Buffalo, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buffalo, Missouri
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| City of Buffalo | |
Location of Buffalo, Missouri
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Dallas |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.88 sq mi (7.45 km2) |
| • Land | 2.88 sq mi (7.45 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,148 ft (350 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,290 |
| • Density | 1,143.95/sq mi (441.63/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
65622
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| Area code(s) | 417 |
| FIPS code | 29-09514 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2393455 |
| Website | City of Buffalo |
Buffalo is a city in Missouri, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Dallas County. In 2020, about 3,290 people lived here. Buffalo is also part of the larger Springfield, Missouri area.
Contents
History of Buffalo
Buffalo was officially started in 1841. It got its name from a special marker. This marker was a Buffalo Skull placed where two main roads, Highway 65 and Highway 32, now meet. A post office has been open in Buffalo since 1846.
Where is Buffalo? (Geography)
Buffalo is located in the western part of Dallas County. It's about 2.5 miles west of the Niangua River. You can reach the city using U.S. Route 65 and Missouri state roads 73 and 32.
- Bolivar is about 18 miles to the west.
- Marshfield is about 22 miles to the southeast.
- Springfield is about 28 miles to the south-southwest along Route 65.
The city covers a total area of about 2.86 square miles (7.41 km2). All of this area is land.
Buffalo's Climate
Buffalo has a climate with warm summers and mild winters. It gets a good amount of rain throughout the year.
| Climate data for Buffalo, Missouri (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1931–1932, 1961–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 74 (23) |
82 (28) |
85 (29) |
91 (33) |
93 (34) |
102 (39) |
109 (43) |
107 (42) |
100 (38) |
95 (35) |
83 (28) |
77 (25) |
109 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 66.5 (19.2) |
70.4 (21.3) |
78.2 (25.7) |
83.5 (28.6) |
86.9 (30.5) |
91.9 (33.3) |
96.5 (35.8) |
96.8 (36.0) |
91.6 (33.1) |
83.9 (28.8) |
74.1 (23.4) |
67.2 (19.6) |
98.4 (36.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 42.6 (5.9) |
48.0 (8.9) |
57.5 (14.2) |
67.6 (19.8) |
75.6 (24.2) |
83.9 (28.8) |
88.9 (31.6) |
87.5 (30.8) |
80.5 (26.9) |
69.7 (20.9) |
56.7 (13.7) |
46.1 (7.8) |
67.0 (19.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 31.3 (−0.4) |
35.8 (2.1) |
45.0 (7.2) |
54.9 (12.7) |
64.0 (17.8) |
72.6 (22.6) |
77.3 (25.2) |
75.7 (24.3) |
67.6 (19.8) |
56.3 (13.5) |
44.8 (7.1) |
35.1 (1.7) |
55.0 (12.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20.1 (−6.6) |
23.6 (−4.7) |
32.6 (0.3) |
42.2 (5.7) |
52.4 (11.3) |
61.4 (16.3) |
65.8 (18.8) |
63.8 (17.7) |
54.8 (12.7) |
43.0 (6.1) |
32.8 (0.4) |
24.1 (−4.4) |
43.1 (6.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 0.9 (−17.3) |
5.7 (−14.6) |
14.2 (−9.9) |
25.7 (−3.5) |
35.5 (1.9) |
48.7 (9.3) |
54.8 (12.7) |
52.2 (11.2) |
40.1 (4.5) |
27.3 (−2.6) |
14.8 (−9.6) |
7.2 (−13.8) |
−3.4 (−19.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −19 (−28) |
−30 (−34) |
−4 (−20) |
14 (−10) |
27 (−3) |
36 (2) |
44 (7) |
39 (4) |
24 (−4) |
14 (−10) |
1 (−17) |
−28 (−33) |
−30 (−34) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.40 (61) |
2.22 (56) |
3.50 (89) |
4.93 (125) |
5.77 (147) |
4.44 (113) |
3.93 (100) |
4.20 (107) |
4.11 (104) |
3.53 (90) |
3.75 (95) |
2.48 (63) |
45.26 (1,150) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 4.1 (10) |
1.7 (4.3) |
1.2 (3.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.5 (1.3) |
1.5 (3.8) |
9.0 (23) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 6.9 | 6.9 | 9.9 | 10.5 | 12.1 | 10.0 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 7.2 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 6.3 | 102.7 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 6.1 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Buffalo (Demographics)
The number of people living in Buffalo has grown over the years. Here's how the population has changed:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 278 | — | |
| 1880 | 437 | 57.2% | |
| 1890 | 861 | 97.0% | |
| 1900 | 757 | −12.1% | |
| 1910 | 820 | 8.3% | |
| 1920 | 915 | 11.6% | |
| 1930 | 835 | −8.7% | |
| 1940 | 920 | 10.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,213 | 31.8% | |
| 1960 | 1,477 | 21.8% | |
| 1970 | 1,915 | 29.7% | |
| 1980 | 2,217 | 15.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,414 | 8.9% | |
| 2000 | 2,781 | 15.2% | |
| 2010 | 3,084 | 10.9% | |
| 2020 | 3,290 | 6.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 Census Information
In 2010, there were 3,084 people living in Buffalo. There were 1,266 households, which are groups of people living together. About 760 of these were families.
