kids encyclopedia robot

Buffalo, Minnesota facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Buffalo
Buffalo, Minnesota
Downtown Buffalo
Downtown Buffalo
Location of the city of Buffalowithin Wright County, Minnesota
Location of the city of Buffalo
within Wright County, Minnesota
Buffalo is located in Minnesota
Buffalo
Buffalo
Location in Minnesota
Buffalo is located in the United States
Buffalo
Buffalo
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Minnesota
County Wright
Area
 • Total 9.90 sq mi (25.63 km2)
 • Land 7.76 sq mi (20.10 km2)
 • Water 2.14 sq mi (5.53 km2)  25.62%
Elevation
928 ft (283 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 18,168
 • Density 2,083.24/sq mi (804.39/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (Central)
ZIP code
55313
Area code(s) 763
FIPS code 27-08452
GNIS feature ID 0640603
Website City of Buffalo

Buffalo is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Wright County. It is in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, about 42 miles northwest of Minneapolis on Buffalo Lake. Buffalo's population was 15,453 at the 2010 census and 18,168 at the 2020 census.

Minnesota State Highways 25 and 55 are two of the main routes into the city.

History

Log Cabin and Wright County Heritage Center
Wright County Heritage Center

Buffalo was platted in 1856 and named after nearby Buffalo Lake. A post office has been in operation in Buffalo since 1856.

A mass shooting and bombing occurred at Allina Health's Buffalo Crossroads medical clinic on February 9, 2021. Five people were shot and one woman died.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 9.64 square miles (24.97 km2); 7.17 square miles (18.57 km2) is land and 2.47 square miles (6.40 km2) is water. The city is home to many lakes, including Buffalo Lake and Lake Pulaski.

Climate

The summers are long and warm, while the winters are windy and freezing. The temperature varies from 7 °F to 82 °F. The windiest part of the year lasts around 8.3 months, starting in September, with an average of 10.3 miles per hour.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 143
1890 606 323.8%
1900 1,040 71.6%
1910 1,227 18.0%
1920 1,438 17.2%
1930 1,409 −2.0%
1940 1,695 20.3%
1950 1,914 12.9%
1960 2,322 21.3%
1970 3,275 41.0%
1980 4,560 39.2%
1990 6,856 50.4%
2000 10,097 47.3%
2010 15,453 53.0%
2020 18,168 17.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $49,573 and the median income for a family was $59,250. Males had a median income of $39,960 versus $27,793 for females. The per capita income was $21,424. About 4.6% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 15,453 people, 5,699 households, and 3,970 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,155.2 inhabitants per square mile (832.1/km2). There were 6,044 housing units at an average density of 843.0 per square mile (325.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.1% White, 0.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.

There were 5,699 households, of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.3% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.17.

The median age in the city was 34.3 years. 29.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.3% were from 25 to 44; 21.7% were from 45 to 64; and 11.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

Arts and culture

Buffalo has a large variety of art and culture for its size. Public spaces have been transformed with sculptures and murals through the Albright-Knox’s Public Art Initiative. The Buffalo Community Theater has been producing plays since 1986. The Buffalo Community Orchestra has been part of the community since 1995 and has over 50 members. It is known for the "Concert in the Park" series it puts on every summer for free. The orchestra is also funded by businesses and residents of Buffalo and the surrounding area. Also in the area are the Wright County Chamber Chorus and the Wright Ringers bell choir. Buffalo is also home to many antique shops [1] that have sales the first Thursday of every month.

During the winter, the Civics Center houses two ice sheets and an outdoor rink. It is used for open skating, youth and adult hockey, and figure skating. The Buffalo Youth Hockey Association and the Buffalo Figure Skating Club both use the Civics Center as their home rink.

Education

The local school district is Buffalo–Hanover–Montrose Schools. It is composed of schools in Buffalo, Hanover, and Montrose. There are six elementary schools: Discovery Center, Northwinds, Parkside, Tatanka, Hanover, and Montrose. There is a middle school, Buffalo Community Middle School, and a high school, Buffalo High School. There is also a private Catholic school, St. Francis Xavier School, for grades K–8.

Media

Wright County Journal-Press, Buffalo, MN
Wright County Journal-Press building

KRWC 1360 AM has served Buffalo and the Wright County area since 1971 and is just outside city limits. It provides local and national news and broadcasts high-school sports for Buffalo and surrounding communities. It also airs oldies, classic rock, and contemporary country music.

There are two local newspapers, The Drummer and The Wright County Journal Press.

See also

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

kids search engine
Buffalo, Minnesota Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.