds 2 maps from 1946 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
Buffalo TownshipIL
A town of 2,617. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 bordering townsMap →
Buffalo Grove Lime Kiln · Photo: Andy McMurray · CC BY 2.5
Population
2,617
2025 Census estimate · −2.2% since 2020
Median home value
$117K
Census ACS
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
34.4
years
Jobs based here
588
A commuter town
TownGrade
B+
#312 of 767 in IL
Is Buffalo Township a good place to live?
Buffalo Township gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $117K for a typical one, or 1.4 years of the Rochelle area’s $82K median household income. It grades B+ overall, ranked 312th of 767 in Illinois. On the plus side, natural-hazard risk is low. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 97% of U.S. towns, with 2 places on the National Register. For Buffalo Township, that is above both Illinois’ towns (8.4%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). On history, just 19 of Illinois’ 1,285 towns do better. Buffalo Township is more walkable than 74% of U.S. towns.
What makes Buffalo Township stand out
Where Buffalo Township beats most towns.
John McGrath HouseHistoryA+
2 historic places
2 places on the National Register
Listed for their history, architecture or both.
Natural hazardsA−
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Library visits per resident
Buffalo Township5.2
Typical U.S. town3.4
Typical IL town3.4
Civic lifeA−
53% more library visits per person
than the typical Illinois town
IMLS Public Libraries Survey.
A commuter town
89% of working residents leave Buffalo Township for work
Where Buffalo Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
588jobs based in Buffalo Township
11%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Buffalo Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Buffalo Township is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 25% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.3 of 20; 4.5% of households have no car; 5.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Jobs & income$63K median household income; 588 jobs based hereCOpen →HealthOSF Saint Katharine Medical Center 10.8 miles awayCOpen →SchoolsB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsC−Open →History2 places on the National RegisterA+Open →Civic life5.2 library visits per resident; 3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Buffalo Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Buffalo Township, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPolo water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Buffalo Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereOgle County ClerkOgle County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6106461064 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Buffalo Township.
Buffalo Township is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has homes that are cheap against local pay.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Buffalo Township has 0.5 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Buffalo Township for work: only 11% work in town. 19% of residents live below the poverty line in Buffalo Township. The top destinations are Dixon (15%), Polo (10%) and Sterling (8%).
11%work in town
| Buffalo Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Buffalo Township11%
Dixon15%
Polo10%
Sterling8%
Chicago5%
15 mi
median commute distance
588
jobs based in Buffalo Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 74% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB+
Buffalo Township’s schools rank ahead of 65% of Illinois districts
Its public schools are run by Polo CUSD 222. Its three schools are below.
65%of IL districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial Elem SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 294 | B+ |
| Polo Comm High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 186 | C |
| Aplington Middle SchoolTop results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 114 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IL on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Low risk in Buffalo Township, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 75% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 31 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Buffalo Township.
25risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
31
paid flood claims since 1979
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthC
Health in Buffalo Township trails 66% of U.S. towns
Against the 9,600 U.S. towns with household incomes like Buffalo Township’s, it is less healthy than 51%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.
Buffalo Township beats the Illinois average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 42% of Buffalo Township adults have obesity.
34%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Buffalo Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 37% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
3 better20 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Buffalo Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.7% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.8% | 13.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.3% | 6.3% |
OSF Saint Katharine Medical Center
10.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
20th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Buffalo Township has four seasons and pleasant summers
Buffalo Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 13° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–32°
Spring38–59°
Summer60–82°
Fall41–62°
Oct 7
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsC−
Buffalo Township has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
1.5 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
#563for trails in IL
0%
conserved · 0 of 21,431 acres
1.5 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Westside Park | — | 10 |
| 2. Polo Community Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade A
A home in Buffalo Township sells for about $178K at the median
At 1.4 years of the Rochelle area’s $82K median household income, the typical home costs less against local pay than in 95% of Illinois towns; that ratio is one input to its A for cost of living. The median property tax bill is $2,603, against $5,298 across Illinois, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The median rent in Buffalo Township is $851 a month.
$178Kmedian sale price
| Buffalo Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 63% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $851 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 23 attractions →Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Buffalo Township. Close and well known come first.
11 mi National Historic SiteRonald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site
31 mi Stadium & arenaBMO Center
11 mi MuseumJohn Deere House and Shop
34 mi GardenAnderson Japanese Gardens
13 mi MuseumChana School
30 mi GardenKlehm Arboretum and Botanic GardenSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0 · BMO Center: SimLibrarian, CC0 · John Deere House and Shop: IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5 · Anderson Japanese Gardens: M. Readey, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Chana School: Ben Jacobson (Kranar Drogin), CC BY 2.5 · Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden: KlehmArboretum, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Buffalo Township
18pages on Buffalo Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Buffalo Township
About 4 of every 100 Buffalo Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
Landmarks
2 places in Buffalo Township on the National Register of Historic Places.
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About Buffalo Township
Township in Illinois, United States
Buffalo Township is one of twenty-four townships in Ogle County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2010 census, its population was 2,813 and it contained 1,284 housing units.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 34 sq mi
- Elevation
- 863 ft
Buffalo Township’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Buffalo Township.
Eagle Point TownshipWoosung TownshipLincoln TownshipBuffalo Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Township | #312 | B+ | A | — | B+ | C |
| Eagle Point Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Woosung Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Buffalo Township reports no FBI crime data of its own. Eagle Point Township, Woosung Township and Lincoln Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Buffalo Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Buffalo Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Buffalo Township, IL a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Buffalo Township grades B+ overall, better than 71% of U.S. towns and #312 of 767 in Illinois. It grades C for health and B+ for schools.
Is Buffalo Township, IL expensive?
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $117,000, 61% below the Illinois typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.