County profile · Nebraska
Buffalo County, NE market data
How Buffalo County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 51,172
- +1.9% since 2020
- Households
- 19,984
- Median household income
- $75,911
- +27.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $246,400
- Jobs located here
- 27,301
- Highest market score
- 72
- Barbershops, #180 of 1,356 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Buffalo County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Buffalo County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Buffalo County has an estimated 51,172 people and 19,984 households. Population estimates put the population change in Buffalo County from 2020 to 2025 at +1.9%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Buffalo County is $75,911, 6% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 27.7%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Buffalo County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 124, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (68).
Of the business types scored in Buffalo County, barbershops (72), tire shops (71) and grocery and convenience stores (67) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For barbershops, that ranks #180 of 1,356 scored counties.
Buffalo County is part of the Kearney area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for roofing and gutter companies (3.8 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate businesses (40% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Buffalo County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Buffalo County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbershops | 72 | #180 of 1,356 | 6 | 3.0 | $3.3M | 173 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 71 | #252 of 1,530 | 8 | 4.0 | $3M | 118 | 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 67 | #541 of 2,402 | 41 | 20.5 | $2.9M | 86 | 7 |
| Convenience stores | 65 | #588 of 2,261 | 16 | 8.0 | $7.5M | 95 | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | 63 | #324 of 1,328 | 8 | 4.0 | $2.4M | 146 | 4 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 63 | #338 of 1,302 | 6 | 3.0 | $4.7M | 149 | 5 |
| Grocery stores | 58 | #756 of 2,070 | 14 | 7.0 | $8.6M | 92 | 7 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 57 | #476 of 1,334 | 10 | 5.0 | $1.7M | 86 | 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 55 | #605 of 1,461 | 8 | 4.0 | $2.1M | 82 | 4 |
| Car washes and detailing | 51 | #702 of 1,451 | 10 | 5.0 | $2.4M | 94 | 5 |
| Gyms | 51 | #895 of 1,792 | 20 | 10.0 | $865K | 66 | 4 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 49 | #877 of 1,656 | 17 | 8.5 | $1.6M | 93 | 34 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 49 | #1,128 of 2,088 | 33 | 16.5 | $524K | 79 | 7 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 46 | #1,370 of 2,405 | 115 | 57.5 | $667K | 101 | 40 |
| Gas stations | 43 | #1,474 of 2,358 | 34 | 17.0 | $1.8M | 74 | 35 |
| Auto repair and car care | 42 | #1,558 of 2,401 | 97 | 48.5 | $244K | 91 | 55 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 41 | #1,264 of 1,889 | 22 | 11.0 | $3.5M | 84 | 14 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 40 | #905 of 1,327 | 10 | 5.0 | $2.4M | 77 | 11 |
| Auto repair shops | 40 | #1,662 of 2,378 | 60 | 30.0 | $395K | 89 | 45 |
| Real estate | 39 | #1,659 of 2,229 | 46 | 23.0 | Index only | 139 | 47 |
| Spas and skin care | 38 | #1,325 of 1,769 | 23 | 11.5 | $850K | 97 | 7 |
| Physical therapy | 37 | #1,060 of 1,422 | 16 | 8.0 | $1.8M | 73 | 13 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 37 | #1,810 of 2,394 | 193 | 96.6 | $145K | 95 | 102 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 37 | #1,862 of 2,385 | 99 | 49.5 | $198K | 93 | 28 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 36 | #1,564 of 2,063 | 30 | 15.0 | $2.6M | 69 | 14 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 36 | #1,789 of 2,176 | 41 | 20.5 | Index only | 124 | 30 |
| Child care and preschools | 35 | #1,207 of 1,611 | 10 | 5.0 | $788K | 79 | 22 |
| Pet businesses | 35 | #1,730 of 2,200 | 33 | 16.5 | $505K | 57 | 14 |
| Pizza | 34 | #1,669 of 2,090 | 24 | 12.0 | $3.2M | 63 | 59 |
| Hair salons | 34 | #1,922 of 2,339 | 62 | 31.0 | $315K | 73 | 16 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 33 | #1,201 of 1,493 | 13 | 6.5 | $1.9M | 64 | 22 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 33 | #1,472 of 1,771 | 19 | 9.5 | $1.3M | 76 | 36 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 33 | #1,560 of 1,886 | 34 | 17.0 | $824K | 84 | 28 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 33 | #1,771 of 2,210 | 57 | 28.5 | $681K | 77 | 30 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 32 | #1,656 of 2,087 | 44 | 22.0 | $883K | 69 | 30 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 32 | #1,960 of 2,405 | 262 | 131.1 | $293K | 79 | 114 |
| Chiropractors | 31 | #1,254 of 1,490 | 20 | 10.0 | $1.4M | 59 | 19 |
