Buffalo County, South Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Buffalo County, SD Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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F
Health Well below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in South Dakota
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F
Income Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in South Dakota
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F
Education Well below averageLeast educated county in South Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Buffalo County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,808 | 907,403 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3.7 | 11.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.53% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 23.4 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 508 | 365,533 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Buffalo County declined by 13.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 1,808 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Buffalo County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 27.7% of residents. That is 5.8 points above South Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 501 27.7% +5.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 328 18.2% -2.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 271 15.0% -3.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 184 10.2% -7.1 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below South Dakota, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 47.5% of the people living in Buffalo County and men 52.5%.
- Women 47.5% South Dakota 49.6%
- Men 52.5% South Dakota 50.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Buffalo County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Buffalo County has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Buffalo County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,368 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.37% | 4.61% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 10.8% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Buffalo County is about 37% lower than in South Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Buffalo County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | — | $92,142 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $539 | $946 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 52.6% | 68.6% | 65.2% |
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Buffalo County spend about 17 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 69 hours, about 2.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Buffalo County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 8.3 | 15.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 16.6 | 30.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 69 | 128 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $2,139 | $3,961 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.3% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,600 | 2,777 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 70 | 353 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
South Dakota:
Jones County (6.7 min), Bennett County (7.5 min), Jackson County (7.8 min).
Slowest:
Custer County (25.5 min), McCook County (25.4 min), Turner County (23.1 min).
The average commute time in Buffalo County is 8 minutes, shorter than the 15 minutes in South Dakota.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Buffalo County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Buffalo County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.1% | 28.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.56 | 2.40 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
South Dakota:
Clay County (0.4), Lincoln County (0.3), Stanley County (0.3).
Lowest:
Buffalo County (0.1), Mellette County (0.2), Oglala Lakota County (0.2).
Health
Buffalo County has a health index of F, which means it scores poorly in health.
| Metric | Buffalo County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 74.8 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 25.6% | 13.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 37.9% | 19.9% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
South Dakota:
Brookings County (0.8), Lincoln County (0.8), Clay County (0.8).
Lowest:
Todd County (0.7), Buffalo County (0.7), Mellette County (0.7).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Buffalo County, South Dakota.
How many people live in Buffalo County, South Dakota?
About 1,808 people live in Buffalo County, South Dakota, in 508 households of 3.6 people on average. The median age is 23.4, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 14 years.
Is Buffalo County, South Dakota urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Buffalo County, South Dakota has 4 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 4% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is unemployment high in Buffalo County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Buffalo County, South Dakota is 10.8%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Buffalo County, South Dakota?
6.1% of adults in Buffalo County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 16), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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