Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,329, settled in 1902.
Buffalo’s best subject grade is an A+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for health. 51% of residents live below the poverty line in Buffalo, against 17% in South Carolina’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. No town in South Carolina scores lower than Buffalo on health. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 96% of U.S. towns. Buffalo Mill Historic District and Cedar Bluff is on the National Register of Historic Places. 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.
| Widest gap | Buffalo | SC |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 34.6% | 13.9% |
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Buffalo is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1986.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Buffalo is unincorporated, so Union County and regional agencies provide most services.
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.
37% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Buffalo, above both South Carolina’s towns (23%) and U.S. towns (19%). 22% of adults report frequent mental distress in Buffalo. Of the 170 South Carolina towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Buffalo.
| Buffalo | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 23% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 15% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 15% | 14% |
| What stands out | Buffalo | SC |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 34.6% | 13.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 17.3% | 7.5% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 35.9% | 17.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Buffalo’s median household income is $22,000. Since 2013, Buffalo has lost 241 jobs, to 99 in 2023. Buffalo’s average trip to work is 34 minutes.
| Buffalo | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $22,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.1% | 6.1% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 71% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Buffalo has mild winters and warm summers. The July high in Buffalo is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Buffalo | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.8% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Buffalo Community Park | 0.3 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
97% of Buffalo households own their home.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1 within 15 miles of the center of Buffalo
About 1 of every 100 Buffalo residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
Where Buffalo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
CDP in South Carolina, United States
Buffalo is a census-designated place (CDP) in Union County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,266 at the 2010 United States census.
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. The typical home is worth about $46,000, 85% below the South Carolina 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+.