Pennsylvania State Route 28, 2004
Buffalo Township’s story
231 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 5 maps from 1907 on.
- 1795Buffalo Township is settled
Buffalo TownshipPA
A town of 8,214, settled in 1795. Public schools that outperform most of Pennsylvania.
7 bordering townsMap →
Photo: David Fulmer from Pittsburgh Uploaded by scillystuff · CC BY 2.0
Population
8,214
2025 Census estimate · +4.1% since 2020
Median home value
$321K
Census ACS
Household income
$100K
median
Median age
49.8
years
Jobs based here
2,384
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#223 of 1032 in PA
Is Buffalo Township a good place to live?
Buffalo Township grades A overall, 223rd among Pennsylvania's 1032 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. The median household earns $100K and its schools rank ahead of 93% of Pennsylvania towns. It also does better than most on health: it is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: homes are expensive, about $321K for a typical one and 4.2 times the Pittsburgh metro’s $76K median household income. Buffalo Township’s median age is 49.8 years, above both Pennsylvania’s towns (43.2 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). The biggest place to walk is Todd Nature Reserve, 216 acres with 5 miles of trail. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 70% of U.S. towns.
What makes Buffalo Township stand out
Where Buffalo Township beats most towns.
A commuter town
91% of working residents leave Buffalo Township for work
Where Buffalo Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,384jobs based in Buffalo Township
9%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Buffalo Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Buffalo Township is from typical.
Jobs & incomeAOpen →SchoolsAOpen →HealthAllegheny Valley Hospital 6.2 miles awayB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.6 of 20; 2.1% of households have no car; 0.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Cost of livingC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors6% conserved landBOpen →HistoryB−Open →Civic life3.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+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.
PowerWest Penn PowerEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterBuffalo Twp Mun Auth Freeport water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Buffalo Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereButler County Board of ElectionsButler County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes16055, 1622916055 90% · 16229 10%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 Township.
SchoolsA
For schools, Buffalo Township earns an A
Its public schools are run by Freeport Area SD. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Freeport Area SHS, with 512 students.
93%of PA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo El SchLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 564 | B+ |
| Freeport Area SHSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 512 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Buffalo Township has 0.7 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Buffalo Township for work: only 9% work in town. 4.1% of Buffalo Township residents live below the poverty line. Since 2013, Buffalo Township has added 202 jobs, to 2,384 in 2023.
9%work in town
| Buffalo Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $100,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 15% | 12% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Buffalo Township9%
Pittsburgh12%
O'Hara Township4%
Harrison Township3%
Jefferson Township3%
16 mi
median commute distance
2,384
jobs based in Buffalo Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 30% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
#480for trails in PA
| Buffalo Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 6.5% | 8.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
6.5%
conserved · 999 of 15,406 acres
10 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Todd Nature Reserve | 5 mi | 216 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB+
For health, Buffalo Township earns a B+
19% of adults binge drink in Buffalo Township. Buffalo Township beats the Pennsylvania average on 5 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 15% of adults report frequent mental distress in Buffalo Township.
72%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Buffalo Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 19% | 19% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 14% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
5 better20 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Buffalo Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.1% | 14.5% |
| Fewer adults in fair or poor health | 16.1% | 18.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 8.8% |
Allegheny Valley Hospital
6.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
71st
percentile among PA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Pennsylvania overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 12% of residents (22% statewide); people 65 and older are 26% of residents (20% statewide). 37% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 35% across Pennsylvania.
49.8median age · PA 40.9
| Buffalo Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 26% | 21% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 37% | 29% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 20% | 20% | 22% |
Buffalo TownshipPennsylvaniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school34%
Some college15%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate15%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.6 points. Across Pennsylvania, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Buffalo Township | PA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.6% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.2% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.4% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.4% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.5% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.1% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 18.1% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.8% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10.9% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.8% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34.2% | 32.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 15.4% | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.6% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.9% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15.2% | 14.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Buffalo Township faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 57 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Buffalo Township.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
57
paid flood claims since 1979
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Buffalo Township, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Buffalo Township has chilly winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 20° and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–39°
Spring38–61°
Summer59–82°
Fall42–64°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Nearby attractions
All 71 attractions →Acrisure Stadium and 53 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Buffalo Township. Close and well known come first.
Big draw23 mi Stadium & arenaAcrisure Stadium
23 mi Theme parkKennywood
23 mi LandmarkFort Duquesne
23 mi Stadium & arenaPNC Park
23 mi Stadium & arenaPPG Paints Arena
23 mi LandmarkFort PittSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Acrisure Stadium: Fo2grfr, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kennywood: Ski2007 of English Wikipedia, Public domain · Fort Duquesne: Sébastien Paquin, CC BY-SA 3.0 · PNC Park: alpineinc, CC BY 2.0 · PPG Paints Arena: Jleedev, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fort Pitt: Downtown_Pittsburgh_May_2008.jpg: Allie Caufield derivative work: GrapedApe (tal, CC BY 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
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
2 within 15 miles of the center of Buffalo Township
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New KensingtonUniversity or college · Public · New Kensington11 mi$14,408 in-state tuitionButler County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Butler12.4 mi$5,910 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Buffalo Township residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Pennsylvania.
About Buffalo Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Buffalo Township is a township in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,896 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1795
- Area
- 24 sq mi
Buffalo Township’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Buffalo Township.
Harrison Township next door grades lower for schools (C to Buffalo Township’s A) and higher for cost of living (A− to C+).
FreeportFawn TownshipWinfield TownshipClinton TownshipHarrison TownshipSouth Buffalo TownshipAllegheny TownshipBuffalo Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Township | #223 | A | C+ | — | A | B+ |
| Freeport | — | — | A | — | A | C+ |
| Fawn Township | — | — | B+ | — | C | C+ |
| Winfield Township | #334 | A− | C+ | — | A | B+ |
| Clinton Township | #270 | A | B | — | A | B+ |
| Harrison Township | #407 | B+ | A− | A− | C | B− |
| South Buffalo Township | #91 | A+ | A− | A | A | B |
| Allegheny Township | #219 | A | B+ | A | A− | B− |
Freeport and Fawn Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Buffalo Township, Freeport, Fawn Township, Winfield Township and Clinton Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Buffalo Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Buffalo Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Buffalo Township, PA a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Buffalo Township grades A overall, better than 88% of U.S. towns and #223 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades B+ for health and A for schools.
Is Buffalo Township, PA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.