Census-designated place · Alaska
Buffalo Soapstone, Alaska
Buffalo Soapstone, census-designated place, in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska. Buffalo Soapstone had 1,021 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 739 (±173). GEOID 0209657.
Residents, 2020 Census
1,021
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 739 ±173
Median household income
$68,750
±$23,813 (90% margin)
Alaska: $92,788
Median home value
$289,300
±$83,242 (90% margin)
Alaska: $352,900
Median gross rent
$791
±$556 (90% margin)
Alaska: $1,419
Where is Buffalo Soapstone and what county is it in?
Buffalo Soapstone is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska. It covers 22.1 square miles of land, 46 residents per square mile in 2020.
Buffalo Soapstone is in the Anchorage, AK metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Buffalo Soapstone, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 1,021 residents in Buffalo Soapstone, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 739 (±173).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Buffalo Soapstone is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Buffalo Soapstone | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 739 ±173 | 112,988 | no clear change |
| Households | 318 ±60 | 39,869 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.32 ±0.32 | 2.77 | −0.86 |
| Housing units | 414 ±68 | 51,170 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Buffalo Soapstone?
The median resident of Buffalo Soapstone is 54.1 years old; 16.2% are under 18 and 24.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 76.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 15.7%.
| Measure | Buffalo Soapstone | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.1 ±8.8 | 36.7 | +15.4 |
| Under 18 years | 16.2% ±7.5 pts | 25.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.1% ±7.2 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Male | 49.9% ±4.2 pts | 52.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.4% ±3.4 pts | 5.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 76.2% ±11.5 pts | 75.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 1.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 3.9% ±2.8 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 15.7% ±11.8 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.1% ±2.6 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.8% ±2.0 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.1% ±5.1 pts | 13.3% | – |
| With a disability | 15.4% ±7.0 pts | 14.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 17.6% ±8.9 pts | 11.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.2% ±5.0 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.7% ±8.4 pts | 24.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.6% ±5.3 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.7% ±6.8 pts | 88.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 6.4% ±6.8 pts | 2.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Buffalo Soapstone earn?
Half of Buffalo Soapstone's 318 households earn less than $68,750 a year (±$23,813), against $94,031 in Matanuska-Susitna Borough and $92,788 in Alaska. In 2015-2019 it was $79,659 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 13.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Buffalo Soapstone | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,750 ±$23,813 | $94,031 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $91,929 ±$18,003 | $115,954 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,095 ±$6,151 | $42,386 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.1% ±6.7 pts | 10.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±18.7 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 17.0% ±9.4 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.1% ±1.5 pts | 97.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.6% ±6.2 pts | 93.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Buffalo Soapstone?
Owners occupy 85.2% of Buffalo Soapstone's occupied homes and renters 14.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $289,300 by its owner (±$83,242).
| Measure | Buffalo Soapstone | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $289,300 ±$83,242 | $346,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $791 ±$556 | $1,299 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 63.8% ±35.4 pts | 41.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,660 ±$247 | $2,112 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 85.2% ±7.3 pts | 77.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 14.8% ±7.3 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Housing units | 414 ±68 | 51,170 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 13.0% ±20.0 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 88.9% ±7.6 pts | 83.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.9% ±7.3 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 16.9% ±7.0 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.2% ±3.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 3.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Buffalo Soapstone work and get to work?
72.1% of Buffalo Soapstone's workers drive alone and 20.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 23.8 minutes.
| Measure | Buffalo Soapstone | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 52.3% ±8.6 pts | 60.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 9.0% ±6.4 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 72.1% ±13.8 pts | 71.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.6% ±7.2 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±8.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.7% ±2.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 20.6% ±12.4 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.8 min ±5.0 | 34.8 min | −15.2 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Buffalo Soapstone?
No census tract lies mostly in Buffalo Soapstone; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 8,367 | $107,882 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Buffalo Soapstone) · Census block assignment files
How does Buffalo Soapstone compare with other places in Alaska?
Buffalo Soapstone ranks 54th of 69 places in Alaska with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 70th | 71 |
| Residents per square mile | 47th | 71 |
| Median household income | 54th | 69 |
| Per capita income | 54th | 71 |
| Median home value | 51st | 66 |
| Poverty rate | 19th | 57 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56th | 69 |
| Median age | 2nd | 71 |
| Owner-occupied share | 13th | 68 |
| Work from home | 4th | 50 |
| Travel time to work | 28th | 69 |
Buffalo Soapstone's figures with every place in Alaska (CSV)
Every place in Alaska, sortable · Compare Buffalo Soapstone with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Buffalo Soapstone?
22 of the 57 figures for Buffalo Soapstone on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Buffalo Soapstone are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.