Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Buffalo, South Carolina
A $44,000 home here costs
$576per 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 $24,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $240. The real number is $336 higher every month, 140% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Union 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 1,232 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 Union 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 Union County and South Carolina
| Measure | Buffalo | Union County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $44,400 | $100,000 |
| Median property tax | $541 | $558 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.218% | 0.558% |
| Median gross rent | — | $770 |
| Population | 1,232 | 26,990 |
The weather behind that power bill
Buffalo sits in Union County, which averages a high of 90.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 29.0°F in its coldest, with 45.25" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,649 cooling and 3,296 heating degree days, which is what sets the $165 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Union County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Union County
Full Union County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina
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 $44,000 home in Buffalo, South Carolina costs approximately $576 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $240 principal and interest, $45 property tax, $21 homeowners insurance, $233 utilities and $37 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Buffalo?
Buffalo has an effective property tax rate of 1.218%, based on a median home value of $44,400 and median real estate taxes of $541. That is higher than the Union County average of 0.558%.
What is the average home price in Buffalo?
The median owner-occupied home value in Buffalo, South Carolina is $44,400, against $100,000 across Union County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Buffalo?
Rent data is not published for Buffalo at this level of detail.
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, South Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $24,500 a year. That covers the full $576 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 South Carolina.
- 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.