Buffalo, TX, Auction Barn IMG 2296, 2011
Buffalo’s story
154 years in pictures
Census counts: 190 in 1880, 1,767 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2011 and 3 maps from 1956 on.
- 1872Buffalo is settled
BuffaloTX
A town of 1,906, settled in 1872.
Photo: Billy Hathorn · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,906
2025 Census estimate · +8.1% since 2020
Typical home
$288K
+2.4% in a year
Household income
$45K
median
Median age
40.7
years
Jobs based here
1,240
A job hub
Is Buffalo a good place to live?
Buffalo’s best subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A− for schools; its weakest is a D− for incomes. On cost of living, just 43 of Texas’ 998 towns do better. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 93% of the country. Only 54 of Texas’ 990 towns score lower on incomes. Buffalo has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Buffalo stand out
Where Buffalo beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Buffalo$288K
Texas$296K
Cost of livingA+
4.7 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 97% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here1,240
Residents who work615
Work
2 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 93% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,146 people come to Buffalo for work
Where Buffalo’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,240jobs based in Buffalo
15%of working residents work in town
65 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Buffalo grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Texas), ordered by how far Buffalo is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →Jobs & income1,240 jobs based hereD−Open →HealthFreestone Medical Center 19.4 miles awayDOpen →SchoolsA−Open →SafetyCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 34% of U.S. communities; cold waves tops the listBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.6 of 20; 1.6% of households have no car; 3.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC+Open →History2 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life2.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 95° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 40.7; 8% 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.
PowerOncorEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Buffalo water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Buffalo’s trash rules yet
Register to voteIn personTexas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLeon County Early Voting ClerkLeon County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code7583175831 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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
With 2.0 jobs for every working resident, Buffalo draws in 1,146 commuters
Most working residents leave Buffalo for work: only 15% work in town. 18% of residents live below the poverty line in Buffalo, above both Texas’ towns (12%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Buffalo’s median household income is $45,000.
15%work in town
| Buffalo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 12% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $45,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Buffalo15%
Houston12%
Austin5%
Centerville3%
Huntsville3%
65 mi
median commute distance
1,240
jobs based in Buffalo
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 57% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsA−
Public schools in Buffalo beat 78% of Texas districts
Its public schools are run by Buffalo ISD. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Buffalo H S, with 304 students.
78%of TX districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo J HLargest public middle schoolGrades 3–8 | Grades 3–8 | 414 | B+ |
| Buffalo H SLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 304 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduation
HealthD
For health, Buffalo earns a D
23% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance in Buffalo, where Texas’ towns sit at 18% and U.S. towns at 8.1%. 30% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Buffalo. Buffalo beats the Texas average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 20.
7%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Buffalo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 18% | 8.1% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 24% | 19% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 30% | 25% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 20% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Texas
0 better11 too close to call20 worse
| What stands out | Buffalo | TX |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.5% | 12.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.3% | 5.7% |
| More smokers | 18.4% | 12.5% |
Freestone Medical Center
19.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
32%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Buffalo1.6
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Buffalo11.4
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
32nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
22
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Buffalo
Buffalo has mild winters and hot summers. The July high in Buffalo is 94°F.
95°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter38–61°
Spring55–77°
Summer72–93°
Fall55–79°
Nov 12
typical first frost
Mar 20
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
95°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Buffalo faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 66% of U.S. communities.
34risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A+
Homes in Buffalo are worth about $288K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Buffalo home is worth about $288,000, up 2.4% in a year, close to the Texas typical home. 60% of Buffalo households own their home.
$288KZillow home value
| Buffalo | Texas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $733 a month | $1,208 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 60% | 69% | 73% |
Typical home value
Buffalo$288K
Texas$296K
+2.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Buffalo
18pages on Buffalo
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 78% of TX districts · 3 schoolsSafetyC1.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than TX on 0 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$288K typical home · up 2.4% in a yearWork & commuteD−$45K median household income · 1,240 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 34% of U.S. communities · cold waves
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Buffalo; the nearest are
Navarro CollegeCommunity college · Public · Corsicana49.6 mi$3,008 in-state tuitionSam Houston State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Huntsville59.9 mi$9,228 in-state tuitionTexas State Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Waco61.3 mi$7,212 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Buffalo residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Texas.
About Buffalo
City in Texas, United States
Buffalo is a city in Leon County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,767 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1872
- Area
- 4.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 384 ft
- ZIP code
- 75831
- Area code
- 903
Questions about Buffalo
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Buffalo, TX 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+.
What is Buffalo, TX known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Luther Burleson and Dan Daniels.