Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Buffalo, Oklahoma
A $89,000 home here costs
$924per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $39,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $485. The real number is $439 higher every month, 91% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Harper County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Buffalo from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,244 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Harper County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Buffalo against Harper County and Oklahoma
| Measure | Buffalo | Harper County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $89,200 | $99,300 |
| Median property tax | $612 | $663 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.686% | 0.668% |
| Median gross rent | $693 | $791 |
| Population | 1,244 | 3,231 |
The weather behind that power bill
Buffalo sits in Harper County, which averages a high of 95.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 21.6°F in its coldest, with 22.13" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,827 cooling and 4,372 heating degree days, which is what sets the $160 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Harper County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Harper County
Full Harper County cost breakdown · Every county in Oklahoma
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Buffalo averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Buffalo every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Buffalo I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Buffalo?
A $89,000 home in Buffalo, Oklahoma costs approximately $924 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $485 principal and interest, $51 property tax, $86 homeowners insurance, $228 utilities and $74 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Buffalo?
Buffalo has an effective property tax rate of 0.686%, based on a median home value of $89,200 and median real estate taxes of $612. That is higher than the Harper County average of 0.668%.
What is the average home price in Buffalo?
The median owner-occupied home value in Buffalo, Oklahoma is $89,200, against $99,300 across Harper County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Buffalo?
Median gross rent in Buffalo is $693 a month, against $924 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Buffalo?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Buffalo, Oklahoma at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $39,500 a year. That covers the full $924 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Buffalo, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Oklahoma.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.