Buffalo

Community Events

Buffalo and Kaycee have the feel of small towns, while at the same time offering dynamic community life. In addition to a wide range of recreational activities in all seasons for all ages, Buffalo's annual events calendar is punctuated with festivities. The community hosts the Lighted Christmas Parade and Chili Feed to kick of the holidays, a Halloween party for families in the downtown square, and Oktoberfest as fall begins.

In the spring and summer, Johnson county is home to rodeos, golf tournaments, and live music. The annual Big Horn Music Festival attracts bluegrass and folk music fans from all over the nation, with a full 3-day schedule of bands, workshops, food, prizes, and city-wide dance parties. 

Healthcare

Johnson County Health Care Center is a fully-staffed and operational hospital as well as having a large outpatient medical clinic serving the towns of Johnson County inside the town of Buffalo. The Center provides Cardiology, Orthopedics, Nephrology, Neurology, Urology, and Vascular care, with a large surgery suite and intensive care unit. The Family Medical Center is open six days a week, with 7 family doctors, an oncologist/hematologist, a general surgeon, and other specialists, in addition to 2 physician's assistants. The emergency room is a full service facility open 24 hours. There is an ambulance servicing Buffalo, Linch, and Kaycee.

The facility is dedicated not only to the urgent care and illness aspect of healthcare, but they also offer childbirth classes and extensive physical therapy programs for those both expecting or recovering. JCHC also has a 50-bed nursing home, the Amie Holt Care Center, as part of its complex.

Johnson County Healthcare Center
497 West Lott Street
Buffalo, WY 
(307) 684-5521
www.jchealthcare.com

Buffalo Churches and Places of Worship

  • St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
  • Union Congregational
  • Bighorn Baptist
  • Grace Mission Baptist
  • Seventh Day Adventist
  • New Life Assembly of God
  • Church of Christ
  • Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints
  • St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran
  • Grace Fellowship
  • Calvary Chapel
  • Prince of Peace Lutheral
  • Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness
  • First United Methodist
  • Wesleyan
  • St. Luke's Episcopal
  • New Beginnings Independent Baptist

Additional Buffalo Facilities

  • Banks • 4
  • Day Care Centers • 2
  • Pre-Schools • 2
  • Libraries • 1 (extension branch in Kaycee)
  • Fairgrounds • Johnson County Fairgrounds
  • Veterans Home • 1
  • Dentists • 3
  • Optometrist • 1
  • Chiropractors • 2
  • Massage Therapists • 6
  • Home Health Care •  2

Johnson County Schools

Wyoming invests heavily in its schools, and its investment is visible in Buffalo and Kaycee. With a general fund budget of approximately $19.4 million, Johnson County School District #1 serves approximately 1,260 students in the progression through 4 schools. Buffalo High School boasts a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1 and a rating of nine out of ten on greatschools.com. Parents and other community members support the schools through the active Buffalo Backers program. A state-of-the-art elementary school is under construction, and will be up and running for the 2013-2014 school year. Get more info about Johnson County Schools here.

School Contact Information      
School Telephone Grades ApproximateEnrollment
Learning Tree Pre-School (307) 684-7509 3-5 Years 102
Head Start (307) 684-2873 4-5 Years 19
Buffalo Children’s Center (307) 684-5802 0-5 Years 65
Big Horn Christian School (307) 684-9062 K-5 6
Meadowlark Elementary (307) 684-9518 K-3 324
Clear Creek Elementary (307) 684-0153 04/05/14 172
Clear Creek Middle School (307) 684-5594 06/08/14 252
Buffalo High School (307) 684-2269 09/12/14 373

 

Location and Climate

Location

In Northern Wyoming, among the Bighorn Mountains in the heart of Johnson County lies the towns of Buffalo and Kaycee. With close proximity to both Montana, Yellowstone Park, and the junction of I-25 and I-90, residents enjoy the convenience of small town western life as well as world-class outdoor beauty.

Nearby Cities: 

  • Story, WY: 21.3 mi
  • Sheridan, WY: 35.8 mi
  • Billings, MT: 160.7 mi
  • Kaycee, WY: 45.5 mi
  • Cheyenne, WY: 289 mi 
  • Billings, MT: 160.7 mi
  • Denver, CO: 390 mi

Climate

  • Elevation: 4,645
  • Average Temperature: January 36.0, July  85.0
  • Humidity: 48%
  • Precipitation:  Average 13.29'', Average snowfall - 33.3''
  • Sunshine Days: 252
  • Prevailing Winds: N/NW
  • Average Growing Days: 115

Recreation

Buffalo sits at the foot of the spectacular Big Horn Mountains, a recreational mecca in all seasons. An extensive network of trails and camp sites are available for hikers, mountain bikers, and campers, and sportsmen will find all varieties of fish and game.

In the winter, the Big Horns boast skiing, snowboarding, and some of the best snowmobiling in the nation. Find more information about the Big Horn lifestyle here.

Lake DeSmet, located just north of Buffalo, is popular for boating and water skiing. Featuring fully-equipped campsites, the lake offers trails for backpacking, day hikes, nature walks, and horseback riding.

In town, Washington Memorial Park offers the region's largest outdoor swimming pool in the region, including a kids' waterpark and full-time lifeguards. Tennis courts, picnic tables, and a creek contribute to the park's character.

The newly-opened sports complex is already becoming a state-wide destination for tournaments on its numerous soccer fields and baseball diamonds.

Buffalo offers many other family-friendly facilities that include a bowling alley, a miniature golf course, and an ice-skating rink. TheBuffalo Golf Club offers a well-groomed 18 holes.

