Buffalo County, Nebraska: commercial real estate data.
Buffalo County, Nebraska had an estimated 51,156 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 50,092, across 968 square miles. County output reached $4.46 bn in 2024, 1,777 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 54 7(a) approvals worth $19.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Buffalo County
How many people live in Buffalo County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202450,579
- Households19,984
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$75,911
- Median age35.1
- Median gross rent$936 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$246,400
- Home value to household income3.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher34.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over31,737
- Population under 1811,492
- Share under 1822.7 percent
- Population 65 and over8,394
- Share 65 and over16.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6430,693
- Civilian labor force28,551
- Unemployment rate2.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over73.0 percent
- Rank by population among Nebraska counties5th of 93
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1010th of 3,222
Buffalo County is the 5th largest of 93 Nebraska counties by population. A median home costs 3.2 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.7 percent against 16.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Buffalo County
Is Buffalo County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202451,156
- Census 2020 base population50,092
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.12 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024460
- Births, 2024586
- Deaths, 2024393
- Natural change, 2024193
- Net domestic migration, 2024159
- Net international migration, 2024108
- Total net migration, 2024267
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202452
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1142nd of 3,144
The county has grown 2.12 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Buffalo County
Where are people moving to Buffalo County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,231
- People arriving, from those returns1,985
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,366
- Net household movement-135
- Adjusted gross income arriving$63.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-10.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$51,756
- Average income of a leaving household$53,938
- Largest single originDawson County (94 households)
- Largest single destinationLancaster County (153 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson County | 94 | 151 | $4.3 m |
| Hall County | 94 | 148 | $4.7 m |
| Lancaster County | 91 | 129 | $4.2 m |
| Kearney County | 69 | 109 | $3.3 m |
| Douglas County | 57 | 81 | $3.4 m |
| Lincoln County | 53 | 80 | $2.7 m |
| Adams County | 46 | 78 | $1.8 m |
| Phelps County | 40 | 58 | $2.0 m |
Households arriving report $2,182 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Dawson County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Buffalo County
What is the Buffalo County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$4.46 bn
- County GDP, 2023$4.35 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.6 percent
- GDP change over five years36.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Nebraska areas BEA publishes5th of 93
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes760th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$88,193
Output grew 2.6 percent in the latest year and 36.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Buffalo County
Employment by industry in Buffalo County
- Covered employment, annual average28,148
- Establishments reporting1,879
- Average annual pay$51,993
- Average weekly wage$1,000
- Health care and social assistance, employment4,580
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$64,033
- Manufacturing, employment3,534
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$62,454
- Retail trade, employment3,379
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,730
- Accommodation and food services, employment3,181
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,346
- Construction, employment1,449
- Wholesale trade, employment1,169
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 4,580 | 250 | $64,033 |
| Manufacturing | 3,534 | 62 | $62,454 |
| Retail trade | 3,379 | 230 | $33,730 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,181 | 157 | $21,346 |
| Construction | 1,449 | 229 | $61,994 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,169 | 104 | $67,739 |
| Other services, except public administration | 1,022 | 138 | $36,174 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,004 | 76 | $36,929 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 4,580 jobs, 16.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Buffalo County
How many businesses are in Buffalo County?
- Establishments, all industries1,777
- Employment at those establishments23,423
- Annual payroll$1.11 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents35.1
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Buffalo County
Building permits in Buffalo County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024127
- Declared construction value permitted$51.3 m
- Single family units authorized119
- Multifamily units authorized8
- Multifamily share of units6.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$404,035
- Units authorized per 1,000 households6.4
Single-family homes are 93.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Buffalo County
SBA loans in Buffalo County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded54
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$19.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$368,865
- Median 7(a) approval$180,000
- 10th percentile approval$31,200
- 90th percentile approval$953,530
- Largest single approval$2,524,500
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)613
- Jobs per approval11.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active18
- Distinct industries receiving approvals34
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer7.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter46
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals5.6 percent
- Most active lenderCuster Federal State Bank (13)
- 504 approvals recorded23
- 504 gross approval dollars$12.9 m
- Average 504 approval$561,739
- Median 504 approval$338,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval8.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.3
- Most active CDCNebraska Economic Development Corporation (23)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$32.8 m
The average approval of $368,865 sits well above the median of $180,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 7.4 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Buffalo County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Buffalo County
Do SBA loans in Buffalo County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded13
- Paid in full13
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure35
- Status: Paid in full13
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 13 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Buffalo County
SBA lending by place in Buffalo County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Kearney, approvals41
- Pleasanton, approvals6
- Ravenna, approvals3
- Amherst, approvals2
- Houston, approvals1
- Gibbon, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Kearney | 41 | $14,865,500 |
| Pleasanton | 6 | $4,501,200 |
| Ravenna | 3 | $411,500 |
| Amherst | 2 | $80,000 |
| Houston | 1 | $55,000 |
| Gibbon | 1 | $5,500 |
Kearney accounts for 41 approvals against 6 in Pleasanton. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Buffalo County
How large is Buffalo County?
- Land area968 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Nebraska counties18th of 93
- Width, east to west36.8 mi
- Height, north to south27.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land52
- Establishments per square mile1.84
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Buffalo County
Flood risk in Buffalo County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Buffalo County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 310419
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate90.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Buffalo County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Buffalo County (community 310419), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Buffalo County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 90.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Buffalo County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Buffalo County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202450,579
- Households19,984
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$75,911
- Median age35.1
Common questions
Buffalo County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Buffalo County, Nebraska?
The Census Bureau estimates 51,156 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 50,579, in 19,984 households, ranking 5th of 93 Nebraska counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Buffalo County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.12 percent since the 2020 census base of 50,092, to 51,156 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 586 births against 393 deaths, with net migration of 267. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Buffalo County?
$75,911. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $246,400, which is 3.2 times income, and median gross rent is $936 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Buffalo County?
1,777 establishments, employing 23,423 people with an annual payroll of $1.11 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Buffalo County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 4,580 jobs, 16.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 28,148 jobs at an average annual pay of $51,993, or $1,000 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Buffalo County?
54 7(a) approvals totaling $19.9 m since FY2020, across 18 lenders, with a median approval of $180,000, plus 23 504 approvals worth $12.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Buffalo County?
127 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $51.3 m. Multifamily was 6.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Buffalo County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Buffalo County come from?
The largest single origin is Dawson County, with 94 households. Arriving households report an average income of $51,756 against $53,938 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Buffalo County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Buffalo County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Buffalo County
Cities and places in Buffalo.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Buffalo County. 11 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kearney | city | 34,246 | 41 | Wholly in this county |
| Gibbon | city | 1,763 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Shelton | village | 1,389 | None recorded | 93.6 percent here, 6.4 percent Hall County |
| Ravenna | city | 1,382 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Elm Creek | village | 1,107 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glenwood | CDP | 653 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pleasanton | village | 556 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Riverdale | village | 307 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Amherst | village | 272 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Odessa | CDP | 138 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Miller | village | 128 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Poole | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 54 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Buffalo County, the largest being Houston (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.