Buffalo, South Dakota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buffalo, South Dakota
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Harding County Courthouse in Buffalo
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Location in Harding County and the state of South Dakota
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| Country | United States |
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Harding |
| Incorporated | 1949 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.55 sq mi (1.43 km2) |
| • Land | 0.55 sq mi (1.43 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,897 ft (883 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 346 |
| • Density | 624.55/sq mi (241.29/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
57720
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| Area code(s) | 605 |
| FIPS code | 46-08140 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1267302 |
Buffalo is a small town in South Dakota, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Harding County, South Dakota. In 2020, about 346 people lived there.
Contents
History of Buffalo
Buffalo was started in the year 1909. It got its name from the many bison that used to live in this area. People often mistakenly call bison "buffalo." The town is about 50 miles west of another town called Bison, South Dakota.
Geography and Climate
Where is Buffalo Located?
According to the United States Census Bureau, Buffalo covers a total area of about 0.55 square miles (1.43 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Understanding Buffalo's Climate
Buffalo has a cold semi-arid climate. This means it's usually dry, but not a desert. Summers have cool mornings and very warm or hot afternoons. Winters are often freezing, but the weather can change quickly. This is because of warm Chinook winds and cold Arctic air.
The town gets about 14.5 inches (368 mm) of rain each year. Most of this rain falls from April to August. Buffalo is in USDA hardiness zone 4a. This means temperatures can drop very low, sometimes to -30 to -25 degrees Fahrenheit (-34 to -32 degrees Celsius).
| Climate data for Buffalo, South Dakota (2,881 feet above sea level) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 69.0 (20.6) |
72.0 (22.2) |
82.0 (27.8) |
94.0 (34.4) |
101.0 (38.3) |
108.0 (42.2) |
113.0 (45.0) |
114.0 (45.6) |
105.0 (40.6) |
95.0 (35.0) |
84.0 (28.9) |
70.0 (21.1) |
114.0 (45.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 33.0 (0.6) |
37.0 (2.8) |
47.0 (8.3) |
59.0 (15.0) |
68.0 (20.0) |
78.0 (25.6) |
87.0 (30.6) |
87.0 (30.6) |
76.0 (24.4) |
61.0 (16.1) |
45.0 (7.2) |
34.0 (1.1) |
59.3 (15.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 21.5 (−5.8) |
25.0 (−3.9) |
34.0 (1.1) |
44.5 (6.9) |
54.5 (12.5) |
64.0 (17.8) |
71.0 (21.7) |
70.0 (21.1) |
59.5 (15.3) |
46.5 (8.1) |
32.5 (0.3) |
22.5 (−5.3) |
45.5 (7.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 10.0 (−12.2) |
13.0 (−10.6) |
21.0 (−6.1) |
30.0 (−1.1) |
41.0 (5.0) |
50.0 (10.0) |
55.0 (12.8) |
53.0 (11.7) |
43.0 (6.1) |
32.0 (0.0) |
20.0 (−6.7) |
11.0 (−11.7) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −57.0 (−49.4) |
−50.0 (−45.6) |
−33.0 (−36.1) |
−12.0 (−24.4) |
4.0 (−15.6) |
24.0 (−4.4) |
32.0 (0.0) |
27.0 (−2.8) |
9.0 (−12.8) |
−17.0 (−27.2) |
−28.0 (−33.3) |
−46.0 (−43.3) |
−57.0 (−49.4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.31 (7.9) |
0.31 (7.9) |
0.71 (18) |
1.38 (35) |
2.54 (65) |
2.69 (68) |
2.13 (54) |
1.38 (35) |
1.21 (31) |
1.14 (29) |
0.50 (13) |
0.29 (7.4) |
14.59 (371.2) |
| Source: Weather Channel | |||||||||||||
People of Buffalo
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1950 | 380 | — | |
| 1960 | 652 | 71.6% | |
| 1970 | 393 | −39.7% | |
| 1980 | 453 | 15.3% | |
| 1990 | 488 | 7.7% | |
| 2000 | 380 | −22.1% | |
| 2010 | 330 | −13.2% | |
| 2020 | 346 | 4.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
In 2010, the town of Buffalo had 330 people living there. These people lived in 168 households, and 86 of these were families. The town had about 600 people per square mile.
Most of the people in Buffalo were White (97.3%). A small number were Native American (0.9%) or from other backgrounds. About 1.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Households and Age
Out of the 168 households, about 22% had children under 18 years old. Many households (41.7%) were married couples living together. Almost half of all households (46.4%) were made up of single individuals. About 19.6% of households had someone aged 65 or older living alone.
The average age of people in Buffalo was 43.8 years. About 21.2% of residents were under 18. About 17.9% were 65 years old or older. The town had slightly more males (52.7%) than females (47.3%).
See also
In Spanish: Buffalo (Dakota del Sur) para niños