The Johnson County YMCA is the largest per capita in the state, offering amenities usually found in much larger communities! Its programs include group exercise classes, sports leagues for youth and adults alike, swimming lessons, and regular races, ranging from 5Ks to ultra-marathons.

In addition to its small-town, neighborly feel, Johnson County offers active families and adults a wide range of opportunities, bringing together the best of both worlds!
 

Population

Back To Top

Population

Population 2000 2010 2026 2031
Buffalo 3,956 4,598 4,708 4,856

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Population by Age

Population 2026
0-4 253
5-9 244
10-14 267
15-19 304
20-24 188
25-29 210
30-34 238
35-39 315
40-44 311
45-49 266
50-54 249
55-59 267
60-64 291
65-69 342
70-74 359
75-79 265
80-84 171
85+ 168
18+ 3,763
Median Age 46

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Population by Race

Buffalo 2026
Total 4,708.00
White Alone 90.72%
Black Alone 0.51%
American Indian Alone 1.13%
Asian Alone 0.53%
Pacific Islander Alone 0.13%
Some Other Race 1.34%
Two or More Races 5.65%
Hispanic Origin 4.59%
Diversity Index 24.60

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Growth Rate

Buffalo 2026 - 2031
Population 0.62%
Households 0.75%
Families 0.24%
Median Household Income 1%
Per Capita Income 3%

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Back To Top

Housing

Back To Top

Households

Population 2000 2010 2026 2031
Households 1,740 2,087 2,170 2,253
Housing Units 1,865 2,308 2,441 2,538
Owner Occupied Units 1,524 1,581
Renter Occupied Units 646 672
Vacant Units 271 285

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Home Value

Buffalo 2026 2031
Median Home Value $292,211 $302,772
Average Home Value $309,703 $314,206
<$50,000 125 114
$50,000 - $99,999 49 44
$100,000 - $149,999 87 84
$150,000 - $199,999 88 99
$200,000 - $249,999 245 240
$250,000 - $299,999 199 196
$300,000 - $399,999 459 487
$400,000 - $499,999 155 202
$500,000 - $749,999 65 74
$1,000,000 + 18 15

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Housing Year Built

Year Range Houses Built
2010 or Later 217
2000-2009 384
1990-1999 275
1980-1989 227
1970-1979 488
1960-1969 174
1950-1959 98
1940-1949 211
1939 or Before 398

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Back To Top

Income

Back To Top

Income

Buffalo 2026 2031
Median Household $60,342 $64,602
Average Household $71,148 $80,453
Per Capita $33,108 $37,639

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Household Income

Buffalo 2026
<$15,000 346
$15,000 - $24,999 141
$25,000 - $34,999 215
$35,000 - $49,999 188
$50,000 - $74,999 516
$75,000 - $99,999 198
$100,000 - $149,999 273
$150,000 - $199,999 245
$200,000+ 48

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Back To Top

Employees

Back To Top

Commute

Category Commuters
Workers 16+ 2,269
In-County Residents 2,058
Out-of-County Residents 181
Drive Alone 1,602
Carpooled 87
Public Transport 8
Work at Home 389
Motorcycle 0
Bicycle 0
Walked 170
Other 14
Less than 5 minutes 376
5-9 minutes 510
10-14 minutes 583
15-19 minutes 201
20-24 minutes 30
25-29 minutes 0
30-34 minutes 39
35-39 minutes 16
40-44 minutes 66
45-59 minutes 9
60-89 minutes 12
90+ minutes 39
Average Travel Time 0

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Employees by NAICS

Category Number
Total Employees 3,108
Agr/Forestry/Fish/Hunt 8
Mining 0
Utilities 0
Construction 107
Manufacturing 35
Wholesale Trade 45
   
Retail Trade 266
   
Transportation/Warehouse 27
Information 121
   
Finance & Insurance 129
   
Real Estate/Rent/Leasing 79
Prof/Scientific/Tech Srv 370
Legal Services 27
Mgmt of Comp/Enterprises 67
Admin/Support/Waste Mgmt 47
Educational Services 309
HealthCare/Social Assist 523
Arts/Entertainment/Rec 45
   
Accommodation/Food Srvcs 360
   
Other Srv excl Pub Admin 188
Auto Repair/Maintenance 41
Public Administration Emp 376

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Educational Attainment (25+)

Buffalo 2026
<9th Grade 86
Some High School 92
GED 324
Graduated High School 687
Some College/No Degree 803
Associates Degree 375
Bachelor's Degree 678
Graduate Degree 407

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Back To Top

Businesses

Back To Top

Businesses by NAICS

Category Number
Total Businesses 445
Agr/Forestry/Fish/Hunt Bus 3
Mining Bus 0
Utilities Bus 0
Construction Bus 21
Manufacturing Bus 6
Wholesale Trade Bus 8
   
Retail Trade Bus 41
   
Transportation/Warehouse Bus 7
Information Bus 16
   
Finance & Insurance Bus 20
   
Real Estate/Rent/Leasing Bus 26
Prof/Scientific/Tech Srv Bus 48
Legal Services Bus 8
Mgmt of Comp/Enterprises Bus 5
Admin/Support/Waste Mgmt Bus 16
Educational Services Bus 16
HealthCare/Social Assist Bus 40
Arts/Entertainment/Rec Bus 6
   
Accommodation/Food Srvcs Bus 39
   
Other Srv excl Pub Admin Bus 58
Auto Repair/Maintenance Bus 7
Public Administration Bus 43

Source: ESRI, 2026-09-09

Back To Top