Buffalo County, Nebraska

Buffalo County, Nebraska
The Buffalo County Courthouse in Kearney
Buffalo County, Nebraska
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Coordinates: 40°51′19″N 99°04′30″W / 40.855265°N 99.074984°W / 40.855265; -99.074984
Country United States
State Nebraska
FoundedMarch 16, 1855 (created)
October 1, 1870 (organized)
Named afterAmerican bison
SeatKearney
Largest cityKearney
Area
 • Total
975.399 sq mi (2,526.27 km2)
 • Land968.246 sq mi (2,507.75 km2)
 • Water7.153 sq mi (18.53 km2)  0.73%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
50,084
 • Estimate 
(2024)
51,156
 • Density51.727/sq mi (19.972/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code308
Congressional district3rd
Websitebuffalocounty.ne.gov
• Nebraska county number 10
• Nebraska license plate prefix 09

Buffalo County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 50,084, and was estimated to be 51,156 in 2024, making it the fifth-most populous county in Nebraska. The county seat and the largest city is Kearney.

Buffalo County is part of the Kearney micropolitan area.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Buffalo County was represented by the prefix "9" (as it had the ninth-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).