South Dakota

Buffalo

1,948
2020 population
1870
first census record
16
census records

About Buffalo

Buffalo, South Dakota, first appears in the United States federal census in 1870, when it recorded a population of 246. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 1,948.

Its recorded population peaked at 2,032 in 2000, and has since declined by roughly 4 percent.

On the ground today, 8 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Medicine Crow Site Violence, Crow Creek Fortified Village (South Dakota), Crow Creek Massacre Site (pre-Columbian), and 7 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
20201,948
20101,912
20002,032
19901,759
19801,795
19701,739
19601,547
19501,615
19401,853
19301,931
19201,715
19101,589
19001,790
1890993
188063
1870246
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Buffalo

Military engagements that took place in Buffalo, South Dakota.

Medicine Crow Site Violence
1250
Crow Creek Fortified Village (South Dakota)
1250
Crow Creek Massacre Site (pre-Columbian)
1325
Crow Creek Fortification and Massacre (SD)
1325
Crow Creek Massacre of Dakota (1863)
1863
Crow Creek Reservation — Exile Death (1863)
1863
Fort Thompson Area Skirmishes 1863
1863
Crow Creek Reservation Conflict — Crow vs Dakota (1866)
1866

Historic places in Buffalo

National Register of Historic Places listings in Buffalo, South Dakota.

Fort Thompson Mounds
Fort Thompson
Bank of Buffalo County
Gann Valley
Long View Stock Farm
Gann Valley
Talking Crow Archeological Site
Fort Thompson
Browse all South Dakotahistoric sites ›

Other counties in South Dakota

Explore census history and historic records for more South Dakota counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Buffalo County, South Dakota

This page charts the census history of Buffalo County, South Dakota. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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South Dakotahistory ›NRHP historic sites ›Notable people from South Dakota›

Frequently asked about Buffalo

When does Buffalo first appear in the US census?
Buffalo, South Dakota first appears in the federal census in 1870, with a recorded population of 246.
What is the population of Buffalo?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Buffalo had a recorded population of 1,948.
When did Buffalo's population peak?
Buffalo's recorded population peaked at 2,032 in 2000.
Were any battles fought in Buffalo?
8 documented military engagements took place in Buffalo, including Medicine Crow Site Violence, Crow Creek Fortified Village (South Dakota), Crow Creek Massacre Site (pre-Columbian).
How many historic places are in Buffalo?
7 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Buffalo, South Dakota.
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