Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Buffalo’s best subject grade is an A+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for hazard risk. On cost of living, just 2 of Oklahoma’s 229 towns do better. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 82% of U.S. towns. Of the 132 Oklahoma towns we compare, none has a lower January low than Buffalo. Only 11 of Oklahoma’s 229 towns score lower on the outdoors. Buffalo has 6 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them I.O.O.F. Building of Buffalo and Harper County Courthouse. Buffalo has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Buffalo beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Farmers' Co-op Elevator1,299 counted in 2010 and 1,039 in 2020; an estimated 1,002 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Oklahoma), ordered by how far Buffalo is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 282 in 1910, a peak of 1,618 in 1960, 1,039 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 1920 and 2 maps from 1970 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Buffalo, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Buffalo.
The typical Buffalo home is worth about $55,000, down 1.4% in a year, 75% below the Oklahoma typical home. 86% of households own their home in Buffalo, where Oklahoma’s towns sit at 62% and U.S. towns at 73%.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Buffalo school district. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo EsLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 164 | C+ |
| Buffalo HSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 75 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OK on state tests and graduation
At 95 of 100, Buffalo’s FEMA risk score is above both Oklahoma’s towns (61 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100).
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Buffalo for work: only 19% work in town. 5% of residents live below the poverty line in Buffalo. Jobs based in Buffalo fell to 189 in 2023, 290 fewer than in 2013.
| Buffalo | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 5% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 22% | 8% |
| Median household income | $72,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Buffalo beats the Oklahoma average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 13% of Buffalo adults binge drink. Among 132 Oklahoma towns, just 5 have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Buffalo.
| Buffalo | Oklahoma towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 40% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 19% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 34% | 25% |
| What stands out | Buffalo | OK |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 8.5% | 10.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.7% | 76.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.3% | 7.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Buffalo has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. The July high in Buffalo is 95°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
None within 15 miles of Buffalo; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Buffalo residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oklahoma.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
6 places in Buffalo on the National Register of Historic Places.
Town in Oklahoma, United States
Buffalo is a town in and the county seat of Harper County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town's population was 1,039. It was named after the Buffalo Creek valley, in which it is located.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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+.
