Buffalo Chip is a town in Meade County, South Dakota, home to about 17 people across 0.9 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 57785.
Homes sold for a median of $221 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Sturgis; part is in Buffalo Chip
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Buffalo Chip. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Buffalo Chip’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Buffalo Chip well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Denver International Airport (DEN)319 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP)27 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Denver, CO328 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL809 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Buffalo Chip; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
It’s the 414th largest of 440 towns in South Dakota by population.
Meade County grew from 4,907 residents in 1900 to 29,852 in 2020.
Meade County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 86°F in summer, and winter lows average 15°F. About 21.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 48 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Ft Meade, SD weather station (6 miles away).
6,662 jobs at 805 businesses in Meade County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
99 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Buffalo Chip.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 14 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 1 |
| Dentists | 9 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 11 |
| Mental health providers | 39 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 14 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 8 |
| Pharmacies | 3 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Public schools here are run by Black Hills Special Services Cooperative, Meade School District 46-1. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developmental Disabilities Program - 01Sturgis | Pre-K–12 | — | Special Education | 7.1 mi |
| Hereford Elementary - 08Hereford | K–8 | 13 | Public | 24.6 mi |
| Sturgis Elementary - 03Sturgis | K–4 | 531 | Public | 8.0 mi |
| Sturgis Williams Middle School - 02Sturgis | 5–8 | 490 | Public | 8.0 mi |
| Sturgis Brown High School - 01Sturgis | 9–12 | 845 | Public | 6.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Sturgis, Boulder Canyon and Blucksberg Mountain.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.