Cost to Own
United StatesWyomingJohnson CountyBuffalo Population 4,516 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Buffalo, Wyoming

A $272,000 home here costs

$2,057

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,398. The real number is $659 higher every month — 47% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Buffalo median: $272,300
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $217,600 borrowed $1,398
Property tax0.584% effective rate for Buffalo itself $132
Homeowners insuranceWyoming averages $1,432/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $99
Electricity14.8¢/kWh — Wyoming residential average, EIA $133
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $227
Total monthly $2,057

Buffalo against Johnson County and Wyoming

MeasureBuffaloJohnson County
Median home value$272,300$296,000
Median property tax$1,589$1,634
Effective tax rate0.584%0.552%
Median gross rent$1,066$1,081
Population4,5168,602

The weather behind that power bill

Buffalo sits in Johnson County, which averages a high of 85.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.8°F in its coldest, with 13.45" of precipitation a year and 48% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 452 cooling and 7,516 heating degree days, which is what sets the $133 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Johnson County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Johnson County

No other places of this size are published in Johnson County.

Full Johnson County cost breakdown · Every county in Wyoming

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Buffalo?

A $272,000 home in Buffalo, Wyoming costs approximately $2,057 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,398 principal and interest, $132 property tax, $99 homeowners insurance, $201 utilities and $227 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Buffalo?

Buffalo has an effective property tax rate of 0.584%, based on a median home value of $272,300 and median real estate taxes of $1,589. That is higher than the Johnson County average of 0.552%.

What is the average home price in Buffalo?

The median owner-occupied home value in Buffalo, Wyoming is $272,300, against $296,000 across Johnson County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Buffalo?

Median gross rent in Buffalo is $1,066 a month, against $2,057 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

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 Wyoming.
  • 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.

Full methodology