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Buffalo County, South Dakota Traffic Counts

This page delivers traffic analytics for Buffalo County, South Dakota. Our metrics are calculated with multi-sourced, cross-verified data from real-world mobile and sensor networks, and averaged for Buffalo County, South Dakota among 71 road miles divided in 221 segments. Our metrics go beyond simple volume counts to provide actionable insights on traffic intensity, congestion, commercial vehicle flow, and network performance with highest possible granularity (average segment length is 1,699 ft). Whether you are evaluating a new retail location, planning logistics routes, or assessing infrastructure needs, this data helps you move from assumptions to certainty.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
Data current as of:
Q3 2026
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Total Traffic Volume & Performance

Traffic

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

302

Trucks

Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

13.3%

Average travel time

Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

42.0 min

Drivers’ average age

Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

41.8 yrs

Drivers’ average income

Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$55,618

Our data indicates an estimated average traffic volume of 302 vehicles per day in Buffalo County, South Dakota that results in 22,790 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈8.3 million per year). The traffic stream is comprised of an average of 1 truck for every 7 vehicles. Typical time spent behind the wheel per trip is 42.0 minutes, which already accounts for delays at signals, intersections, and congestion.

Analytical insight

When compared to the South Dakota state averages: At 302 vehicles per day, the average monitored road in Buffalo carries 90% less traffic than the state average of 3,156 vehicles per day - a critical factor for logistics and site planning. In total volume terms, its road network carries 22,790 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈8.3 million per year), about 0.1% of South Dakota's statewide total. The average trip takes 42.0 minutes, 29% higher than the state level. At 302 vehicles per day, Buffalo posts the lowest average traffic volume in South Dakota. Its average travel time of 42.0 minutes is longer than 80% of counties in South Dakota.

Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

Analytical insight

N/A
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Non-highway traffic

Traffic

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

302

Trucks

Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

13.3%

Average travel time

Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

42.0 min

Drivers’ average age

Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

41.8 yrs

Drivers’ average income

Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$55,618

The non-highway road network in Buffalo County, South Dakota supports a substantial volume of traffic. The average non-highway road carries 302 vehicles per day. That average covers 71 non-highway road miles divided in 221 segments (average segment length 1,699 ft), together carrying 22,790 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈8.3 million per year). Trucks constitute 13.3% of non-highway traffic.

Analytical insight

80% of counties in South Dakota see shorter overall travel times than Buffalo. Buffalo's average driver income exceeds 8% of counties in South Dakota. The driver population here skews older than 8% of counties in South Dakota.

Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns

Analytical insight

In Buffalo County, South Dakota, the peak hour concentrates about 8% of the day's traffic.

Traffic Flow Profile Comparison

Metric

Buffalo

South Dakota
Average

Difference

Traffic

302

3,156

-90.4%

Truck % (Total Traffic)

13.3%

10.3%

+29.8%

Truck % (Highway)

13.6%

Avg. Travel Time

42.0 min

32.5 min

+29.3%

How Buffalo County compares

Buffalo County against nearby areas

Set against the average of the 4 areas nearest to it, Buffalo County moves 8.2% of the total daily travel and carries 76.7% less traffic on a typical road; it has the quietest roads of the five. Quiet roads and long journeys - a rural pattern, where the distance between destinations rather than the traffic on the way is what takes the time.

Buffalo County and the 4 nearest county-level areas by centroid distance, with the South Dakota average for scale.
AreaAverage daily trafficTruck shareDaily vehicle-milesAverage travel timeCongestion ratio
Buffalo County30213.3%22,79042.0 minN/A
Brule County, South Dakota1,50413.4%373,40729.4 minN/A
Hand County, South Dakota1,53312.5%111,55439.4 minN/A
Jerauld County, South Dakota79411.1%56,00241.2 minN/A
Lyman County, South Dakota1,36218.2%571,25337.0 minN/A
South Dakota average3,15610.3%N/A32.5 min12.9%

Buffalo County ranked within South Dakota

Buffalo County records the lowest average daily traffic volume in South Dakota.

Where Buffalo County sits among South Dakota's county-level areas on each measure. Rank 1 is the highest value in the state, whether or not that is the outcome you want; the field size differs by measure because not every county carries highway data.
MeasureBuffalo CountySouth Dakota rank
Traffic volume (AADT)302#66 of 66
Average travel time42.0 min#14 of 66
Average driver income$55,618#61 of 66
Average driver age41.8 yrs#61 of 66

The two ends of this table sit far apart: #14 of 66 on average travel time, against #66 of 66 on average daily traffic volume.

Data Sources & Methodology

The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:

Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)

Road sensor networks and traffic counters

Historical traffic pattern databases

Public traffic count programs published by the

South DakotaDepartment of Transportation

Historical traffic pattern databases

U.S. Census Bureau
All metrics represent estimates based on statistical modeling and are intended for strategic planning purposes.
TrafficZoom methodology
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Data current as of:
Q3 2026

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Counties near Buffalo County

The same traffic breakdown for the areas closest to Buffalo County, South Dakota.

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