Buffalo County vs Douglas County
Buffalo County, Nebraska versus Douglas County, Nebraska: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Buffalo County and Douglas County score about the same overall (43 vs 41 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Buffalo County | Douglas County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $70k | $76k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $49k |
| Home Value | $219k | $227k |
| Monthly Rent | $885 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.51% | 1.76% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 6.97% | 6.97% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.41% | 13.95% |
| Unemployment | 2.9% | 3.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 25.7 in | 33.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.9 in | 32.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 266 days | 228 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 60 days | 66 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 66.0 | 95.9 |
| Air Quality | — | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 41.9 | 54.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1476/100k | 1746/100k |
| Property Crime | 1283/100k | 3007/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 50,103 | 582,638 |
| Median Age | 34.2 | 35.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.21 | 0.44 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | R+45 | D+12 |
| White (%) | 85.5% | 67.7% |
| Black (%) | 0.8% | 10.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.7% | 13.4% |
| Asian (%) | 1.5% | 4.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.5% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 8.0/20 | 11.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 169 mi | 15 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.5% | 90.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 5.08 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Buffalo County or Douglas County more affordable?
- Buffalo County has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Buffalo County's $44k and Douglas County's $49k. Median rent is $885 in Buffalo County versus $1k in Douglas County.
- Is Buffalo County or Douglas County safer?
- Buffalo County has the lower violent crime rate. Buffalo County reports 1476/100k and Douglas County reports 1746/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Buffalo County or Douglas County?
- The median home value is $219k in Buffalo County and $227k in Douglas County, so homes are more affordable in Buffalo County.