City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Buffalo, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Buffalo - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,090
Residents
$74,773
Median income
$120,400
Median home
$1,143
Median rent (state)

Buffalo - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Buffalo lands in the 56th percentile for household income and the 96th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

56th
percentile, household income
18th
percentile, home value
32nd
percentile, median rent
96th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Buffalo, IA

1,090 people live in Buffalo, Iowa - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Buffalo households earn a median of $74,773 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.4%. Home values in Buffalo run a median of $120,400, and the median resident age is 39.3 years. Educational attainment runs 12.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 65.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 0 residential units were authorized in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier. Buffalo reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 172.6 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Iowa scores 87.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,143 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 84.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

1,090 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$74,773 /yr

Poverty 14.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Buffalo compare to other US cities?

Where Buffalo sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 56% higher than other cities
Home value 18% pricier than other cities
Median rent 32% pricier than other cities
Safety 96% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Iowa and the picture shifts: Buffalo ranks #9 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Buffalo against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Iowa only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Iowa-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Buffalo toward the top of Iowa's cities

Among the 858 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Buffalo ranks #106 - the 88th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Buffalo only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#245 of 845
71st percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#114 of 858
85th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#404 of 849
52nd percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#106 of 858
88th percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#640 of 858
25th percentile in Iowa

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Iowa only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

56thIncome percentile
96thSafety percentile

56th percentile nationally for median household income · 96th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Buffalo's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Buffalo's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 76 Avg. percentile National median
Buffalo's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Buffalo's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$120,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 82% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Buffalo $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Buffalo, IA Buffalo, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Buffalo, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Buffalo, IA median $74,773/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Buffalo, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Buffalo, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,090
Median Income
$74,773
Median Home Value
$120,400
Median Age
39.3
Poverty Rate
14.4%
Labor force participation
65.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
172.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
86.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
86.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,140 residents1,150 residents1,160 residents1,170 residents1,180 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,171 residents 1,146 residents ▼ -2.1%
Buffalo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 2
2021 0
2022 2
2023 0
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
87.4%
Carpool
8.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
3.7%
Other
0.6%

Based on 564 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Buffalo sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,143/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
84.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Sully
1,092 people
Eddyville
1,085 people
Neola
1,098 people
Winthrop
1,081 people
Larchwood
1,076 people
Fruitland
1,107 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Buffalo's 1,090 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Heritage Creek, KY
1,090 people
Chocowinity, NC
1,090 people
Faith, NC
1,090 people
Joseph, OR
1,090 people
Leetsdale, PA
1,090 people
Martindale, TX
1,090 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Buffalo's $74,773 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Logan, ND
$74,773 median income
Heath, OH
$74,773 median income
Woodbury, NJ
$74,769 median income
Cherry Valley, IL
$74,766 median income
El Mirage, AZ
$74,764 median income
Caldwell, TX
$74,764 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Buffalo, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Buffalo, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.4% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.1% White 90.4% Black or African American 0.8% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 7.6% Two or more races 1.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Buffalo compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Buffalo (this city) 1,090 $74,773
Sully 1,092 $86,576
Eddyville 1,085 $61,205
Neola 1,098 $68,859
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Buffalo, IA?

What is the population of Buffalo, IA? +

Buffalo, IA counts 1,090 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Buffalo, IA? +

Median annual household income in Buffalo runs $74,773, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Buffalo? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Buffalo; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

Is Buffalo, IA safe? +

Buffalo has a total crime rate of 172.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Buffalo, IA? +

Buffalo's median home value sits at $120,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.