City profile · Wyoming · Census ACS 2023

Buffalo, WY

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.

4,516
Residents
$61,813
Median income
$272,300
Median home
$1,115
Median rent (state)

Buffalo - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Buffalo places in the 38th percentile for household income and the 70th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

38th
percentile, household income
60th
percentile, home value
30th
percentile, median rent
70th
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, WY

Wyoming's Buffalo is a small town, with 4,516 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Buffalo households earn a median of $61,813 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.6%. Buffalo's housing stock carries a median value of $272,300, and the median resident age is 49.4 years. About 30.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 52.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 7 residential building permits were authorized in Buffalo (Construction Slowdown), down 59% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Buffalo reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 853.4 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Buffalo's yearly average temperature at 43.4°F with 13.8 inches of precipitation per year and 42.7 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Wyoming run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Wyoming at 92.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,115 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Wyoming's average monthly utility costs around $180 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 19.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

4,516 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wyoming

Median Household Income

$61,813 /yr

Poverty 8.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wyoming average

How does Buffalo compare to other US cities?

Buffalo measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 38% higher than other cities
Home value 60% pricier than other cities
Median rent 30% pricier than other cities
Safety 70% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Wyoming, Buffalo ranks #8 of 24 Wyoming cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Buffalo's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Wyoming, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

38thIncome percentile
70thSafety percentile

38th percentile nationally for median household income · 70th 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 54 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+)

$272,300 40th percentile more affordable than 40% 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%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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, WY Buffalo, WY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Buffalo, WY-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, WY median $61,813/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, WY'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, WY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 30.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.2%

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

Population
4,516
Median Income
$61,813
Median Home Value
$272,300
Median Age
49.4
Poverty Rate
8.6%
Labor force participation
52.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
30.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
853.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
85.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
768.1
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
43.4°F
Annual Precipitation
13.8"
Annual Snowfall
42.7"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,400 residents4,500 residents4,600 residents4,700 residents4,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,442 residents 4,733 residents ▲ +6.6%
Buffalo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
7
housing units authorized
Single-Family
7
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 17
2020 18
2021 37
2022 13
2023 16
2024 7

Permit volume decreased 59% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
66.6%
Carpool
5.5%
Public Transit
1.2%
Walk
8.9%
Work from Home
17.2%
Other
0.6%

Based on 1,943 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$180
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wyoming 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 Wyoming 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
92.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,115/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
19.3 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wyoming

South Greeley
4,596 people
Mills
4,315 people
Worland
4,788 people
Fox Farm-College
4,224 people
Wheatland
3,570 people
Newcastle
3,348 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Buffalo's 4,516 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Dardanelle, AR
4,517 people
Heritage, CT
4,517 people
Seat Pleasant, MD
4,515 people
Suquamish, WA
4,515 people
Prospect, KY
4,518 people
Wellington, OH
4,514 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Buffalo's $61,813 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Youngsville, NC
$61,813 median income
Reader, WV
$61,815 median income
Delano, CA
$61,817 median income
McComb, OH
$61,809 median income
Bluewater, AZ
$61,818 median income
Underwood, IN
$61,818 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Buffalo, WY 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, WY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.5% White 94.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 1.0% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.5% Two or more races 2.2% 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 Wyoming 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) 4,516 $61,813
South Greeley 4,596 $53,625
Mills 4,315 $55,594
Worland 4,788 $60,603
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WY FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Buffalo, WY?

What is the population of Buffalo, WY? +

Buffalo, WY counts 4,516 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Buffalo runs $61,813, 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 Wyoming state average, a cost of living index of 92.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wyoming vary by metro area.

Is Buffalo, WY safe? +

Buffalo has a total crime rate of 853.4 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, WY? +

A typical home in Buffalo is worth $272,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Buffalo? +

Buffalo has an average annual temperature of 43.4°F, 13.8 inches of precipitation, and 42.7 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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 Editorial

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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.