The Town FilesBuffalo, Wyoming
City in Johnson County · population 4,415 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $300,500
- Household income
- $62,629
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 48.0
Buffalo is a city of 4,415 people in Johnson County, Wyoming. The median home is worth $300,500, above the typical Wyoming town ($270,400). It ranks hipper than 100% of Wyoming towns, better for first-time buyers than 91% of Wyoming towns, better for retirees than 87% of Wyoming towns.
How Buffalo ranks
Percentile among Wyoming towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wyoming towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Buffalo is worth $300,500, above the typical Wyoming town ($270,400). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $62,629, which is more affordable than 30% of Wyoming towns. Median rent is $1,019 a month. 78.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Buffalo | Typical Wyoming town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $300,500 | $270,400 |
| Median rent | $1,019 | $902 |
| Median household income | $62,629 | $69,545 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 78.6% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Buffalo
| People | Buffalo | Typical Wyoming town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.0 | 39.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.4% | 18.2% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.9% | 24.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 9.8% |
| Veterans | 11.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 17.0% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 12.9 min | 17.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 89.6% |
Weather in Buffalo
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 10.7°F. About 13.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.7 inches of snow (typical Wyoming town: 55.7 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buffalo since 1950, compared with 4 for the typical Wyoming town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 9, 1977 about 5.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 18, 1979.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 6, 2023.
Severe weather in Johnson County since 1996
Johnson County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| November 13, 2024 | Fire | DR-4845: Wildfires |
| August 22, 2024 | Fire | FM-5531: House Draw Fire |
| April 11, 2020 | Biological | DR-4535: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3479: Covid-19 |
| July 7, 2015 | Flood | DR-4227: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Johnson County
Johnson County had 3,387 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,306 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Buffalo itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Buffalo
5 public schools with 1,092 students, about 11.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo High School | 9-12 | 334 | 12.8 |
| Clear Creek Middle School | 6-8 | 259 | 11.3 |
| Meadowlark Elementary | K-2 | 247 | 9.9 |
| Cloud Peak Elementary | 3-5 | 218 | 9.9 |
| New West High School | 9-12 | 34 | 11.3 |
Buffalo questions
Is Buffalo, Wyoming a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Buffalo scores better for retirees than 87% of Wyoming towns and quieter than 55%. 31.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.0).
How much does a house cost in Buffalo?
The median owner-occupied home in Buffalo is valued at $300,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,629, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,019 a month.
What is the weather like in Buffalo?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 10.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.8 inches of precipitation a year and 42.7 inches of snow.
Does Buffalo get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buffalo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 9, 1977. The typical Wyoming town has had 4.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)