City · Minnesota
Buffalo Lake, Minnesota
Buffalo Lake, city, in Renville County, Minnesota. Buffalo Lake had 637 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 660 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 635 (±131). GEOID 2708488.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
637
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 660 · ACS 2020-2024: 635 ±131
Median household income
$66,167
±$5,539 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$113,400
±$31,193 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$759
±$187 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Buffalo Lake and what county is it in?
Buffalo Lake is a city in Renville County, Minnesota. It covers 0.7 square miles of land, 968 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Buffalo Lake, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 637 people lived in Buffalo Lake on July 1, 2025, down 2.6% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 660 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 635 (±131).
| Measure | Buffalo Lake | Renville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 635 ±131 | 14,558 | no clear change |
| Households | 210 ±40 | 6,056 | −65 |
| Average household size | 2.64 ±0.48 | 2.34 | +0.62 |
| Housing units | 268 ±45 | 6,916 | no clear change |
Buffalo Lake's population since 2000
From 768 in 2000 to 637 in 2025: down 17.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Buffalo Lake as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
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 Lake?
The median resident of Buffalo Lake is 42.8 years old; 25.8% are under 18 and 30.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 65.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 30.9%.
| Measure | Buffalo Lake | Renville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 ±15.0 | 42.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.8% ±6.6 pts | 23.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 30.2% ±8.7 pts | 22.2% | – |
| Male | 50.4% ±5.9 pts | 50.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 30.9% ±14.3 pts | 10.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 65.7% ±13.8 pts | 84.9% | −19.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.1 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 9.6% ±7.8 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 16.2% ±10.1 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.3% ±3.8 pts | 6.8% | – |
| With a disability | 19.2% ±4.1 pts | 13.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.6% ±8.1 pts | 4.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.0% ±9.6 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.1% ±11.1 pts | 18.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.9% ±3.4 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.2% ±3.5 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.8% ±1.2 pts | 1.2% | – |
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 Lake earn?
Half of Buffalo Lake's 210 households earn less than $66,167 a year (±$5,539), against $70,625 in Renville County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 the median was $52,396 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $13,771 after inflation. 20.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Buffalo Lake | Renville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,167 ±$5,539 | $70,625 | +$13,771 |
| Mean household income | $70,844 ±$9,347 | $89,051 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,361 ±$4,413 | $37,576 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 20.1% ±8.8 pts | 11.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 23.2% ±16.3 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.2% ±3.3 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.8% ±5.2 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 80.0% ±10.2 pts | 85.8% | – |
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 Lake?
Owners occupy 77.6% of Buffalo Lake's occupied homes and renters 22.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $113,400 by its owner (±$31,193). The median renter pays $759 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Buffalo Lake | Renville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $113,400 ±$31,193 | $163,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $759 ±$187 | $790 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 26.7% ±19.0 pts | 38.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,083 ±$132 | $1,448 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 77.6% ±8.9 pts | 80.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 22.4% ±8.9 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Housing units | 268 ±45 | 6,916 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 5.2% ±7.9 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±35.7 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 84.7% ±8.7 pts | 84.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.7% ±7.8 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±8.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.7% ±0.9 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 19.8% ±8.9 pts | 30.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.3% ±5.5 pts | 5.7% | – |
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 many new homes is Buffalo Lake building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Buffalo Lake in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Minnesota.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Buffalo Lake work and get to work?
85.1% of Buffalo Lake's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 29.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.7%.
| Measure | Buffalo Lake | Renville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 46.6% ±7.2 pts | 63.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% ±3.5 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 85.1% ±7.7 pts | 78.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 1.4% ±1.8 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±9.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 5.1% ±4.0 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.4% ±5.9 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.3 min ±3.2 | 20.9 min | +8.3 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 Lake?
No census tract lies mostly in Buffalo Lake; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 7901Renville County | 2,747 | $69,479 |
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 Lake) · Census block assignment files
How does Buffalo Lake compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Buffalo Lake is the 12,224th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 444th-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Buffalo Lake is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 444th | 855 |
Buffalo Lake's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Buffalo Lake 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 Lake?
21 of the 57 figures for Buffalo Lake 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 Lake 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' public schools in Buffalo Lake.