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

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Population

Population 2000 2010 2025 2030
Buffalo 3,956 4,598 4,654 4,796

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

Population by Age

Population 2025
0-4 242
5-9 260
10-14 262
15-19 297
20-24 175
25-29 202
30-34 240
35-39 294
40-44 283
45-49 263
50-54 264
55-59 275
60-64 306
65-69 362
70-74 356
75-79 266
80-84 152
85+ 155
18+ 3,712
Median Age 46

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

Population by Race

Buffalo 2025
Total 4,654.00
White Alone 90.95%
Black Alone 0.43%
American Indian Alone 0.9%
Asian Alone 0.43%
Pacific Islander Alone 0.11%
Some Other Race 1.25%
Two or More Races 5.93%
Hispanic Origin 4.86%
Diversity Index 24.60

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

Growth Rate

Buffalo 2025 - 2030
Population 0.60%
Households 0.63%
Families 1.44%
Median Household Income 1%
Per Capita Income 2%

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

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Housing

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Households

Population 2000 2010 2025 2030
Households 1,740 2,087 2,121 2,189
Housing Units 1,865 2,308 2,395 2,472
Owner Occupied Units 1,499 1,582
Renter Occupied Units 622 607
Vacant Units 274 283

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

Home Value

Buffalo 2025 2030
Median Home Value $289,660 $299,462
Average Home Value $315,479 $325,820
<$50,000 139 153
$50,000 - $99,999 52 50
$100,000 - $149,999 92 83
$150,000 - $199,999 88 92
$200,000 - $249,999 227 229
$250,000 - $299,999 191 186
$300,000 - $399,999 433 451
$400,000 - $499,999 136 167
$500,000 - $749,999 80 98
$1,000,000 + 18 20

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

Housing Year Built

Year Range Houses Built
2010 or Later 168
2000-2009 357
1990-1999 168
1980-1989 230
1970-1979 343
1960-1969 177
1950-1959 124
1940-1949 405
1939 or Before 378

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

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Income

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Income

Buffalo 2025 2030
Median Household $57,078 $61,044
Average Household $75,847 $83,360
Per Capita $34,864 $38,336

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

Household Income

Buffalo 2025
<$15,000 233
$15,000 - $24,999 204
$25,000 - $34,999 253
$35,000 - $49,999 195
$50,000 - $74,999 464
$75,000 - $99,999 157
$100,000 - $149,999 306
$150,000 - $199,999 233
$200,000+ 76

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

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Employees

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Commute

Category Commuters
Workers 16+ 1,943
In-County Residents 1,737
Out-of-County Residents 167
Drive Alone 1,295
Carpooled 107
Public Transport 23
Work at Home 335
Motorcycle 0
Bicycle 0
Walked 172
Other 11
Less than 5 minutes 262
5-9 minutes 649
10-14 minutes 306
15-19 minutes 165
20-24 minutes 10
25-29 minutes 0
30-34 minutes 71
35-39 minutes 13
40-44 minutes 60
45-59 minutes 0
60-89 minutes 14
90+ minutes 58
Average Travel Time 0

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

Employees by NAICS

Category Number
Total Employees 3,110
Agr/Forestry/Fish/Hunt 8
Mining 0
Utilities 0
Construction 90
Manufacturing 59
Wholesale Trade 22
   
Retail Trade 243
   
Transportation/Warehouse 26
Information 120
   
Finance & Insurance 135
   
Real Estate/Rent/Leasing 80
Prof/Scientific/Tech Srv 348
Legal Services 27
Mgmt of Comp/Enterprises 67
Admin/Support/Waste Mgmt 40
Educational Services 439
HealthCare/Social Assist 503
Arts/Entertainment/Rec 45
   
Accommodation/Food Srvcs 345
   
Other Srv excl Pub Admin 164
Auto Repair/Maintenance 24
Public Administration Emp 368

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

Educational Attainment (25+)

Buffalo 2025
<9th Grade 68
Some High School 98
GED 359
Graduated High School 764
Some College/No Degree 842
Associates Degree 234
Bachelor's Degree 679
Graduate Degree 374

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

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Businesses

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Businesses by NAICS

Category Number
Total Businesses 428
Agr/Forestry/Fish/Hunt Bus 3
Mining Bus 0
Utilities Bus 0
Construction Bus 18
Manufacturing Bus 5
Wholesale Trade Bus 6
   
Retail Trade Bus 38
   
Transportation/Warehouse Bus 6
Information Bus 16
   
Finance & Insurance Bus 21
   
Real Estate/Rent/Leasing Bus 25
Prof/Scientific/Tech Srv Bus 44
Legal Services Bus 8
Mgmt of Comp/Enterprises Bus 5
Admin/Support/Waste Mgmt Bus 16
Educational Services Bus 16
HealthCare/Social Assist Bus 37
Arts/Entertainment/Rec Bus 6
   
Accommodation/Food Srvcs Bus 36
   
Other Srv excl Pub Admin Bus 57
Auto Repair/Maintenance Bus 7
Public Administration Bus 43

Source: ESRI, 2025-09-30

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