The Town FilesBuffalo, Minnesota
City in Wright County · population 16,168 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $314,400
- Household income
- $88,820
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 38.6
Buffalo is a city of 16,168 people in Wright County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $314,400, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more vibrant than 91% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 87% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 87% of Minnesota towns.
How Buffalo ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Buffalo is worth $314,400, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $88,820, which is more affordable than 45% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,182 a month. 74.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Buffalo | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $314,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,182 | $991 |
| Median household income | $88,820 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 74.3% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Buffalo
| People | Buffalo | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 12.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.8% | 90.2% |
Weather in Buffalo
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 2.7°F. About 31.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.8 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buffalo since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 19, 1951 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 29, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 104 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on July 13, 2024.
Severe weather in Wright County since 1996
Wright County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 19, 2010 | Flood | EM-3310: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Wright County
Wright County had 48,758 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,999 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Buffalo itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in Buffalo
14 public schools with 2,965 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BUFFALO COMMUNITY MIDDLE | 6-8 | 1,140 | 20.7 |
| Tatanka Elementary STEM School | K-5 | 420 | 14.0 |
| NORTHWINDS ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 408 | 14.6 |
| PARKSIDE ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 340 | 13.1 |
| DISCOVERY ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 256 | 17.1 |
| BUFFALO EARLY CHILD. SP. ED PROGRAM | PK-PK | 159 | 17.7 |
| Terra Nova School (charter) | 6-12 | 110 | 15.7 |
| WRIGHT TECHNICAL CENTER ALC | 9-12 | 83 | 16.6 |
| SWMetro Buffalo-Transitions | 9-12 | 22 | — |
| CORNERSTONES PROGRAM | 6-12 | 16 | 4.0 |
| Eastern Wright Program | 5-8 | 8 | 4.0 |
| WRIGHT TECHNICAL CENTER ALC MIDDLE | 6-8 | 3 | — |
Towns near Buffalo
- Rockford, MN5.0 mi · 3,371 people · home $404,900
- Monticello, MN6.1 mi · 3,309 people · home $370,800
- Montrose, MN8.3 mi · 3,775 people · home $275,700
- Rockford, MN8.4 mi · 4,500 people · home $329,200
- St. Michael, MN8.6 mi · 18,235 people · home $390,100
- Monticello, MN8.8 mi · 14,455 people · home $323,700
- Hanover, MN9.9 mi · 3,548 people · home $447,900
- Greenfield, MN10.3 mi · 2,903 people · home $567,700
Buffalo questions
Is Buffalo, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Buffalo scores better for retirees than 37% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 13%. 17.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Buffalo?
The median owner-occupied home in Buffalo is valued at $314,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,820, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,182 a month.
What is the weather like in Buffalo?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 2.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.7 inches of precipitation a year and 39.8 inches of snow.
Does Buffalo get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Buffalo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 19, 1951. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- 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)