Health · Buffalo

Buffalo, OK health

Buffalo differs from Oklahoma on 9 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (8.5% vs 10.3%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (80.7% vs 76.3%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (10.3% vs 7.8%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Buffalo
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Buffalo’s Health Grade: C

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Buffalo is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns and 77% of Oklahoma towns.

CSelf-rated healthCPhysical distressB+Mental distressCObesityC-DiabetesC+SmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 29%
Less healthyHealthier
Oklahoma towns we grade (237)Healthier than 77%
Towns with similar incomes, $54K–$90K (9,729)Healthier than 29%

About what its income would suggest. Buffalo does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Buffalo could be anywhere from D to B+.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Oklahoma ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Buffalo with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Buffalo uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Buffalo compares with Oklahoma

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Buffalo adults…

44 of every 100 Buffalo adults have high blood pressure
Oklahoma: 39 in 100 · worse · margin 39–47.9%

Bars show Buffalo; the black tick is Oklahoma. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Buffalo, betterBuffalo, worseToo close to callOklahoma
Get no exerciseshare of adults 34% Buffalo
OK 31.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 37.1% Buffalo
OK 36.8%
Binge drinkshare of adults 12.5% Buffalo
OK 14%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 15.3% Buffalo
OK 16.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Buffalo adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oklahoma.

80%
Yearly checkup
OK 78%
55%
Dentist visit
OK 57%
87%
Cholesterol check
OK 84%
62%
Colon screening
OK 60%
67%
Mammogram
OK 70%
81%
Taking BP meds
OK 76%
1 in 7
working-age adults has no health insurance
Buffalo 13.4% · Oklahoma 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Mind & connection

How Buffalo adults are doing

1 in 3Buffalo adults feel lonely
31.3% · Oklahoma 33.1% · too close to call
1 in 4Buffalo adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.1% · Oklahoma 25.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Buffalo adults lack social or emotional support
23.1% · Oklahoma 25.2% · too close to call
1 in 6Buffalo adults are in frequent mental distress
15.8% · Oklahoma 18% · too close to call
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6
Buffalo adults worry about having enough food
16.6% · OK 18.5% · about the same
1 in 8
Buffalo adults worry about keeping their housing
12.3% · OK 14.1% · about the same
1 in 12
Buffalo adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.5% · OK 10.3% · better
1 in 12
Buffalo adults lack reliable transportation
8.1% · OK 9.6% · about the same

13% of Buffalo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.

Disability

Living with a disability

40.9%

of Buffalo adults live with a disability (Oklahoma 38.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs20.3%
Thinking or memory16.3%
Hearing11.4%
Errands alone9.8%
Vision6.5%
Dressing or bathing4.8%

Black tick: Oklahoma. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Buffalo

1 hospital in Buffalo, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERHarper County Community HospitalBuffalo · 1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyIntegris Health Woodward Hospital★★★★★ · 30.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careUnited Methodist Western Kansas Mexican-American MinistriesDodge City · 67.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1 mi
Harper County Community Hospital
Buffalo · not rated
ERIn Buffalo
26.1 mi
Ashland Health Center
Ashland · not rated
ERRural critical access
30.1 mi
Integris Health Woodward Hospital
Woodward · ★★★★★
ER
34.7 mi
Comanche County Hospital
Coldwater · not rated
ERRural critical access
67.2 mi
United Methodist Western Kansas Mexican-American Ministries
4 sites · nearest in Dodge City
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
70.9 mi
Great Salt Plains Health Center
2 sites · nearest in Cherokee
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careBuffalo's county is a federal shortage area.Harper County · need score 14 of 25
! Dental careBuffalo's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Harper County · need score 14 of 25
! Mental healthBuffalo's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 10/Northwest Center for Behavioral Health · need score 19 of 25

Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Buffalo. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Buffalo
MeasureBuffaloMarginOklahoma
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure43.5%39–47.9%38.5%worse
High cholesterol42.5%37.9–47.1%37.7%worse
Obesity38.6%30.7–46.9%38.9%about the same
Arthritis33.8%30.1–37.4%27.8%worse
Depression23.1%19.7–26.8%25.5%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)17.6%14.3–21.1%16.4%about the same
Asthma10.8%9.5–12.3%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10.3%9.2–11.5%7.8%worse
Diabetes14.5%12.4–16.8%12.8%about the same
COPD9.3%7.5–11.3%8%about the same
Heart disease9.1%7.8–10.5%7.3%worse
Stroke4.5%3.8–5.2%3.7%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.3%12.2–18.5%16.3%about the same
Binge drink12.5%10.2–15.1%14%about the same
Get no exercise34%28.4–40.3%31.1%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours37.1%29.9–45%36.8%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup80.2%76.8–83.4%77.9%about the same
Dentist visit55.3%51.1–59%57.1%about the same
Cholesterol check87.4%85.4–89.3%84.3%better
Colon screening61.5%55.9–66.7%59.7%about the same
Mammogram67.1%57.5–75.7%70.4%about the same
Taking BP meds80.7%77.9–83.1%76.3%better
No health insurance13.4%10.7–16.7%11.3%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely31.3%26–36.8%33.1%about the same
Lack emotional support23.1%19.3–27.4%25.2%about the same
Frequent mental distress15.8%13.8–18%18%about the same
Fair or poor health22.6%18.8–26.9%21.2%about the same
Frequent physical distress15.8%13.5–18.3%14.3%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity16.6%13.2–20.4%18.5%about the same
Housing insecurity12.3%10–14.8%14.1%about the same
Utility shut-off threat8.5%7.1–10.1%10.3%better
No reliable transportation8.1%6.8–9.7%9.6%about the same
Receive SNAP13%10–16.2%15.1%
Disability
Any disability40.9%35.7–46.6%38.9%
Walking or climbing stairs20.3%16.9–24%17.1%
Thinking or memory16.3%13.9–19.1%17.3%
Hearing11.4%9.9–13%9.1%
Vision6.5%5.5–7.7%6%
Dressing or bathing4.8%4–5.7%4.3%
Errands alone9.8%8.1–11.7%9.6%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Buffalo door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Oklahoma figure falls inside it, we don't call Buffalo better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Buffalo directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Oklahoma figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01