Town Hall · Buffalo

Buffalo, SD town hall & government

Buffalo spent $573,000 in the year to December 31, 2024, about $1,610 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Buffalo's government.

Town budget

Where Buffalo's money goes

Spent
$573,000
fiscal year to December 31, 2024
Per resident
$1,610
typical South Dakota cities: $2,666
Long-term debt
None
none outstanding at year end
Administration & buildings
$137,00024%
Parks & libraries
$53,0009%
Roads & transportation
$46,0008%
Police
$39,0007%
Interest on debt
$19,0003%
Fire
$8,0001%
Health & welfare
$5,0001%
Other
$266,00046%

Where the money comes from

  • Sales taxes 38%
  • Fees & charges 34%
  • Property taxes 18%
  • Interest, fines & other 6%
  • Utility sales 2%
  • From other local governments 1%
  • Other taxes & licenses 1%
Town workforce

Who works for Buffalo

Full-time staff
2
8 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$31,700
a year, before benefits
Administration & buildings
0 full-time6 part
Sewer & trash
1 full-time1 part
Water & other utilities
1 full-time
Roads & transportation
0 full-time1 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Harding County School District 31-1

Buffalo's K–12 school district, shared with Camp Crook. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$16,674
South Dakota: $13,040
Students
221
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$6.5 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from South Dakota districts overall: 50% local, 31% state, 19% federal

  • Local 72%
  • State 17%
  • Federal 11%

Of the $16,674 per pupil, $9,100 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Buffalo pay

Typical tax bill
$1,735
a year · South Dakota typical $2,724
Effective rate
1.52%
of home value · South Dakota 1.06%
Typical home value
$114,100
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the survey estimate has a wide margin.

Local

Contact Buffalo's government

Town hall & decisions in Buffalo →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Buffalo

Buffalo is represented in Congress by Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds and Representative Dusty Johnson. Larry Rhoden is governor.

All of Buffalo's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

You’re browsing

Buffalo

South Dakota · SD
View town boundary →
Township / city / CDP overlaps possible.
Loading boundary…

Buffalo is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

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