| Pet stores | 30 | #781 of 974 | 7 | 3.5 | $2.4M | 53 | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | 29 | #1,233 of 1,485 | 12 | 6.0 | $1.4M | 51 | 10 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 28 | #1,910 of 2,222 | 45 | 22.5 | $1.7M | 56 | 59 |
| Electricians | 23 | #1,074 of 1,160 | 11 | 5.5 | $4.9M | 40 | 20 |
| Home repair trades | 21 | #1,995 of 2,057 | 63 | 31.5 | $848K | 35 | 70 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 20 | #1,654 of 1,707 | 25 | 12.5 | $2.1M | 45 | 35 |
| Insurance agencies | 19 | #2,107 of 2,272 | 49 | 24.5 | $745K | 59 | 56 |
| Roofing and gutters | 16 | #1,140 of 1,177 | 27 | 13.5 | $2M | 23 | 15 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.0 | $683K | 101 | 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.0 | $6.1M | 95 | 14 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.5 | Index only | 166 | 10 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.5 | $5.8M | 142 | 4 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.0 | $19.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.0 | $19.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.0 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.0 | $11.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.0 | $12.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
Household spending in Buffalo County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $23.7M | $1,185 | 124 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $60.2M | $3,013 | 116 |
| Food away from home | $76.7M | $3,840 | 94 |
| Groceries | $119.9M | $5,997 | 95 |
| Personal care products and services | $19.6M | $979 | 97 |
| Child care and other personal services | $7.9M | $394 | 68 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $17.3M | $866 | 88 |
| Medical and dental services | $28M | $1,402 | 109 |
| Pets | $16.7M | $834 | 92 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $38.8M | $1,943 | 95 |
| Vehicle insurance | $36.5M | $1,826 | 93 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $53.5M | $2,675 | 89 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $24.3M | $1,216 | 86 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $277.4M | $13,879 | 83 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Buffalo County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 51,172+1.9% since 2020
- Households
- 19,984
- Median age
- 36.3
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 66%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 968 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 52
- Median household income
- $75,911+27.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $94,897
- Median home value
- $246,400
- Jobs located here
- 27,301
- Daytime population
- 53,561Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Buffalo County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Buffalo County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Nebraska 8
- Kearney County, NE6,713 people
- Phelps County, NE9,009 people
- Sherman County, NE2,967 people
- Adams County, NE31,052 people
- Hall County, NE62,536 people
- Franklin County, NE2,846 people
- Gosper County, NE2,040 people
- Dawson County, NE24,202 people
Questions
How fast is Buffalo County, NE growing?
Population estimates put Buffalo County at 51,172 people in 2025, up 1.9% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 19,984 households. Median household income rose 27.7% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Buffalo County, NE spend?
Households in Buffalo County spend about $277.4M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $119.9M on groceries and $76.7M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Buffalo County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 124, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (68).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Buffalo County, NE?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Buffalo County are for barbershops (72), tire shops (71) and grocery and convenience stores (67). Buffalo County ranks #180 of 1,356 scored counties for barbershops.
How does Buffalo County, NE compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Buffalo County is $75,911 a year, 6% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 1.9% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $246,400, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Buffalo County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for roofing and gutter companies (3.8 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate businesses (40% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 45 of the 56 business types have a score in Buffalo County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Buffalo County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Nebraska · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Buffalo County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Buffalo County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.