Home Insurance in Buffalo, South Dakota
With a median home value of $114,100, Buffalo is 31% lower than the Harding County median.
The typical home in Buffalo was built around 1953. About 58% of homes were built before 1960, about 18 points above Harding County's 40%. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild.
Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. The housing stock in Buffalo is 78% single-family homes and 17% mobile or manufactured homes.
35% of owner-occupied homes in Buffalo carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
The vacancy rate is 31%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 82% of occupied homes in Buffalo are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Buffalo - 71% - are primarily heated with propane. Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
FEMA rates Harding County's overall risk as Very Low, led by wildfire (Relatively Low). Harding County has no active NFIP flood policies on file. See the full Harding County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
In South Dakota, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,614 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $114,100 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1953 |
| Owner-occupied share | 82% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 35% |
| Top county hazard | Wildfire (Relatively Low) |
| Home insurance premium | $1,614 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Nearby towns
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)