Population 298 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Buffalo Prairie
Household size in Buffalo Prairie
| Period | Buffalo Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.15 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.27 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Buffalo Prairie are small: just 2.40 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home.
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 Prairie
| Period | Buffalo Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.3 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 51.6 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.1 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.1 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −4.2 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.1, Buffalo Prairie is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 49.3, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Prairie
| Period | Buffalo Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Buffalo Prairie: 7.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
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 Prairie
Renters in Buffalo Prairie
| Period | Buffalo Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.2% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.7% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.7 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Buffalo Prairie is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 12.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over four in ten owners (42.5%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally.
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 Prairie
| Period | Buffalo Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Buffalo Prairie than nationally: 7.4%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Illinois as a whole looks much the same.
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 Prairie
| Period | Buffalo Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +4 | +6 |
Buffalo Prairie is a place of older homes: half were built before 1970, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The picture is much the same across Illinois.
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 Prairie
| Period | Buffalo Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $397 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $429 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $825 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $785 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$388 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Buffalo Prairie pays $785 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 20.8% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Prairie
Bachelor's degrees in Buffalo Prairie
| Period | Buffalo Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.4% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.0% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.7% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Buffalo Prairie than nationally: 25.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
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 Prairie
| Period | Buffalo Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.8% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.1% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.6% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Buffalo Prairie: 96.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 Prairie
| Period | Buffalo Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.6% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.1% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Buffalo Prairie has been strong: just 0.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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 Prairie compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Prairie | 2.40 | 45.1 | 7.6% | 12.5% | 7.4% | 1970 | $785 | 25.7% | 96.6% | 0.1% |
| Illinois City | 2.23 | 54.3 | 7.9% | 11.1% | 11.8% | 1953 | $872 | 23.2% | 96.8% | 1.3% |
| Hamlet | 2.22 | 48.2 | 4.1% | 9.1% | 9.9% | 1948 | $842 | 23.4% | 93.0% | 0.1% |
| Millersburg | 2.45 | 35.8 | 6.1% | 18.8% | 8.9% | 1964 | $659 | 15.4% | 95.9% | 0.1% |
| Taylor Ridge | 2.46 | 40.7 | 10.6% | 10.1% | 5.0% | 1968 | $869 | 20.9% | 97.2% | 1.7% |
| Reynolds | 2.63 | 39.0 | 12.2% | 15.9% | 6.0% | 1961 | $908 | 17.4% | 96.1% | 4.1% |
| Joy | 2.24 | 34.2 | 6.1% | 17.6% | 9.9% | 1953 | $811 | 11.2% | 91.0% | 1.5% |
| Andalusia | 2.17 | 50.8 | 8.6% | 9.1% | 3.6% | 1969 | $986 | 17.7% | 97.0% | 1.5% |
| New Era | 2.05 | 58.6 | 6.2% | 6.5% | 7.2% | 1972 | $1,332 | 42.1% | 92.5% | 3.3% |
| Montpelier | 1.96 | 57.9 | 6.9% | 9.0% | 3.3% | 1973 | $1,342 | 41.1% | 93.9% | 3.9% |
| Buffalo | 2.45 | 43.3 | 8.0% | 9.9% | 4.7% | 1979 | $801 | 31.1% | 95.5% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Cross Village, MI · South Sutton, MA · Shamrock, LA · Seboyeta, NM · Schley, NC · Scalf, KY · Saum, MN · Sacramento, IL · Rush Hill, MO · Rose Lake, ID
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 Prairie. 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.
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