Dallas County MO Courthouse 20151023-210, 2015
Buffalo’s story
186 years in pictures
Census counts: 278 in 1870, 3,290 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2015 and 4 maps from 1884 on.
- 1840Buffalo is settled
BuffaloMO
Population
3,550
2025 Census estimate · +7.9% since 2020
Typical home
$215K
+6.3% in a year
Household income
$40K
median
Median age
41.9
years
Jobs based here
1,555
Balanced
TownGrade
C
#154 of 247 in MO
Is Buffalo a good place to live?
Buffalo gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $215K, 3.3 years of the Springfield metro’s $65K median household income. It grades C overall, ranked 154th of 247 in Missouri. The low prices come with trade-offs. The median household income is $40K, and 22% of residents live below the poverty line, and residents are less healthy than 88% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Buffalo’s average trip to work is 33 minutes, where Missouri’s towns sit at 22 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Among 242 Missouri towns, just 5 have a lower median rent than Buffalo. The biggest park or preserve is Dallas County Community Park, at 21 acres.
What makes Buffalo stand out
Where Buffalo beats most towns.
How Buffalo grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Buffalo is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for cost of living (better than 96% of comparable towns) to D for jobs and income (better than 6%), so the C overall blends very different results.
Cost of livingA+Open →Jobs & incomeDOpen →HealthCitizens Memorial Hospital 17.8 miles awayDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.7 of 20; 3.8% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →SafetyBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2% conserved landC−Open →HistoryB−Open →Civic life3.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.9; 28% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Buffalo: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Buffalo, and how to reach them.
PowerSouthwest Electric Coop12.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBuffalo PWSNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Buffalo’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Missouri you can register online until 27 days before Election Day, in person until 27 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 27 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDallasDallas County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2015
ZIP code6562265622 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Buffalo.
Buffalo trades lower home prices for longer drives to work, fares better on crime within Missouri than nationally and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
HealthD
For health, Buffalo earns a D
Against the 2,363 U.S. towns with household incomes like Buffalo’s, it is healthier than 56%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
18% of Buffalo adults report frequent physical distress. Buffalo beats the Missouri average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 35% of Buffalo adults get no exercise outside work.
12%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Buffalo | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 30% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
1 better19 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Buffalo | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.9% | 77.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 26.4% | 15.8% |
Citizens Memorial Hospital
17.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
27th
percentile among MO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB−
Public schools in Buffalo fall behind 54% of Missouri districts
Its public schools are run by the Dallas Co. R-I school district. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Buffalo High, with 511 students.
46%of MO districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mallory Elem.Largest public elementary schoolGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 599 | C− |
| Buffalo HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 511 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduation
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Missouri overall
The median household earns $39,896, against $70,702 across Missouri, one input to its D for jobs and income. Only 44.7% of households own their home, against 68.1% across Missouri.
Adults 35 to 64 are 47% of residents (37% statewide); children under 18 are 15% of residents (22% statewide). 13% of residents are 65 or older in Buffalo. Buffalo has grown 7.9% since 2020, to 3,550 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
41.9median age · MO 39
| Buffalo | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 13% | 17% | 18% |
| Median age | 41.9 years | 38.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 28% | 22% | 29% |
BuffaloMissouriUnited States
Ages · share of residents
22%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school49%
Some college13%
Associate’s5%
Bachelor’s11%
Graduate17%
Women and men · all residents
57% women, 43% men
About 76 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±5.7 points). Across Missouri, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Buffalo | MO | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.5% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.8% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 13.5% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.6% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.1% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.8% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 21.5% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 5% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.3% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.6% | 8.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 49% | 30.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 12.9% | 20.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.8% | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 11.1% | 19.8% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 16.6% | 12.6% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,600, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in Buffalo
Buffalo has chilly winters and warm summers. Buffalo’s July high is 89°F.
9″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–46°
Spring44–67°
Summer64–87°
Fall45–69°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade A+
For cost of living, Buffalo earns an A+
Homes are within reach (about $215K for the typical one, A+ for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 31 miles. The median property tax bill is $811, against $1,948 across Missouri, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Typical home values rose 6.3% in the year to September 2026.
$215KZillow home value
Typical home value
Buffalo$215K
Missouri$265K
+6.3%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Buffalo has 1.3 jobs for every working resident, and 1,344 people commute in
The average commute for its 1,211 working residents takes 33.1 minutes, against 23.5 across Missouri.
Most working residents leave Buffalo for work: only 17% work in town. Jobs based in Buffalo fell to 1,555 in 2023, 161 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Springfield (27%), Bolivar (6%) and Lebanon (5%).
17%work in town
Where working residents work
In Buffalo17%
Springfield27%
Bolivar6%
Lebanon5%
Kansas City3%
31 mi
median commute distance
1,555
jobs based in Buffalo
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 30% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
High risk in Buffalo, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 62% of U.S. communities.
62risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingIce stormsTornadoes
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SafetyB
Buffalo is safer than 56% of U.S. towns, by crime per resident
At 15.9 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 72% of Missouri’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 54 to 8 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The violent crime rate in Buffalo is 2.9 per 1,000 residents.
56%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
| Buffalo | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 2.9 per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.8 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 12.7 per 1,000 residents | 15.6 | 13.1 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Buffalo2.9
Missouri4.7
U.S.3.9
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Buffalo12.7
Missouri21.8
U.S.19.5
56th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
72nd
percentile among MO towns
10
violent crimes reported in 2023
44
property crimes reported in 2023
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
1.7%conserved
1.7%
conserved · 32 of 1,912 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dallas County Community Park | — | 21 |
| 2. Buffalo City Park | — | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Buffalo
19pages on Buffalo
The big questions
SchoolsB−Behind 54% of MO districts · 5 schoolsSafetyB2.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2023)HealthDBetter than MO on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$215K typical home · up 6.3% in a yearWork & commuteD$40K median household income · 1,555 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 62% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Buffalo; the nearest are
Southwest Baptist UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Bolivar17.2 mi$30,566 tuitionMissouri State University-SpringfieldUniversity or college · Public · Springfield32.4 mi$9,502 in-state tuitionState Fair Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Sedalia73.2 mi$4,176 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Buffalo residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Missouri.
About Buffalo
City in Missouri, U.S.
Buffalo is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,290 at the 2020 census. Buffalo is part of the Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1841
- Area
- 2.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,201 ft
- ZIP code
- 65622
- Area code
- 417
Questions about Buffalo
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Buffalo, MO a good place to live?
Buffalo grades C overall, better than 31% of U.S. towns and #154 of 247 in Missouri. It grades D for health, B for safety and B− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Buffalo, MO expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.