Most people in the city were White (95.8%). A small number were African American, Native American, Asian, or Pacific Islander. Some people were from other races or a mix of races. About 3.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 32.7% of households had children under 18. The average age in Buffalo was 37.9 years old.
Buffalo's Economy
The economy in Buffalo mainly relies on a few key areas:
- Agriculture: Farming and related businesses.
- Government: Jobs with the county or city.
- Education: Jobs at schools.
- Healthcare: Jobs at hospitals and clinics.
Major Employers
Some of the biggest employers in Buffalo include:
- Dallas County R-1 Schools (the local school district)
- Dallas County government
- The City of Buffalo
- Wood's Supermarket
- O'Bannon Bank
- Bank of Urbana
Education in Buffalo
The Dallas County R-1 School District serves students in Buffalo and nearby areas. About 1,700 students attend four schools in the district:
- Mallory Elementary
- Buffalo Prairie Middle School
- Dallas County Technical Center
- Buffalo High School
The school mascot is the Bison, often called "Buffy." The school district is part of the Central Ozarks Conference (COC).
Buffalo also has a public library called the Dallas County Library.
Fun and Recreation
Buffalo has lots of ways to have fun!
- City Parks: There are two large city parks.
- Trails: The city has many trails and sidewalks. These connect Buffalo Prairie Middle School to a new city park.
- Local Activities: You can visit Buffalo Bowl for bowling, enjoy several restaurants, and go to different street festivals throughout the year.
Nearby Nature Areas
The Missouri Department of Conservation manages several areas close to Buffalo, perfect for outdoor activities:
- Barclay Conservation Area
- Bennett Spring Access
- Bennett Spring Fish Hatchery
- Goose Creek Conservation Area
- Lead Mine Conservation Area
Other Fun Spots
You can also find recreation at:
- Pomme de Terre Lake
- Theaters, shopping, and other entertainment in nearby Bolivar, Springfield, and the Lake of the Ozarks area.
Sports in Buffalo
Buffalo's high school sports teams, the Bison, have achieved success:
- In 2015, the Lady Bison high school basketball team made it to the Final 4 at the state competition.
- In 2020, the football team won a district championship.
Arts and Culture
Buffalo is a place where arts and culture thrive:
- The city has hosted the Southwest Missouri Celtic Heritage Festival & Highland Games for many years. This event celebrates Celtic traditions.
- Buffalo also holds an annual Buffalo Art Walk and Craft Fair, where local artists and crafters show their work.
Getting Around (Transportation)
Highways
Several highways make it easy to travel to and from Buffalo:
- U.S. Route 65 connects Buffalo to cities like Branson, Springfield, Warsaw, and Sedalia.
- Missouri Route 32 links Buffalo to communities such as El Dorado Springs, Stockton, Fair Play, Bolivar, and Lebanon.
- Missouri Route 73 connects Buffalo to U.S. Route 54 in Camden County.
Airport
The Buffalo Municipal Airport is a small airport owned by the city. It's located about 1.2 miles (1.9 km) north of the center of Buffalo.
Famous People from Buffalo
Many notable people have connections to Buffalo:
- Hugh Alexander: A baseball player.
- Marion Tinsley Bennett: A US Congressman.
- Philip Allen Bennett: A Missouri Senator, Lt. Governor, and US Congressman.
- Miranda Maverick: A fighter in the UFC.
- James B. Potter, Jr.: A Los Angeles City Council member.
- Terry D. Scott: The 10th Master Chief Petty Officer of the U.S. Navy.
- Dallas Willard: A Christian philosopher and author.
See also
In Spanish: Buffalo (Misuri) para niños
