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Buffalo, Missouri
City of Buffalo
Location of Buffalo, Missouri
Location of Buffalo, Missouri
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
1,201 ft (366 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 3,084
 • Estimate 
(2019)
3,091
 • Density 1,074.76/sq mi (414.92/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
65622
Area code(s) 417
FIPS code 29-09514
Website City of Buffalo

Buffalo is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,084 at the 2010 census.

Buffalo is part of the Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Buffalo was platted in 1841, and named after Buffalo, New York, the native home of a first settler. A post office called Buffalo has been in operation since 1846.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.86 square miles (7.41 km2), all of it land.

Demographics

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%
2019 (est.) 3,091 0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

Buffalo is the home to the Dallas County R-I School District. The school district includes a service area that includes students from western Laclede, southern Dallas, and eastern Polk counties. The school district includes an elementary school in Buffalo (Dillard A. Mallory Elementary). Buffalo Prairie Middle School, Buffalo High School, and the Dallas County Technical Center (at Louisburg) are all part of the school district. The mascot for Dallas County R-I Schools is the Bison (commonly named Buffy). The school district is part of the Central Ozarks Conference (COC) and currently has an enrollment of approximately 1,800 students grades K-12.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,084 people, 1,266 households, and 760 families living in the city. The population density was 1,078.3 inhabitants per square mile (416.3/km2). There were 1,518 housing units at an average density of 530.8 per square mile (204.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.8% White, 0.3% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 1.1% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.2% of the population.

There were 1,266 households, of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.4% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.0% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.92.

The median age in the city was 37.9 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.4% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64; and 20.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.1% male and 54.9% female.

Recreation

Buffalo has two large city parks. The city also features an extensive network of trails and sidewalks connecting Buffalo Prairie Middle School to the south across town to the new city park to the north.

Buffalo features numerous opportunities within the city for recreation including Buffalo Bowl, several restaurants, live music at the Coterie Gallery, and various street festivals throughout the year.

Nearby Missouri Department of Conservation areas include the Barclay Conservation Area, Bennett Spring Access, Bennett Spring Fish Hatchery, Goose Creek Conservation Area, and Lead Mine Conservation Area.

Recreational resources in the area include Pomme de Terre Lake and various theaters, shopping and other entertainment in Bolivar, Springfield and the Lake of the Ozarks area.

Culture

Buffalo has for years hosted the Southwest Missouri Celtic Heritage Festival & Highland Games.

Buffalo annually hosts the Buffalo Art Walk and Craft Fair.

Transportation

Highways

Buffalo is served by U.S. Route 65 which connects the city with Branson, Springfield, Warsaw, and Sedalia. Missouri Route 32 carries traffic from El Dorado Springs, Stockton, Fair Play, Bolivar, Lebanon, Lynchburg and other communities. Missouri Route 73 connects Buffalo to U.S. Route 54 in Camden County.

Airport

The Buffalo Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located one nautical mile (1.2 mi, 1.9 km) north of Buffalo's central business district.

Economy

Much of the economy of Buffalo is related to agriculture, government, education, and healthcare.

Top employers

Major employers include Dallas County R-1 Schools, Dallas County government, the City of Buffalo, Woods market, O'Bannon Bank, and Bank of Urbana.

Sports

In 2015, the Lady Bison high school basketball team competed in the Final 4 at state competition. In 2020 they won a football district championship.

Education

The Dallas County R-1 School District serves Buffalo and surrounding areas. Approximately 1700 students attend 4 schools, including Mallory Elementary, Buffalo Prairie Middle School, Dallas County Technical Center, and Buffalo High School.

The town has a lending library, the Dallas County Library.

Notable people

  • Hugh Alexander, baseball player
  • Philip Allen Bennett, Missouri Senator and Lt. Governor, US Congressman
  • Louis Brownlow, author
  • Miranda Maverick, fighter in the flyweight division of the UFC
  • James B. Potter, Jr., Los Angeles City Council member, 1963–71
  • Terry D. Scott, 10th Master Chief Petty Officer of the U.S. Navy
  • Dallas Willard, Christian philosopher and author.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Buffalo (Misuri) para niños

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