Population 1,808 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Buffalo County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Buffalo County
Household size in Buffalo County
| Period | Buffalo County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.83 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.77 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.60 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.72 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Buffalo County is a place of big households: 3.72 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has dropped from 3.83 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change. Of South Dakota's 66 counties, only two have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Buffalo County
| Period | Buffalo County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.3 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 27.8 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 25.5 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 22.8 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.6 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Buffalo County is young: half of its residents are under 22.8, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward families with many children. Buffalo County has the youngest population of any South Dakota county.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Buffalo County
| Period | Buffalo County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.3% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.6% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 35.6% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 34.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −9.2 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about a third of households in Buffalo County (34.1%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Only two of South Dakota's 66 counties have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Buffalo County
Renters in Buffalo County
| Period | Buffalo County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.4% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 59.3% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.7% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.4% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −23.9 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Buffalo County than nationally: 47.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 95.6% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Of South Dakota's 66 counties, only three have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Buffalo County
| Period | Buffalo County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Buffalo County than nationally: 12.5%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Compared with other South Dakota counties, though, Buffalo County has a lower vacancy rate than most.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Buffalo County
| Period | Buffalo County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +9 | +6 |
The typical home in Buffalo County was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in South Dakota overall, where the median home dates to 1981.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Buffalo County
| Period | Buffalo County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $460 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $576 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $425 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $597 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$137 | +$369 | +$606 |
Rent in Buffalo County runs $597 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 21.6% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Buffalo County has lower rents than at least four in five South Dakota counties.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Buffalo County
Bachelor's degrees in Buffalo County
| Period | Buffalo County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Buffalo County: 10.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Buffalo County has the lowest share of college graduates of any South Dakota county.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Buffalo County
| Period | Buffalo County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.5% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.8% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.2% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.0% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.5 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Buffalo County is close to the national rate: 88.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in South Dakota overall (93.1%). Buffalo County has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five South Dakota counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Buffalo County
| Period | Buffalo County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.3% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.8% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −17.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Buffalo County: 11.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of South Dakota's 66 counties, only six have higher unemployment. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Buffalo County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County | 3.72 | 22.8 | 34.1% | 47.4% | 12.5% | 1977 | $597 | 10.4% | 88.0% | 11.2% |
| Lyman County | 3.54 | 36.8 | 17.8% | 30.1% | 22.4% | 1977 | $708 | 22.8% | 87.8% | 4.7% |
| Jerauld County | 2.20 | 50.8 | 6.4% | 15.9% | 18.5% | 1958 | $737 | 21.5% | 93.5% | 1.6% |
| Sanborn County | 2.51 | 39.7 | 4.0% | 21.4% | 19.5% | 1958 | $778 | 21.8% | 89.1% | 0.6% |
| Miner County | 2.42 | 48.1 | 6.9% | 15.2% | 16.9% | 1954 | $638 | 16.4% | 94.9% | 0.2% |
| Haakon County | 2.42 | 47.0 | 0.8% | 20.8% | 23.2% | 1975 | $495 | 21.1% | 96.4% | 0.0% |
| Lake County | 2.25 | 45.0 | 7.5% | 26.2% | 16.3% | 1970 | $945 | 35.3% | 93.5% | 3.1% |
| Moody County | 2.50 | 41.1 | 9.8% | 26.5% | 6.8% | 1971 | $864 | 31.6% | 95.3% | 2.6% |
| Pipestone County | 2.34 | 40.6 | 8.8% | 19.2% | 8.7% | 1955 | $775 | 22.0% | 92.6% | 3.0% |
| Murray County | 2.22 | 46.1 | 6.5% | 17.8% | 12.4% | 1960 | $832 | 23.5% | 91.7% | 2.6% |
| Pennington County | 2.41 | 40.7 | 10.2% | 30.7% | 10.8% | 1985 | $1,202 | 34.6% | 94.4% | 3.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Cameron Parish, LA · Crockett County, TX · Crane County, TX · Craig County, VA · Covington City, VA · Pendleton County, WV · Perkins County, NE · Cook County, MN · Powder River County, MT · Sierra County, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Buffalo County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.