Cedar Bluff · Photo: Bill Fitzpatrick · CC BY-SA 3.0Buffalo’s CDC health estimates rank near the bottom of U.S. towns
Buffalo trails South Carolina on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Buffalo. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Buffalo
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Buffalo
1 in 6 adults have COPD (17.3%), more than twice the South Carolina rate. 1 in 14 adults have had a stroke (6.9%), vs 3.9% across South Carolina. Heart disease is also above the state: 11.8%, vs 6.8% across South Carolina. In all, Buffalo runs above South Carolina on ten of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Buffalo
1 in 4 adults smoke cigarettes (26.7%), about twice the South Carolina rate. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Buffalo
47.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.1% across South Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 34.6% have lost all their teeth (South Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
Buffalo is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Buffalo is healthier than 0%. Against the 107 towns with similar household incomes ($16K–$27K), it’s healthier than 21%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the South Carolina figure falls outside Buffalo’s likely range.
What’s behind Buffalo’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buffalo is near the bottom of U.S. towns. All seven of Buffalo’s estimates fall in the lowest 3% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is physical distress: 23% of adults, against 14% across South Carolina and 13% nationally.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Buffalo’s median household income is $21,614; among the 107 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($16K–$27K), it’s healthier than 21%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Buffalo adults…
Buffalo runs above SC on 11 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of Buffalo residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
0.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Buffalo adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Care in and near Buffalo
No hospital or community health center in Buffalo itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Buffalo; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How Buffalo adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Buffalo runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 Buffalo adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
31.1% of Buffalo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Buffalo and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo | D− | 47.8% | 21.9% | 26.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Buffalo adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Buffalo
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Buffalo is better than South Carolina on 0 and worse on 24; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Buffalo’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Buffalo | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 37.3%32.6–42.4 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 23%20.2–26.2 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22%19.6–24.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 47.8%39.8–56 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 21.9%19.5–24.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 49.6%45.3–54 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44%39.5–48.5 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.9%34.4–41.6 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.4–13.4 | 9.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.2–10.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.8%10.5–13.3 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 17.3%14.9–20.1 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.9%6.1–7.8 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 34.6%29–40.8 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 26.7%22.6–31.1 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 40.9%35.1–47.4 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.3%10.8–16.1 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.4%31.6–48.2 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.3%15.1–23.4 | 11.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80%76.7–83.1 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 47.2%42.7–51.9 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.4%78.8–83.9 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.5%79.2–83.8 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.3%51.5–64.9 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.4%61.1–80.1 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.6%23.8–31.8 | 22.3% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33.9%28.5–39.3 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.6%21.7–29.7 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 35.9%30.6–41.4 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 22.9%19.5–26.3 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 18%15.8–20.5 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 16.9%14.6–19.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 31.1%26.3–35.9 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 48.8%43.6–54.6 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 28.8%25.3–32.8 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 23.7%20.8–27 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.6%10.3–13.1 | 7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 12.3%10.8–14.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 17.6%15.4–20.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 9.9%8.6–11.4 | 4.3% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the South Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Buffalo
Is Buffalo a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buffalo is near the bottom of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 21%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Buffalo?
CDC estimates 47.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 39.8% and 56%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Buffalo?
Union Medical Center in Union, 3.4 miles in a straight line from Buffalo’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Buffalo have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.1–23.4%), against 11.8% across South Carolina.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Buffalo more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays D−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Buffalo.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.